Chrysler Group Brings Back SRT Brand

[scottm]

Chrysler Group Brings Back SRT Brand; New Roles for Some Management
http://blog.chryslerllc.com/blog.do?id=1437&p=entry

Tuesday morning, Chrysler Group announced a number of upper management changes and the rebirth of SRT -- Street and Racing Technology -- as its own brand once again.

Ralph Gilles

* Yesterday: President/CEO of Ddoge Brand and senior vice president of Product Design for Chrysler Group
* Today: Still senior VP of product design and now president/CEO of the newly recreated Street and Racing Technology Brand, our cross-brand performance unit. Gilles also has responsibilities for the company's motorsports activities (same as before).

SRT

Chrysler launched the SRT Brand at the 2002 NAIAS "to create a line of industry-leading performance vehicles and parts." While we still made SRT vehicles, there wasn't as concerted effort in development and marketing in recent years.

With Gilles's obvious passion for design, racing and the auto industry in general, he's the ideal person within the company to assume leadership with the SRT Brand. Combined with his current design responsibilities, it's really not a big change from his previous role with Dodge -- just more focused on making sure customers have fun options for Chrysler Group cars.

Through the end of May, Chrysler Group had sold 2,901 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 vehicles, the only SRT in the 2011 lineup. However, starting this fall, we'll have four members to the SRT family with 2012 models of the Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and the Chrysler 300 SRT8 (both unveiled at the NY International Auto Show), Dodge Charger SRT8 (unveiled at the Chicago Auto Show) and the Dodge Challenger SRT8.

I'm not exactly sure what this means for SRT, but I'm hoping it's positive!

[scottm]

Chrysler [and Gilles] vows to rebuild SRT
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011062 ... /110629889

Ralph Gilles promises that Chrysler Group will be "very choosy" about the cars and trucks that get the SRT performance badge.

Gilles, recently named head of SRT, is charged with rebuilding the SRT unit, which languished when Chrysler was owned by Cerberus Capital Management.

Three new SRT vehicles, versions of the Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 sedans and the Jeep Grand Cherokee, will arrive in dealerships this fall, joining the Challenger SRT8. The price premium hasn't been revealed.

This month Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne put Gilles in charge of SRT. Gilles had been CEO of the Dodge brand for two years; he keeps his duties as head of design for all Chrysler brands.

Speaking at an event at Chrysler's test track in Chelsea, Mich., Gilles said Chrysler's effort to improve its base lineup will help him expand SRT's reach. "We have the best chance we've ever had of conquesting some great customers here," he said.

SRT vehicles traditionally have had specially tuned engines and suspensions. They will now have high-end audio systems and other electronics, Gilles said.

Gilles said he will be selective about what vehicles get the SRT badge. The SRT brand once had 11 different SRT vehicles, including versions of the Chrysler Crossfire coupe and convertible, two Dodge pickup trucks, a Neon and later the Dodge Caliber SRT4.

The Dodge Viper, the flagship of the SRT brand, is currently out of production, but Gilles said work is progressing on a Viper successor. He gave no further details.

Gilles plans to work on developing the SRT bond with owners through owners' clubs around the country.

"We know customers of the old SRTs were definitely the power seekers," he said. "They were looking for the horsepower. But the new cars offer more. The 2012s all have active suspensions. They will probably have the best sound systems we've ever put in any car."

[Rob]

Let's hope it's a good thing.

[392heminut]

$$$$$$$$$$ For sure!

[mart]

Chrysler [and Gilles] vows to rebuild SRT
http://www.autoweek.com/article/2011062 ... uote][i]We know customers of the old SRTs were definitely the power seekers," he said. "They were looking for the horsepower. But the new cars offer more. The 2012s all have active suspensions. *They will probably have the best sound systems we've ever put in any car.*[/i]"

[/quote]
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The "best sound system" should be the one under the hood!
mart
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[scottm]

The "best sound system" should be the one under the hood!

You speak the truth! I definitely agree.

[Rob]

But none of the cars sound good anymore. When the Shelby GT 500 came back out a few years ago, one rode by us one day in Macon. My son was havin a fit talkin about how "mean" it sounded. I could barely hear it go by. Well.....just so happens one of my old friends happens to be a Mustang guy and has a 1969 Shelby GT500 KR. I called him up and my son and I rode over to see it. It's probably a 90 point show car. ...and it lacks those other 10 points because he actually drives it. After hearing that, on the way home my son looked at me and said, "daddy, you're right. those new cars ain't nuthin". Muscle cars are made to overwhelm all of the senses. If you cannot HEAR and FEEL them when they go by, they are not muscle cars at all. Seein the comment about the sound system just tells me all we're gonna get is boom and bling.

[Rob]

mart, you gotta PM. Let me know what you think.

[392heminut]

I have to agree with you guys. I might have a newfangled 5.7 Hemi under the hood of my Cuda, but the exhaust is still oldschool! When my son drives the car I can tell it's my car coming from a block away while sitting inside my house!

I have a Panasonic AM/FM/CD/MP3 stereo in the car and darned if I even know what half those buttons are for on that thing!