Ridenour: Chrysler will simplify vehicle lineup

Chrysler COO Eric Ridenour says three trim lines with a few combos will be offered. Photo credit: JOE WILSSENS

Ridenour: Chrysler will simplify vehicle lineup
COO wants 650 combinations -- not 167,000

Bradford Wernle | Automotive News / May 7, 2007 - 1:00 am / DETROIT -- The Chrysler group may be for sale, but the company is going full speed ahead to simplify its vehicle offerings and features, says COO Eric Ridenour.

"Instead of having hundreds of thousands of combinations, we're trying to get it under 1,000" per nameplate, Ridenour said in an interview last week. He said there are about 167,000 possible combinations of options and features on the 2007 Dodge Nitro SUV. Ridenour would like to see that slashed to about 650.

That means greatly reducing the complexity in Chrysler's vehicle lines. There will be three basic trim lines - "good, better and best" - with a limited number of combinations offered in each, he said.

Reduced complexity is part of Chrysler's Recovery and Transformation Plan, announced by CEO Tom LaSorda on Feb. 14. That same day, DaimlerChrysler CEO Dieter Zetsche told the world that the automaker might sell its U.S. division.

Dealers complained last year that many Chrysler group vehicles came from the factory with strange configurations, making them difficult to sell.

Ridenour acknowledged that some elements of the plan have been obscured by the hoopla surrounding the possible sale and potential suitors. That news has been distracting, he said.

"Any time there's uncertainty, you want to get to certainty" as quickly as possible, he said. But Ridenour said his job has been to keep employees focused on executing the plan.

Some analysts say the success of LaSorda and Ridenour in doing a quick turnaround could have an impact on the possible sale or could even persuade DaimlerChrysler to hang onto all or part of Chrysler.