Chrysler CEO Promises Five New Models for 2010

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Even though he acknowledges that “2010 for us is a difficult, transitional year,” Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said in a roundtable discussion Tuesday that he expects new product refreshes and launches to help the automaker spur sales and consumer interest by the end of the year.

What’s coming and when will they be in showrooms?

• The redesigned Jeep Grand Cherokee should arrive in the second quarter of this year.
• A redesigned Dodge Charger is coming in November.
• A seven-seater Dodge crossover in November; we asked about a name and Ralph Gilles, head of Dodge, smiled and said, “It’ll be the last thing I [ever] say.”
• The redesigned Chrysler 300, built on a brand-new platform, should arrive in December.
• The Fiat 500 should be in select Chrysler dealerships in December.

Marchionne says Chrysler’s goal is to sell 1.1 million cars in 2010, vowing not to expand production just to move cars onto dealer lots. That’s an increase of more than 150,000 cars from 2009, which would be a turnaround from the collapse (down 36% from 2008’s 1.45 million sales) that Chrysler saw last year, its worst year for sales since 1962.

That 1.1 million mark represents an 18 percent increase from 2009, which is a substantial since Chrysler’s sales figures for the last several months have been going dramatically in the opposite direction.

Still, Chrysler execs believe that refreshes to its cars, including the Caliber, can drive sales up from their current low points. “They need an infusion of love and care,” one exec said at the roundtable.

Finally, Marchionne explained the appearance of the Delta on the Chrysler stand at the Detroit auto show. He made clear his dislike for automakers that roll out models at auto shows years in advance of their release, so why is the Lancia here? Well, he’s apparently settling some kind of wager among the company’s execs.

“What we’re trying to test is, is the market’s reaction to hatchbacks,” Marchionne said. “That’s the bloody answer. This is one of the most heated debates inside Chrysler today.”

“Like a cage match,” Gilles interjected.

Chrysler is trying to decide “as to whether hatchbacks of that size have a place in the U.S. market.”