More Changes in Store for FCA

Aging platforms can be a problem for any automaker. In recent years many models on the automotive market have become lighter and easier for us to drive when certain platforms have changed. Unfortunately, if you’re facing a serious debt to income ratio in the negative, the development of new models and new platforms can be difficult to create. Thankfully, FCA is full of creative people who know how to handle adversity and bring us the models that will make the most sense on the road and on the current market to keep us interested until they can make the changes needed.

The Dodge lineup is about to receive a few changes that will help to keep our interest in them. The fact that the Charger and Challenger both have the Hellcat engine as part of the lineup certainly helps us stay tuned in and wit the new Demon on its way for the Challenger we simply can’t wait to see what this car will be. The Challenger will also bring us a new AWD version this year called the GT AWD and it will carry one of the many engine choices under the Challenger name, but not the Hellcat to start with.

Why does Dodge need to keep offering these changes and hasn’t been able to move toward a new platform yet? Not only is FCA still trying to get in the black financially, but the Challenger is only five years old even though its built on a platform that was created in 2006. This means the Challenger hasn’t finished its production run, in fact, for the Hellcat, production had to be doubled just last year and when something is showing unprecedented success, you ride it out as long as you can before making changes that might affect the aspects of the vehicle that consumers love.

Eventually, both the Charger and Challenger will be redesigned and built on the Giorgio platform that is already used to under pin the Alfa Romeo Giulia. When this happens there is a better than average chance we’ll see the Dodge name on a convertible model once again as the Barracuda is added to the market using this platform which shows it can be stiffer in a two-door convertible build. This will certainly be an impressive release for Dodge, but there are other changes going on at FCA as well.

The Dodge Durango is also set to be upgraded and has been with the addition of the SRT model for 2017 that adds a 6.4-liter V8 engine to the impressive unibody SUV. The full size luxury SUVs from Jeep will arrive in the future and there has been some rumor of adding more to the Chrysler name by giving us a full size SUV carrying this brand badge. That would certainly be a serious positive considering the deletion of the Chrysler 300 is scheduled to take place when the Charger and Challenger move over to the Giorgio platform for their new build.

Add to these changes the vast number of models that will arrive in the next few years in the Jeep lineup as well and you can see how quickly FCA is going to move from a company that’s struggling financially to one that’s swimming in cash. Hopefully this increased success will also bring us more models across the FCA nameplates that are new and unique for this modern era and not a continued throwback to yesteryear. Only the future will tell us for sure, but for FCA, the future does in fact seem bright and certainly looks to be ready to pay off the patience and diligence the company has shown over the past decade.