I just saw some highlights of the Detroit Auto Show and one of the featured
"all new" Chrysler products was the Aspen full size SUV? I had several
problems with this "concept" –
1) They claimed the Aspen was Chrysler’s first SUV. Are they trying to
disown all the Pacifica ads? I’ll admit the Pacifica is really just a
squashed mini-van, but I sure seem to recall it being advertised as an SUV.
Of course no one who actually wanted an SUV would go with in 10 miles of
that turkey. But it is a decent, if overpriced, mini-van.
2) They claim it is "full sized." Compared to what? A RAV4? It is just a
warmed over Durango. Since Dodge is constantly calling the Durango the
roomiest SUV in its class, it can’t be a full sized SUV, since it is smaller
than all the real full size SUVs (Expedition, Tahoe, Suburban, Sequoia, etc)
and barely larger than an Explorer or Trailblazer. So it reality, this is
just a big mid-sized SUV.
3) Aspen??? That name was already discredited years ago when it was slapped
on those horrible mid-sized sedans. I guess Aspen is better than Volante.
4) Does the world really need a clone of the worst SUV sold in the US?
Slapping a Chrysler grille on that turkey is not going to elevate it to the
status of merely mediocre. I suppose if you want to go fast in a straight
line, the Aspen (LOL) with the hemi fits the bill. Of course in every other
way, it is a turkey.
More marketing genius from Chrysler….
At least the Challenger looks nice. I wonder if they will screw that up?
Ed
> 1) They claimed the Aspen was Chrysler’s first SUV.
I guess if you define "Chrysler" strictly enough, you get to palm off
not only the Durango but the several generations of the late, lamented
Power Wagon onto Dodge.
> I’ll admit the Pacifica is really just a squashed mini-van
Or perhaps what the station wagon evolved into, in a slightly more
orderly parallel universe that bypassed the SUV craze entirely.
Okay, an expensive parallel universe.
It’s a handsome vehicle and looks like a real asset to some lifestyles,
but neither instinctively nor after thinking about it would I classify
the Pacifica among SUVs.
> At least the Challenger looks nice. I wonder if they will screw that up?
It sure does. I wonder if an SRT-10 variant is mechanically feasible,
since king-hell engine options were key to the Challenger/Barracuda
tradition (even if most were probably bought with a mild LA-block or a
Slant Six). Hopefully they learned a thing or two from Ford’s
revival of the Thunderbird.
–Joe
> 1) They claimed the Aspen was Chrysler’s first SUV. Are they trying to
> disown all the Pacifica ads? I’ll admit the Pacifica is really just a
> squashed mini-van, but I sure seem to recall it being advertised as an
> SUV.
> Of course no one who actually wanted an SUV would go with in 10 miles of
> that turkey. But it is a decent, if overpriced, mini-van.
I believe the Pacifica is classed as an XUV or cross-over utility vehicle,
meening its 1/2 way between your Durango and a real stationwagon from days
of yore.
> 2) They claim it is "full sized." Compared to what? A RAV4? It is just a
> warmed over Durango. Since Dodge is constantly calling the Durango the
> roomiest SUV in its class, it can’t be a full sized SUV, since it is
> smaller
> than all the real full size SUVs (Expedition, Tahoe, Suburban, Sequoia,
> etc)
> and barely larger than an Explorer or Trailblazer. So it reality, this is
> just a big mid-sized SUV.
If its a copy (rebadged) Durango then would it not be classed as full size??
Last I saw the Durango was/is a full size truck.
> 3) Aspen??? That name was already discredited years ago when it was
> slapped
> on those horrible mid-sized sedans. I guess Aspen is better than Volante.
I know a couple aspen owners who would Love to meet you…lol Oh and one
of them owns a Wagon version.
> More marketing genius from Chrysler….
Probably the same genius who decided to do away with the ole’ Jeep Cherokee
due to its old square look only to bring out the new Commander with the ole
Cherokee look.
Snow…
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006, C. E. White wrote:
> I just saw some highlights of the Detroit Auto Show and one of the
> featured "all new" Chrysler products was the Aspen full size SUV
Yeah, eh?
