Chrysler heir hopes to save Chrysler, Dodge, Ram, Jeep

Many Americans disagree with Stellantis’ approach to Chrysler in recent years, shrinking the company’s product line to the now-discontinued 300 sedan and Pacifica minivan. Frank B. Rhodes, Jr., the great-grandson of Walter P. Chrysler, who founded Chrysler in 1925, has stepped in with a rather ambitious proposal, calling on investors and workers to join Dodge, Ram and Jeep in saving the iconic brand.

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In a brief video and letter, Rhodes highlighted Chrysler’s importance in American automotive history and shared his thoughts on the automaker’s current state. The Chrysler heir presented himself as a leader of “much-needed” change, asking investors and workers for support in taking over the brand ahead of the brand’s 100th anniversary next year.

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In an open letter to Mopar Insiders fans, Rhodes wrote: “The Chrysler brand, once a symbol of innovation and American ingenuity, is now at risk of fading into oblivion, which I believe is due to poor decisions and mismanagement by its current owner, Stellantis.”

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Rhodes accused Stellantis of “disengaging” from the U.S. market, which has led to Chrysler’s declining sales and delayed new product launches. He believes the auto giant is risking the livelihoods of Chrysler dealers and workers while spending millions of dollars to pay its CEO.

According to Rhodes’ letter, Stellantis’ current management is “unable to give Chrysler the necessary attention” because they have more than 15 different brands to manage. He admitted that he had hopes when Christine Feuell was named Chrysler’s new CEO four years ago, but he noticed that Chrysler products were “pushed further down the list of brands that were prioritized” in favor of “slow-selling brands such as Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Maserati.”

Rhodes also mentioned that BYD may enter the US market because cheap cars from China will flood the US market, posing a greater threat to the local auto industry.

Despite its many flaws, Chrysler’s heir remains convinced that “investors will see the potential to revive this historic brand.” His goal is to convince Stellantis to transfer all of its American brands to “a company that really cares about its future,” thereby creating an “American-owned” Chrysler company. The new company will own brands such as Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram, and will “focus not only on profits, but also on the people who make these cars,” with workers becoming part owners.

Rhodes sent another 17-page letter to Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares and Chrysler CEO Christian Fewer. In it, he highlighted the most important innovations in Chrysler’s history and expressed “deep disappointment” with the current state of the brand. The letter ended with an invitation to a “confidential discussion” so that he could outline his plans to Stellantis executives.

Despite Frank B. Rhodes II’s good intentions, it’s hard to believe such a proposal would have an impact on a multinational corporate giant like Stellantis. Tavares hasn’t shown any interest in parting ways with the American brand, and even if he had, a potential acquisition would likely require huge sums of money. Regardless, it will be interesting to see if the Chrysler heir’s proposal gains traction ahead of Chrysler’s 100th anniversary celebrations next year.

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Frank B. Rhodes, Jr. (Screenshot: Robert Soule / Youtube)