Faced with soaring gas prices, a sputtering economy and a rapid U.S. market shift away from trucks, the U.S. auto industry’s weakest player, Chrysler, may have to file for bankruptcy or sell its storied Jeep and Dodge Ram brands as early as next year, according to a JPMorgan analyst.

But rivals GM and Ford are likely to get through the rough patch and turn a profit in 2010.