"Ja, ve understand diss American mahh-ket. Ve vill mahh-ket stupidisch
American-brand ess-yoo-fee for de stupidisch American con-soo-mahh. NOW
IST DE TIME ON SCHPROCKETS VEN VE DANCE!"
> 2) They claim it is "full sized." Compared to what? A RAV4?
Welcome to 2006, when a car of roughly equal proportions to a Dart or
Valiant is considered "full sized".
> 3) Aspen??? That name was already discredited years ago when it was
> slapped on those horrible mid-sized sedans. I guess Aspen is better than
> Volante.
Aston-Martin will doubtless get an Excedrin-sized headache if they ever
read your words. The brand you were looking for was *Volaré*.
"C. E. White" <cewhi…@removemindspring.com> wrote in message
news:43c53fab$1@kcnews01…
- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -
>I just saw some highlights of the Detroit Auto Show and one of the featured
> "all new" Chrysler products was the Aspen full size SUV? I had several
> problems with this "concept" –
> 1) They claimed the Aspen was Chrysler’s first SUV. Are they trying to
> disown all the Pacifica ads? I’ll admit the Pacifica is really just a
> squashed mini-van, but I sure seem to recall it being advertised as an
> SUV.
> Of course no one who actually wanted an SUV would go with in 10 miles of
> that turkey. But it is a decent, if overpriced, mini-van.
> 2) They claim it is "full sized." Compared to what? A RAV4? It is just a
> warmed over Durango. Since Dodge is constantly calling the Durango the
> roomiest SUV in its class, it can’t be a full sized SUV, since it is
> smaller
> than all the real full size SUVs (Expedition, Tahoe, Suburban, Sequoia,
> etc)
> and barely larger than an Explorer or Trailblazer. So it reality, this is
> just a big mid-sized SUV.
> 3) Aspen??? That name was already discredited years ago when it was
> slapped
> on those horrible mid-sized sedans. I guess Aspen is better than Volante.
> 4) Does the world really need a clone of the worst SUV sold in the US?
> Slapping a Chrysler grille on that turkey is not going to elevate it to
> the
> status of merely mediocre. I suppose if you want to go fast in a straight
> line, the Aspen (LOL) with the hemi fits the bill. Of course in every
> other
> way, it is a turkey.
> More marketing genius from Chrysler….
> At least the Challenger looks nice. I wonder if they will screw that up?
> Ed
Chrysler is profitable. So they are doing something right. GM and Ford –
they are betting on more large SUVs…
and I agree – Challenger is hot. I am getting one.
"Daniel J. Stern" <dast…@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
>"Ja, ve understand diss American mahh-ket. Ve vill mahh-ket stupidisch
> American-brand ess-yoo-fee for de stupidisch American con-soo-mahh. NOW
> IST DE TIME ON SCHPROCKETS VEN VE DANCE!"
Ever notice the pronunciation of "Chrysler" has become "Chryzler"? This is
with English speaking commercial announcers.
> several generations of the late, lamented Power Wagon
Actually the word I was aiming for was Ramcharger, a worthy contender
in the K-Blazer/Big Bronco/SJ-chassis Wagoneer era, though some Power
Wagons were indeed produced in a carryall configuration. (Which
reminds me that Jeep was an acquired scion of Chrysler during the last
several years of the Grand Wagoneer, though again, that long-serving
chassis didn’t appear under the Chrysler nameplate.)
Not that it wouldn’t be amusing to put 9.00×16 military nondirectionals
on a Pacifica , though. Maybe that’d be the next "dubs" fad!
They’ve similarly got the technological basis for a *really* full-sized
SUV in their much respected 3/4 ton pickup, but the "Fordzilla" and
the 2500-series Suburban might be at least enough for that market
already.
–Joe
Its Volare, you forgot the "e". vo-lar-e .
Snow…
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006, John Smith wrote:
> Ever notice the pronunciation of "Chrysler" has become "Chryzler"? This
> is with English speaking commercial announcers.
In Canada and Australia, it’s always been "Kryzler" with the first
syllable’s vowel the same as in the word "cry"; the US pronunciation is
variable by region but tends towards "Kreissler", with the first
syllable’s vowel the same as in the word "fight".
On Wed, 11 Jan 2006, Snow wrote:
> Its Volare, you forgot the "e". vo-lar-e .
