Today I heard over NPR news that Chrysler had signed a deal with a Chinese automaker (they mentioned the name, but I did not get it) to develop small, fuel efficent vehicles.

To me, this means that they are going to downright purchase chinese-designed and built small vehicles, and rebrand them as Dodge.
Chrysler has done that repeatedly in the past, purchasing vehicles from japanese and korean automakers, but this deal sets a new low.

In the meantime, they will continue to domestically build their Durangos and Rams and Grand Cherokees.

I also used to own a Chrysler Concorde, just sold it last week. I was very satisfied with the vehicle, and it gave an excellent mileage for a full size sedan. Don't have the actual data, but it gave a better highway mileage than my Chevy Tracker, even though the latter had a manual transmission and a underpowered 4 cylinder engine.

But they discontinued that line, replaced it with the mean looking and fuel thirsty 300M line.

Of course, I did not consider them for my new vehicle.

The U.S. has reached a point “where the priorities of Congress could become so distorted by politics” that it would turn its back on the next great global industry, clean power — Rhone Resch