克莱斯勒押宝2013款道奇达特

    克莱斯勒（Chrysler）是底特律三巨头里规模最小、某种意义上而言也是财政最吃紧的一个。要想估算它的价值，不妨看看美国财政部三年前标价多少钱把它卖给了菲亚特（Fiat）：0美元。

    当然，菲亚特也并不是真的分文不花就得到了克莱斯勒。菲亚特在收购克莱斯勒后，的确向后者贡献了它的技术和知识产权。其中最主要的贡献就是从菲亚特引进的阿尔法罗密欧（Alfa Romeo）平台，克莱斯勒基于该平台生产了最新的紧凑车型道奇达特（Dodge Dart）。这款将于今夏上市的新车也许将是对刚刚恢复元气的克莱斯勒最大的考验。

    自从2009年克莱斯勒接受了美国政府112亿美元的紧急救助以来，克莱斯勒的财政状况已经有了不小的改善。近日克莱斯勒刚刚报出十三年以来最好的一个季度，今年克莱斯勒的第一季度利润为4.73亿美元，达到去年同期的四倍还多。另外克莱斯勒的高管表示，这也是自1998年以来公司季度利润最高的一个季度。而且克莱斯勒今年很有希望实现15亿美元的全年盈利目标。

    克莱斯勒在老板塞尔吉奥•马尔乔内的精心策划下实现了了不起的“咸鱼翻身”，这主要归功于马基奥尼对现有车型进行了翻新、整改，加强了内饰的舒适感，并且对之前略显寒酸的车身钣金做了一番“美容手术”。上季度克莱斯勒在北美以外的销量猛增了80%，美国市场占有率也从一年前的9.4%上升到11.2%。而目前马尔乔内最大的杀手锏还是这款道奇达特。

    为了让这款小车成功上市，马尔乔内着实投入了不少血本。光是为了研发菲亚特的阿尔法罗密欧茱丽叶（Alfa Romeo Giulietta）所用到的技术架构就起码花了两三亿美元的研发资金。另外考虑到美国司机中心宽体胖者不在少数，克莱斯勒又花了几亿美元用来扩展该平台的机械架构，同时从内到外全面开发达特轿车的设计。同时，中国的广汽菲亚特也将借用相同的架构，在中国推出一款名叫“菲翔”（Fiat Viaggio）的轿车。尽管达特轿车令克莱斯勒付出了不少，但这种在中美市场同时推广的方式倒也省下了不少银子。

    不过现在的问题是，这款新车型是否会如菲亚特-克莱斯勒所愿，在美国紧凑车市场一炮打响。位于密歇根州的HIS公司高级分析师艾伦•布拉格曼认为，达特轿车是“第一个真正有意义的指针，是一个表率，可以检验车企之间共同研发到底行不行得通。”他说：“到目前为止我听到的反应都非常正面。它的执行必须完美无缺，发布的过程中不能出现纰漏或故障，不过这次的风险比以往任何时候都小。”

    达特取代了之前停产的道奇酷博（Caliber）。酷博的目标客户主要是那些预算紧张但又有些特立独行的年轻人。“达特”这个名字上一次被道奇使用还是在1976年。这款新车型将主要与福特（Ford）福克斯和雪佛兰科鲁兹（Chevrolet Cruze）进行竞争。它预计将在今夏上市，起价约在16,000美元左右，高性能的R/T版的价格大概会达到22,500美元。

    A good estimate for the value of Chrysler, the smallest and in some ways most distressed of the Detroit Three, is the sticker price the U.S. Treasury slapped on the window three years ago: $0.

    Well, not quite $0. Italy's Fiat Auto, which took over running Chrysler, did contribute its technology and intellectual property to the merger. One key element Fiat brought to the deal was its Alfa Romeo architecture used for the 2013 Dodge Dart, Chrysler's new compact sedan. The Dart, which goes on sale in the U.S. this summer, may be the biggest test for the rebounding company yet.

    To be sure, Chrysler has come a long way since it took $11.2 billion in federal bailout funds in 2009. The company just reported its best quarter in more than 13 years, earning $473 million, more than quadruple what it took in in the year-earlier period. In fact, executives said that it was the biggest quarterly profit made since 1998. Better yet, the auto maker is well on its way to making its full-year profit target of $1.5 billion.

    Chrysler boss Sergio Marchionne has orchestrated a spectacular first act largely through clever cover-up, retrofitting existing models with plush interiors and making surgeon-like nips and tucks to formerly dowdy sheet metal. That helped goose an 80% increase in sales outside of North America during the last quarter and swell domestic market share to 11.2%, up from 9.4% a year earlier. But the Dart is Marchionne's biggest new undertaking yet.

    The sprightly little Dart has cost a lot to bring to market. The architecture used in Fiat's Alfa Romeo Giulietta, on which it is based, cost at least a couple hundred million dollars to develop. Chrysler spent a few more hundred million to stretch the mechanical underpinnings to accommodate the corporal largesse of American drivers and to develop the Dart's design, inside and out. The same architecture will be used in China for a Dart-like sedan called the Fiat Viaggio. As much as it has cost, the collaboration is saving bundles of capital.

    The question now is whether the new model will be the hit the Chrysler Fiat alliance needs in the compact segment in the U.S. The Dart "is the first true indication of what these companies can develop together, a bellwether. So far the reactions I've heard are very positive," says Aaron Bragman, a senior analyst for IHS in Northville, Michigan. "The execution has to be flawless. There can't be problems or glitches in the launch, but there's less risk of this than ever before."

    The Dart replaces the discontinued and unlamented Dodge Caliber. The Caliber was a car aimed at younger, budget-minded buyers looking for a bit of attitude. The Dart is a name last used by Dodge in 1976. The new model is designed to compete primarily against Ford's (F) Focus and Chevrolet's (GM) Cruze. Its price will start at about $16,000 and rise to $22,500 for a high-performance R/T version, which will be available later this summer.