VoLARé…wo-WO! VoLARé…wo-wo-wee-oh!
"Dan J.S." <m…@hyperx.com> wrote in message
news:11sasefkjd9ra99@news.supernews.com…
> Chrysler is profitable. So they are doing something right. GM and Ford –
> they are betting on more large SUVs…
> and I agree – Challenger is hot. I am getting one.
Chrysler’s bread and butter is the Caravan. If I were buying a minivan I’d
probably buy one.
But they are slowly losing ground to the Toyota and Honda vans.
The market will eventually get saturated with 300′s (and related) and they
won’t be selling them in record numbers. If they lose the minivan they will
lose what market share they have.
"Daniel J. Stern" <dast…@127.0.0.1> wrote in message
news:Pine.GSO.4.63.0601111758310.2543@alumni.engin.umich.edu…
> On Wed, 11 Jan 2006, John Smith wrote:
>> Ever notice the pronunciation of "Chrysler" has become "Chryzler"? This
>> is with English speaking commercial announcers.
> In Canada and Australia, it’s always been "Kryzler" with the first
> syllable’s vowel the same as in the word "cry"; the US pronunciation is
> variable by region but tends towards "Kreissler", with the first
> syllable’s vowel the same as in the word "fight".
Round this part of Canada people have always called it "Kreissler" but only
recently have ads popped up around here that are "Kryzzler"
Snow wrote:
> Its Volare, you forgot the "e". vo-lar-e .
The most god forsaken piece of crap ever to wear the Chrysler name. By
the time they got done with all the recalls, it was easier to list the
parts of the car that hadn’t been replaced.
> VoLAR?…wo-WO! VoLAR?…wo-wo-wee-oh!
Oh, God, somebody else whose brain cells have devoted themselves
unbidden to an audio memory of the commercial. Bet you can also
retrieve the guy half speaking/half singing, in the vaguely British
way that is supposed to make us think of Down East old money,
"Unbelievable that Aspen has a wagon…"
Could be worse. I seem to recall some make-fun-of-newspaper-gaffes
column (maybe in Columbia Journalism Review?) that caught some concert
reviewer mentioning "Me And My Arrow." Presumably he meant "Me And My
Shadow," though I suppose there is some horrifyingly finite possibility
that the performer actually emitted a Plymouth commercial onstage…
Joe "Sympathies" Chew
On Thu, 12 Jan 2006, Ad absurdum per aspera wrote:
>> VoLAR?…wo-WO! VoLAR?…wo-wo-wee-oh!
> Oh, God, somebody else whose brain cells have devoted themselves
> unbidden to an audio memory of the commercial.
Actually, I was recollecting the song "Volare", as sung by a great many
(too many?) performers over the years, including, fairly recently, the
Gypsy Kings.
Hi!
"Kenneth P. Stox" wrote:
> Snow wrote:
> > Its Volare, you forgot the "e". vo-lar-e .
> The most god forsaken piece of crap ever to wear the Chrysler name.
You mean, worse than the Horizon, 1308, or Samba?
Yours,
Erik.
—
"Simply, I’d say that porting is impossible. It’s mostly in C, but most
people wouldn’t call what I write C."
— Linus Torvalds about Linux, 26 August 1991
Dan J.S. <m…@hyperx.com> writes:
> and I agree – Challenger is hot. I am getting one.
Ain’t it a beaut? I just saw the photos of it in the
current issue of _Automobile_.
What I don’t get is why the Challenger (and Barracuda)
have always been classified as "pony cars" and lumped
into the same category as the Mustang and the GM F-body.
They aren’t pony cars; they’re intermediates. And the
same applies to the AMC Javelin and AMX.
Geoff
–
"This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.
Had this been an actual emergency, you’d be writhing on the ground in
unspeakable agony, bleeding from every orifice, with your blackened skin
falling away in ragged strips."
John Smith <54…@432654353.65> writes:
> Ever notice the pronunciation of "Chrysler" has become "Chryzler"?
> This is with English speaking commercial announcers.
And then there’s that Swedish car manufacturer, "Vawlvo." How
can anyone fuck *that* up? According to the rules of English
phonics (and more to the point, of *Latin* phonics — "Volvo"
means "I roll" in Latin), the first syllable obviously rhymes
with "bowl," not with "crawl" or "bawl."
