Prowler: Failed Halo Car

[Dreamcast18]

http://www.forbes.com/2005/12/19/detroit-halo-cars-cz_jf_1220flint.html

[Dreamcast18]

DaimlerChrysler only sells fewer than 2,000 Dodge Vipers (http://www.forbes.com/2003/11/10/cx_dl_1110test.html) yearly, but the muscular two-seater helped save the old Chrysler when it was on the ropes in the early 1990s. Chrysler first displayed the Viper to the public as a show car, but the response was so positive that it put the V-10-powered car into production as a 1992 model. The Viper, and all the positive publicity it garnered, showed Chrysler’s winning spirit.

The auto industry often refers to vehicles like the Viper as halo cars. Automakers create such models to put a halo over an entire car line, to let buyers think that its ordinary cars have some of the attributes. In theory, halo cars lure people into the showroom.

Some cars might begin as halos but grow into high-volume popular models. The old Thunderbird was like that, starting as a limited production specialty car in 1954 with production getting up to 90,000 ten years later. Then Ford Motor (nyse: F (http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=F) - news (http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=F)- people (http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=F)) began messing it up with terrible designs. The Chevrolet Corvette (http://www.forbes.com/2004/08/09/cx_dl_0809feat.html) has been throwing a bright light over Chevy for a half-century. Mercedes’ SL roadster (http://www.forbes.com/2004/01/12/cx_mf_0112test.html) symbolizes the best in its lineup. Pontiac has a new halo, the Solstice (http://www.forbes.com/2005/11/18/pontiac-solstice-roadster-cz_sk_1121test_ls.html) roadster, and Volvo has a new convertible coming next year.

More specialty image cars are on the way. Next spring, General Motor's (nyse: GM (http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=GM) - news (http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=GM)- people (http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=GM)) Saturn division will have a two-seat roadster, called Sky, a companion to the Pontiac Solstice. Automotive News says that Nissan (nasdaq: NSANY (http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=NSANY) - news (http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=NSANY)- people (http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=NSANY)) will offer a 400+ horsepower coupe as a 2008 or 2009 model, probably labeled as an Infiniti. Toyota Motor's (nyse: TM (http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=TM) - news (http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=TM)- people (http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=TM)) luxury Lexus division has been toying with the idea of a supercar, and Cadillac was definitely interested in a high-end vehicle modeled after the Cadillac 16 show car, but it delayed work on this project because GM has other priorities right now.

Halo vehicles often push the design, performance and engineering envelope. All those good things aside, many of those vehicles have a less-than-stellar record in enhancing a nameplate’s image or in boosting sales of its more prosaic models.
General Motors’ chief executive, G. Richard "Rick" Wagoner (http://www.forbes.com/finance/mktguideapps/personinfo/FromPersonIdPersonTearsheet.jhtml?passedPersonId=1 36488), recently announced that the Chevrolet SSR, a $50,000 half roadster, half pickup truck, will go out of production and GM will shut the factory. With its over-the-top styling and limited practicality, the SSR never gained traction with consumers.

The Thunderbird, revived as a 2002 model, should have been a success, but Ford botched the program from the start. Ford rolled out the new T-Bird a year late, overpriced it and didn’t give it the performance, handling or interior to go with its attractive exterior. I think that this car could have been rejuvenated, but Ford killed it. The Lincoln Blackwood, an expensive combination of a sport utility vehicle and a pickup halo lasted just a year and a half on the market.

It is a good thing that Chrysler didn’t have to count on the Crossfire (http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2004/07/07/cx_cd_0707test.html) to help it revive its image in the new millennium. I thought that this European-built two-seater, based on Mercedes mechanicals, was doing well--15,000 sales per year--until I saw it being offered recently on a bargain basement Internet deal. Nor would I call the pricey Cadillac XLR (http://www.forbes.com/vehicles/2004/07/07/cx_cd_0707test.html) roadster a flaming success, but then I wouldn’t call it a failure, either.

Among the halo failures of the recent past are the Buick Reatta, the Cadillac Allante, the Plymouth Prowler, the Isuzu VehiCross and the Chrysler TC by Maserati. A halo program needs perfect or near-perfect execution in order to be a success. Otherwise, it becomes an embarrassment. Take the Cadillac Allante, a $50,000 roadster (a lot of money back in ’94, when the car died) aimed at competing with the Mercedes SL. The Allante lacked a power roof, didn’t have enough of an engine and the top leaked, too. That is not the way to compete with Mercedes.

Nowadays there are just too many halos--especially expensive sports car and convertible models. Yet this doesn’t mean that car companies can’t do other things to jazz up their lineups. One recent success is the Mercedes CLS (http://www.forbes.com/2004/07/20/cx_dl_0720vow.html), a four-door sedan that looks like a coupe. It costs more than an E-Class (http://www.forbes.com/2002/10/28/cx_mf_1028feat.html), upon which it is based, but has been well received by the public and may set a design direction for future Mercedes models.

Another area where companies are winning is with high-performance derivatives of volume vehicles, such as Mercedes AMG (http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2005/01/24/cx_dl_0124feat_ls.html) and BMW M (http://www.forbes.com/lifestyle/2005/01/24/cx_dl_0124feat_ls.html) models. Other nameplates are now expanding their high-performance lineups. Jaguar has its R models; Audi, S models; Cadillac, V; and Chrysler, SRT. Mitsubishi (other-otc: MSBHF.PK (http://finapps.forbes.com/finapps/jsp/finance/compinfo/CIAtAGlance.jsp?tkr=MSBHF.PK) - news (http://www.forbes.com/markets/company_news.jhtml?ticker=MSBHF.PK)- people (http://www.forbes.com/peopletracker/results.jhtml?startRow=0&name=&ticker=MSBHF.PK)) has had success with its Evo (http://www.forbes.com/2003/04/28/cx_mf_0428test.html) badge and Subaru with WRX (http://www.forbes.com/2001/03/12/0312test2.html). Punchy versions of those two Japanese brands sticker for $30,000 or more, well over the price of the ordinary models on which they are based, but they excite the car crowd.

Overall, I like halo cars. But Detroit should put more effort into creating appealing volume models. Then it may be easier finding receptive buyers for high-performance derivatives of these vehicles.

[doogie48084]

It's funny that they never mentioned the Ford GT. I thought that was a halo car. That one was doing real well until a few mechanical failures slowed them down and caused them to cool their jets.
I think they weren't selling as many as they projected.
If they had a car like that in a slightly lower price tag it would have gone over much better.

[Diny]

If buying "lesser" cars but still seeing some features from halo cars is the whole point, then why the hell does the Prowler have the same climate controls from my old Plymouth Breeze and the same engine and tranny as the 300. I do agree, extremely poorly executed as a halo car. But even if the Prowler was flawless, it wouldnt have had much of an impact. Later in life, Plymouth were simply clones of cars that originally carried Dodge or Chrysler badges. If they wouldve made a roadrunner instead of the new 300C, we might still be seeing Plymouths in dealers.

[Pepe]

Thanks C-man.............. I didn't SEE that 'back then' :tu: