No Atlantic Luxury Sports Car for Chrysler

05/24/96

Citing abnormally high start up costs for bringing out the sleek Chrysler retro-Buggati-like two passenger exotic sports car, CEO Bob Eaton vetoed the Atlantic project. The Atlantic with its 20 inch wheels and 10 cylinder motor has been the darling of the car show circuit and various Concours d'Elegance for two years but the market for the rakish Buggati-Delahaye clone is too limited for the investment it would take to construct the car. Eaton did tell shareholders that Chrysler would: 1. introduce a new model every three months, 2. is looking at bringing out a new Dodge Sport Utility, 3. has given the green light to the Plymouth Prowler, 4. announced a two-for-one stock split. Chryslers international sales were up 32 percent with 71,000 units sold.

Bill Maloney -- The Auto Channel