I’ve also noticed that nobody seems to know how to pronounce the
name of the Visa credit card anymore; people say "Veeza." There’s
no "z" in "Visa," dammit!
Geoff
–
"This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.
Had this been an actual emergency, you’d be writhing on the ground in
unspeakable agony, bleeding from every orifice, with your blackened skin
falling away in ragged strips."
> And then there’s that Swedish car manufacturer, "Vawlvo." How
> can anyone fuck *that* up? According to the rules of English
> phonics (and more to the point, of *Latin* phonics — "Volvo"
> means "I roll" in Latin), the first syllable obviously rhymes
> with "bowl," not with "crawl" or "bawl."
You’re confused. V-o-l-v-o is pronounced "ford" (rhymes with gourd). Get
it RIGHT, man! :) -Dave
If they can slap a Hemi sticker on it, it will sell.
————
Alex
Erik Meltzer wrote:
> Hi!
> "Kenneth P. Stox" wrote:
>> Snow wrote:
>>> Its Volare, you forgot the "e". vo-lar-e .
>> The most god forsaken piece of crap ever to wear the Chrysler name.
> You mean, worse than the Horizon, 1308, or Samba?
I should be more specific, the 1976 model. By the 1977 model, the worst
problems had been solved.
Geoff Miller wrote:
> Dan J.S. <m…@hyperx.com> writes:
>> and I agree – Challenger is hot. I am getting one.
> Ain’t it a beaut? I just saw the photos of it in the
> current issue of _Automobile_.
> What I don’t get is why the Challenger (and Barracuda)
> have always been classified as "pony cars" and lumped
> into the same category as the Mustang and the GM F-body.
> They aren’t pony cars; they’re intermediates. And the
> same applies to the AMC Javelin and AMX.
The original AMX, 1968-70, was a two seater with a 97" wheelbase. It was
smaller and lighter than any other of the pony cars. Definitely not an
intermediate. Too bad the AMX3 never made it to the market, it was one
sweet looking car.
>>> And then there’s that Swedish car manufacturer, "Vawlvo." How
>>> can anyone fuck *that* up? According to the rules of English
>>> phonics (and more to the point, of *Latin* phonics — "Volvo"
>>> means "I roll" in Latin), the first syllable obviously rhymes
>>> with "bowl," not with "crawl" or "bawl."
>>You’re confused. V-o-l-v-o is pronounced "ford" (rhymes with gourd).
> Dave,
> I believe you have misspelled "Jaguar."
Yes, I did. And J-a-g-u-a-r is also pronounced "ford" (rhymes with gourd).
-Dave
Kenneth P. Stox <k…@stox.org> writes:
[Volare]
> The most god forsaken piece of crap ever to wear the Chrysler name. By
> the time they got done with all the recalls, it was easier to list the
> parts of the car that hadn’t been replaced.
I always had the impression that the Volare/Aspen was basically an
enlarged Dart/Valiant, and that was a very reliable car.
I saw an Aspen sedan on my way home from work a couple of days ago.
Hadn’t seen one of those in years.
Geoff
–
"This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.
Had this been an actual emergency, you’d be writhing on the ground in
unspeakable agony, bleeding from every orifice, with your blackened skin
falling away in ragged strips."
Kenneth P. Stox <k…@stox.org> writes:
> The original AMX, 1968-70, was a two seater with a 97" wheelbase.
> It was smaller and lighter than any other of the pony cars. Def-
> initely not an intermediate.
I wasn’t going by its weight or wheelbase, but by its external
dimensions, particularly its height. Like the Challenger and
Barracuda, it’s a tall, upright car along the lines of the
intermediates of the time, not a low, compact car like the
Mustang or F-body.
> Too bad the AMX3 never made it to the market, it was one sweet
> looking car.
That it was. The design looks like it had a bit of Pantera influence:
http://www.amxfiles.com/amcpix/amx3.jpg
Geoff
–
"This is a test of the Emergency Broadcast System. This is only a test.
Had this been an actual emergency, you’d be writhing on the ground in
unspeakable agony, bleeding from every orifice, with your blackened skin
falling away in ragged strips."