 Pick One: Liberty or Nitro |
The Toledo Blade is reporting that by 2012, either the Jeep Liberty or the Dodge Nitro will be phased out, according to Steven Landry, vice president of North American sales:
"If you put sales of Liberty and Nitro together, it's doing what we want it to do," Mr. Landry said while discussing the poor August sales of the two vehicles.
"As we move toward 2012, we won't have this dual branding," Mr. Landry said, citing a previously announced effort to scale back the automaker's offerings. "That's when we'll just come back with one branded body of those particular vehicles, instead of two."
Experts generally expect the Nitro would be the vehicle to be dumped and, in the past, said they anticipated it would happen before 2012.
Seems like a no-brainer, but then again, I run a Jeep news site...
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| myhotwheels22981 | Posted: 2008/9/10 9:08 Updated: 2008/9/10 9:08 |
Home away from home   Joined: 2002/3/21 From: Posts: 183 |
 Re: Pick One: Liberty or NitroMark, don't forget to take into consideration, though, that a Diesel engine will last twice as long as a gasoline engine, with less maintenance...
I'm still looking forward to a Diesel Wrangler, primarily for mileage more than power, but power is always nice, too. |
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| myhotwheels22981 | Posted: 2008/9/9 19:21 Updated: 2008/9/9 19:22 |
Home away from home Joined: 2002/3/21 From: Posts: 183 |
Re: Pick One: Liberty or Nitro You get more miles per dollar with Diesel...set a baseline of X dollars dollars x gallons per X dollars x miles per gallon, and diesel will always take you farther.
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| Josephus | Posted: 2008/9/9 14:22 Updated: 2008/9/9 14:22 |
Home away from home Joined: 2005/7/18 From: Pennsylvania Posts: 243 |
Re: Pick One: Liberty or Nitro I like the look of the Nitro better than the Liberty, but it really doesn't matter.
What does matter is MPG. Why is Chrysler dragging their feet in getting the diesels from European-Spec vehicles in the US versions and certified by the EPA? Forget the tax-credits, just get something that doesn't suck. They've gotten proven product sitting right there on the shelf. Why not take advantage of the low-hanging fruit? |
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| jerryjeep | Posted: 2008/9/8 16:05 Updated: 2008/9/8 16:05 |
Not too shy to talk  Joined: 2006/8/28 From: Southeast, Michigan Posts: 32 |
Re: Pick One: Liberty or Nitro The facts are clear, the buyers have spoken and IF Chrysler is listening they will kill the Nitro. Facts be known, the Dodge Marketing guys have been crying for years that they didn't have a Jeep like vehicle to sell. News Break, most Dodge Dealers have the Jeep franchise included in their Five Star Operation. Some don't, but the reality is Chrysler wants all their Dealers to sell all their products. That is the plan for Dealer consolidation and improving their Sales and Service networks. That eliminates the need for any dual badged vehicles (that should include Mini-vans also). While it is easy to rationalize different Brands for distinct markets, the luxury of duplicate vehicles that are only differentiated by options and trim packages can hardly be tolerated if Chrysler is serious about surviving. Jeep should sell Jeeps, Dodge should sell small, medium cars and trucks and Chrysler should sell full size and luxury vehicles. Of course that is oversimplified because Dodge may require some full sized units and specialty cars could be spread across the brands where they fit best, but the message is the same,,, SIMPLIFY and reduce the complexity to reduce the non-value added costs. Nitro should go ASAP.
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| ORBruce | Posted: 2008/9/8 14:06 Updated: 2008/9/8 14:06 |
Just popping in  Joined: 2005/7/19 From: Portland, OR Posts: 13 |
Re: Pick One: Liberty or Nitro Obviously, if one has to go, it should be the Nitro. It has the drawbacks of a platform designed for off-roading, without the capability. Those buyers should buy a crossover and get better mileage.
We just got a new Liberty to replace a 2005, and we think we'll like it better. It's a bit roomier. At first look, off-road capability should be better. The traction control seems to offer some locker-like effect, and clearances are about the same. Not a Wrangler, for sure, but way more than a Subaru or other crossover. Ride is a bit galumphy on the road, kind of like a Disco, but it should be smoother in the rougher stuff. It's very quiet. The 4WD/low switch works fine, but we miss the lever and a little growl that lets you know that low is engaged. |
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| nashman | Posted: 2008/9/8 13:12 Updated: 2008/9/8 13:13 |
Just popping in Joined: 2007/7/30 From: Posts: 5 |
Re: Pick One: Liberty or Nitro What is with American auto manufacturers? Here we are in a crisis in the auto industry and Chrysler is talking about not making a decision until 2012? Instead of going to Washington and begging for a bailout why don't they take some immediate steps and cancel the Nitro now? You would still sell the same number of vehicles, just under one brand. You could save all the marketing money wasted on supporting two clones and cut the costs of the overlapping parts that have to be stocked to differentiate two versions of one vehicle. GM has been out with their large hybrids for a year, wasn't Chrysler part of developing that system? Where are the Hybrid Grand Cherokees and Dodge Rams? Get of your butt Chrysler and start doing something Today and Not 3 years from now.
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