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Brand Relevance: Making Competitors Irrelevant - always yours

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112 BRAND RELEVANCE<br />

introduction, Chrysler still had 44 percent of the market, more<br />

than Toyota and Honda combined. 9<br />

<strong>Competitors</strong> came up with inferior options to attempt to<br />

participate in the new category that Chrysler had created. It<br />

was not until Honda spent six months having its people study<br />

the experiences of U.S. drivers and came out with the second -<br />

generation Odyssey in 1998 that Chrysler had a real challenger.<br />

The fi rst - generation Odyssey, which was not well received, was<br />

narrow, had four conventional doors, and had an underpowered<br />

four - cycle engine. Toyota introduced the Sienna in 1998, but it<br />

took a few years more until the car was improved to be a real<br />

alternative to the Chrysler products. Before that the Toyota<br />

offer was an odd - shaped, rear - wheel - drive, underpowered vehicle<br />

called the Previa.<br />

The fact that Chrysler was the only viable option for the<br />

new category for some sixteen years and the leader after that<br />

time is remarkable. Its continuous improvement over time<br />

helped. Chrysler had many fi rsts in the minivan category. By<br />

1990 the fi rst all - wheel drive on a front - wheel platform and<br />

child - safety locks on sliding doors were added. A driver - side<br />

sliding door and Easy - Out Roller Seats were in place by 1995.<br />

During the next fi ve years, wireless headphones and an LCD<br />

screen for in - vehicle entertainment systems plus three - zone<br />

temperature control became available. By 2009; the vehicles<br />

included a third - row easy - entry system, the Swivel ’ n Go seat<br />

system, in which the second - row seats swivel, and an integrated<br />

child booster seat.<br />

GM and Ford came out in 1985 with rear - wheel - drive,<br />

truck - like vans, the Chevrolet Lumina and the Ford Aerostar,<br />

which were perceived as lumbering and ineffi cient. Even in<br />

the mid - 2000s, GM and Ford were not factors in the midsize<br />

minivan market, although they did have presence in the large -<br />

van market.<br />

Why? Why did the major competitors allow Chrysler to own<br />

such an important segment for so long? The reasons differ a bit

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