• Ad Age, Tuesday, April 10, 2007 11:30 AM

The new owner of Chrysler will have to market its way out of one of the great automaker inventory gluts of all time, as well as solve a huge positioning and branding issue -- namely, how to clearly delineate and define Chrysler's brand trio.

Vic Doolan, non-executive chairman of consultant Courland Automotive Practice, says the carmaker has overlapping Dodge, Jeep and Chrysler models that compete too much with one another. Before a penny is laid out, Chrysler must better differentiate its brands, agrees John Morel, director-product and market planning at American Suzuki Motors. The Chrysler brand probably needs the most work--its perception now is "vaguely premium"--and the company has too many similar models. Auto consultant Gordon Wangers says Jeep's crown jewel--the Grand Cherokee--has been ignored, and the Dodge Ram should be redone.

The chatter at the New York Auto Show followed the company's annual meeting last week, where chairman Dieter Zetsche confirmed the industry's worst-kept secret: DaimlerChrysler is in discussions to sell Chrysler.

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