Chrysler Town & Country Axed, Dodge Dart SRT4 on its Way

The original minivan will officially be retired in 2014, Chrysler–Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has revealed. That same year Jeep will also axe the Compass crossover while a high-performance version of the new Dart compact will be launched in the coming years.

Marchionne’s decision comes as the result of a plan to eliminate product duplication, especially now that most dealerships carry all four major Chrysler Group brands: Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram. With the Town & Country gone, the Dodge Grand Caravan will carry on the minivan torch, while the Chrysler van will be replaced by a crossover model that will wear the same name.

The compass will also end its run in 2014, due in part to product overlap with the Patriot and Liberty, which will ride on a Dart platform in the future. Past rumors have indicated a smaller Fiat-based model could replace the Patriot in the future.

With products being cut, Marchionne has done his share of additions to the Chrysler Group, especially with the introduction of Fiat to the US, as well as the establishment of the Ram truck brand and SRT performance brand. The latter will see the addition of a Dart model, though Marchionne wouldn’t confirm what engine will power it, stating, “The only thing we’re fighting over now is to determine how big an engine we stick in it.” The Caliber SRT4 was dropped from the Dodge lineup in 2009.

[Source: AutoNews]