Chrysler to drop HEMI badge from its marketing strategy

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Chrysler to drop HEMI badge from its marketing strategy
http://www.egmcartech.com/2010/07/07/ch ... -strategy/

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Chrysler will soon be dropping the HEMI badge from its powerful V8 engines.

“As part of an effort to create a greener and more refined image, Chrysler and its new managers from Fiat SpA are demoting the Hemi, according to dealers who have been briefed by the company,” the WSJ reports.

Apparently, Chrysler will focus most of its advertising on the engine’s cylinder deactivation feature rather than the brute force that comes from the engine. A dealer who wished to remain anonymous said that only “Ram and Dodge owners” will still wear the HEMI badge.

"That thing got cylinder deactivation?" "Yeah."
You know, that just doesn't have the same ring.

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How Chrysler Killed The Hemi Brand
http://jalopnik.com/5581509/

But, as you can see from the shot above, despite a lack of marketing in the 84 pages of press materials or over-sized chrome badges once a mainstay on the rumps of any appropriately-engined Mopar product, this new Grand Cherokee's still got a Hemi. It just won't get the well-known "Hemi" moniker anywhere but in the engine bay. Chrysler engineers tell us that's because they'd have to go through environmental testing again on the engine if they were to change the cover on it (which means they actually did want to pull the name off the cover but decided not to spend the money ).

But really, this change by Chrysler isn't about making a greener vehicle — it's about making a greener image — and killing a very enthusiast-centric brand that has historically provided high levels of sales — to do it. In a Pelosi-is-watching world, the bigger-than-ever and better-than-ever 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee was probably not the best choice for Chrysler's first post-bankruptcy new vehicle and the Pentastar brand knows that. In fact, it's scared the Hemi out of them.

But when you want top of the line luxury, you want power.
Do you see wheezing 4-cyl Mercedes AMGs or BMW Ms? No.

Once you remove it from marketing, remove it from emblems
and get it out of everyone's head, I suppose it's pretty easy to
just remove it completely. Maybe the HEMI is on its last leg?