Chrysler Cancels Durango and Aspen Hybrids

30th October 2008

Chrysler announced this week that it will close its Newark, Delaware plant 1 full year earlier than it had

2009 Chrysler Aspen Hybrid

planned. The new closing date will be by the end of 2008 instead of 2009. The plant builds the Dodge Durango and Chrysler Aspen full-size SUVs, and just recently added the hybrid models to the lineup. A Chrysler spokesman said, “It’s not a sound decision to keep open the plant for the hybrid demand alone.” He also said the company has no plans to move the production or replace the SUVs in their current form.

This is only a week after they touted the fuel economy and power of the hybrid twins in a press release, saying they achieve “best-in-class fuel economy ratings for a full-size 4×4 SUV.” The EPA rates the hybrids at 20 city & 22 highway. They also bragged about the 400 hp Hemi engine and used this line, “Yeah, it’s gotta HEMI® Hybrid. And best-in-class fuel economy, too. “ They went on to say that the hybrids get better fuel economy in the city (20) than a V6 Honda Accord (19). The V6 Toyota Camry is also rated at 19 city.

Sounds like a great SUV that everybody would want, right? Better fuel economy than an Accord and can tow 6000 lb?? Where is the line to get one? Better get in that line soon, as Chrysler has 3000 orders for the hybrids, and they aren’t sure they’ll be able to build all of them before the plant closes in December.

One gets the impression that events are happening at such a pace in Auburn Hills that they can’t keep up. I think Chrysler is closing the plant under direction from GM. The General already has full-size SUVs, thank you, and they come in a hybrid also, by the way. You probably know that already, don’t you? What you might not know is that the hybrid system on the Durango and the Chevy Tahoe/GMC Yukon/Cadillac Escalade is the same. No, not similar - the same. The “2-Mode” hybrid system is the result of a joint effort between GM, DaimlerChrysler and BMW. GM would likely have shut down this plant and cancelled the Durango and Aspen anyway, so they probably told Chrysler to shut it down so they don’t have to. These products are just part of the massive product overlap between these companies that make this proposed merger/takeover ridiculous and a potential economic disaster for SE Michigan.