http://www.businessweek.com/innovate/content/jul2009/id20090720_339139.htm

A recent shuffle of Chrysler Group's design team could be just what the company needs to effect a quick turnaround after bankruptcy, industry analysts say.

Thanks to Mike's JEEP NEWS NOW for providing the link to this article.

Don't try to make Jeep what it's not," Hossack says. "Don't be selling these little crossover SUVs that won't go over anything other than wet grass. Make a Jeep a Jeep."
Hmmm...is he saying goodbye to the Compass and FDI Patriot with that statement?

Ouch, a direct shot at the patriot. I must say if they put there money where their mouth is, this could be my last Jeep. It took the auto industry a long time to finally make the perfect blend for an active family, they didn't market it one iota so it didn't sell. When they made the patriot I scooped one up, if they get rid of the "crossover," then they get rid of folks like me as a customer, an active family that needs to go everywhere and needs X amount of capability but still able to be civil on the road and not kill the biggy bank at the same time.

I don't have a good feeling about this just shuffling the same old folks around.

They best listen to their existing customer base or risk losing it. The patriot is the best vehicle in its popular segment in my opinion and to yield that away is suicide.

Ouch, a direct shot at the patriot. I must say if they put there money where their mouth is, this could be my last Jeep. It took the auto industry a long time to finally make the perfect blend for an active family, they didn't market it one iota so it didn't sell. When they made the patriot I scooped one up, if they get rid of the "crossover," then they get rid of folks like me as a customer, an active family that needs to go everywhere and needs X amount of capability but still able to be civil on the road and not kill the biggy bank at the same time.

I don't have a good feeling about this just shuffling the same old folks around.

They best listen to their existing customer base or risk losing it. The patriot is the best vehicle in its popular segment in my opinion and to yield that away is suicide.

they are all idiots (sorry, i know that was harsh and vague...but it reflects my frustration). i used to be in the consumer products industry, and the public would be surprised how many clowns are making big-time business marketing decisions based on no research or inaccurate and poorly executed research. i tried to nosy my way into marketing decisions at my older company but to no avail. everytime i dropped brilliant ideas, i would always get the "oh we can't do that because..." or "oh we have already tried that..." . basically they were just pissy that they didn't come up with it themselves, and they want to make it seem like they have full control of the situation so they look good to the Execs. i bet there would be at least a dozen people on this forum who would be willing to work FOR FREE so they can be part of a Jeep think-tank in figuring out what Jeep will be in the next half a decade. i know i would...

all it would take is for one of these marketing people / designers at Jeep to READ THIS FORUM to get an idea on how to improve the Patriot and make it more appealing to consumers, but still maintain the Jeep brand. not once in the Jeep section did i read anything about making them more fuel efficient. people LOVE jeeps but these days the cost of gas is keeping people away who would have otherwise purchased a jeep if it was in the 90's when gas was cheap. emphasis should be put on integrating fuel efficient technologies into Jeeps so they can compete against the cross-over SUV's.

i could sit here and go through a further analysis, but it's late and i haven't had dinner. time to go solve that!

jgg, I emailed them my thoughts on the new designers comments, like it matters or that they would even listed to me, but at least I said my piece. I owned 2 dodges, a clunker GC for a few months, and now my patriot and I am happy with the direction it was going, but if these patriotesque vehicles disappear I would have to take a hard look at a rav4 or a subaru next time. Oh well, life goes on, and we will wait to see what happens.

jgg, I emailed them my thoughts on the new designers comments, like it matters or that they would even listed to me, but at least I said my piece. I owned 2 dodges, a clunker GC for a few months, and now my patriot and I am happy with the direction it was going, but if these patriotesque vehicles disappear I would have to take a hard look at a rav4 or a subaru next time. Oh well, life goes on, and we will wait to see what happens.

exactly...if they scrap the Patriot i will refuse to buy a panda-jeep and i will flock to Subaru and grab the Forester most likely.

so did Chrysler write back to you?

Ditto on most of the above.

I'm a long time Jeep owner (YJ, ZZ, MK, over the last 17 years). I researched the type of vehicle the Patriot is, prior to it becoming available. I planned to order one to my specs, and did just that. While some of the same gripes could be heard from me about roof leaks, too cheap plastic, and the need for some more torque (diesel anyone?), no one...NO ONE comes close to providing this much practicality in a vehicle, at this price. Everyone thinks I paid a few grand more, and can't believe all it's got for that price, cheap plastic or not.

This could be my last "not-so-big three" vehicle if they keep making decision the way they do. Having advertised the Patriot would certainly have helped. They just wanted to keep selling large guzzlers, for the profit they make on them. Never mind that we want vehicles like the Patriot. Which explains why the "not big three" companies have been gaining ground for decades.

It still baffles me that we are at least just as smart, but greed gets in the way of us making vehicles to "compete" with the "imports". What, they're not making money? :doh:

Someone say diesels? They don't want us to have those, as diesel-engined vehicle owners tend to keep their vehicles longer (that's no good, they want you back in 3 years to pay for something else again). They could make or get a North American compliant diesel engine, they just don't want to. Can you imagine 235+ ft/lbs of torque, a 6-speed, and 6,7L/100km (that's a lot, cousin) fuel efficiency??? O wait, they have that in Europe...

Yep, I hope they "consult" our board and sift through our rants and raves, and come out with useful ideas on how to not only keep the Patriot, but how to improve it and sell it.

Live long and prosper, Patriot!

What an unenlightened comment from that story:

"Don't try to make Jeep what it's not," Hossack says. "Don't be selling these little crossover SUVs that won't go over anything other than wet grass. Make a Jeep a Jeep."

The world, people evolve. Why I know plenty of folks who think that anything beyond a CJ was criminal to produce. Don't know about you but the TJ's ride and performance off AND on road is excellent, to name just one.

Now, not everyone grows to want to keep a CJ/YJ/TJ as a family vehicle (or a Wrangler, 4 doors or not). The NEED to go over something more than wet grass is mostly an off-road thing (been there, done that, loved it).

Having a family hauler that can get to the cottage back road, stormy or snowy is, a need, and thanks to Jeep, we have those as the Patriot. A Ford Focus is a car, and it won't go there. A foot of snow, give me my Patriot. I don't need the Wrangler for that.

What next, only a Hemi is worthy of being called a Dodge? Go ahead Jeep get rid of the Patriots, and we will be buying Subarus, RAV4s and CR-Vs, not Libertys, Grands or "grand" Wranglers. It's about the fuel economy, the right size, AND the Jeep heritage of 4-wheel drive.

No CJ/YJ/TJ/Wrangler owner will ever mistake the Patriot for a mud-bogging off-roader (shhh...it's not supposed to be that). But how many 10' long pieces of lumber can you fit in a 2-door mudslinger? I've put over a 100 2'x2' pieces of sub-floor in my Patriot, hatch closed, and still got 30 miles to the gallon (CDN). Try that in a TJ...:doh:

To go 4-wheeling, I'll get a TJ. For everything else, there's a Patriot. :notworthy:
I'll never confuse one with the other.