Chrysler to build a VW minivan?

[ifcar]

UPDATE 1-VW, Daimler said near deal on minivan production
Mon Aug 22, 2005 04:47 PM ET
(Adds sources confirming plans for alliance, changes dateline PREVIOUS Frankfurt)

DETROIT, Aug 22 (Reuters) - German car maker Volkswagen (VOWG.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) is in advanced talks with rival DaimlerChrysler (DCXGn.DE: Quote, Profile, Research) (DCX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) about forming an alliance to build a VW minivan for sale in the United States, sources familiar with the situation said on Monday.

The deal was first reported by Germany's Handelsblatt newspaper in a preview of its Tuesday edition.

The paper said Dieter Zetsche, chief executive of DaimlerChrysler's U.S.-based Chrysler arm, and VW brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard could sign an agreement sealing the deal at next month's auto show in Frankfurt.

Under the alliance, the automakers would build a van for Volkswagen based on the Chrysler Voyager, Handelsblatt said.

Volkswagen declined to comment on the report on Monday, but two sources familiar with the plan told Reuters it had been in the works for some time.

The sources said no final deal had been reached yet, but added that it had been approved in principle by the board of management and supervisory board at DaimlerChrysler in Stuttgart.

The sources said it was not clear where the minivan for the U.S. market would be built, but Chrysler builds its minivans in St. Louis, Missouri, as well as Windsor, Ontario.

Chrysler minivans are also built in Austria and will soon be built in Taiwan. (Additional reporting by James Regan and Jan Schwartz in Frankfurt)

[Raghavan]

And what would Chrysler get out of this deal?

[BMWDave]

What would be the benefit for Chrysler here?  And VW needs more than just a warmed over T&C, they need to bring back the Microbus, or something of the sort.

[ifcar]

Aren't they using VW diesels for the Caliber?

[giant_mtb]

Double-you Tee Eff.  <_<  

[BMWDave]

Aren't they using VW diesels for the Caliber?

So youre suggesting they are making a trade off?  

That hadnt occured to me.

[ifcar]

Aren't they using VW diesels for the Caliber?

So youre suggesting they are making a trade off?  

That hadnt occured to me.

Seems reasonable, doesn't it? This way Chrysler doesn't have to develop an economy-car diesel, and VW doesn't have to develop a minivan.  

[bobwill]

Weren't VW and Chrysler in bed together back in the 1970s?  At the time, Chrysler was buying VW 4-cylinders for their cars.

[TBR]

Aren't they using VW diesels for the Caliber?

So youre suggesting they are making a trade off?  

That hadnt occured to me.

Seems reasonable, doesn't it? This way Chrysler doesn't have to develop an economy-car diesel, and VW doesn't have to develop a minivan.

The diesel deal still doesn't make sense, daimler has various econo-car diesels.

[ifcar]

Only those used in Mercedeses, trucks, or the Smart.

[TBR]

Of course, but what is wrong with those?

[ifcar]

Their truck diesels are too big, the Smart diesel is too small, and I have my doubts about the physical size and the cost of the Mercedes diesels.

[bobwill]

I wanna see a compact with a 5.9L cummins turbo diesel.  :P
I say it's probably something similar to what GM did with Honda and the Saturn Vue.
Yes, they could have produced a good engine for the vehicle in house, but it was cheaper to make the deal, maybe get rid of some excess inventory and save yourself the trouble of retooling a factory to meet the increased demand for an existing powerplant.

[cozmik]

Their truck diesels are too big, the Smart diesel is too small, and I have my doubts about the physical size and the cost of the Mercedes diesels.

I don't, not about the costs at least. Can you say A-Class? Any of the diesels from the A-Class would be a good match for the new Chrysler small cars. They have to be cost effective since they are in the A-Class range, and that is a low end car. I would say they would be compact enough as well since the A Class is FWD. Potentially they could use the Diesel powertrain as a whole (i.e. the engine and tranny) in the new small cars.

[ifcar]

What are the specs on the A-Class diesels?

[cozmik]

What are the specs on the A-Class diesels?

A160:
Number of cylinders/arrangement
4/in-line
   
Displacement (cc)
1992         

Rated output (hp at rpm)[1]
82/4200
   
Rated torque (Nm at rpm)[1]
180/1400-2600      

Compression ratio
18.0:1   


A180:

Number of cylinders/arrangement
4/in-line      

Displacement (cc)
1992      

Rated output (hp at rpm)[1]
109/4200      

Rated torque (Nm at rpm)[1]
250/1600-2600
   
Compression ratio
18.0:1
   

A200:

Number of cylinders/arrangement
4/in-line      

Displacement (cc)
1992      

Rated output (hp at rpm)[1]
140/4200      

Rated torque (Nm at rpm)[1]
300/1600-2600
(280/1600-3000)
   
Compression ratio
18.0:1

[Raghavan]

The A class diesels would work, but then they'd have to import 'em, and make them work for US emissions, AND get more power out of 'em.

[cozmik]

The A class diesels would work, but then they'd have to import 'em, and make them work for US emissions, AND get more power out of 'em.

They wouldn't need any more power. 140 is more than enough for a gas engine in a compact. And with lord knows how much torque, it would be no worries. The 109 HP version from the A180 would even be sufficient here. VW has sold 95 HP Jetta's for a while now in diesel. All the torque they have make them very driveable, and well suited for US driving styles where we don't have the high interstate speeds that Europe has.  

And I believe that the Diesel in the Liberty CRD is imported from Italy.

B)

[TBR]

Yep, I don't see the reasoning behind this at all and I personally am still not quite sure that the info about VW diesels is correct, maybe they will be made by VM Motori (the same company the manufacturer's the Liberty's diesel).