( Motor Authority )- Now that Chrysler is in private hands the tough decisions are coming hard and fast. Last year we saw officials axe cars like the PT Cruiser convertible, Pacifica, Crossfire and Dodge Magnum, and now there are reports that even more models will be dropped from the current lineup. Earlier this month Chrysler revealed its new 'Project Genesis' turnaround strategy with which it plans to drop overlapping models that share common platforms and compete in similar segments.
The carmaker's President, Jim Press, has now revealed to Bloomberg that most of the future cuts will affect Chrysler's SUV models. SUVs currently account for almost three-quarters of its sales but despite this Press said only half of the 11 SUV models on sale are needed.
"We're going to stop overlapping, we're going to bring everything under one roof. By doing that we will have more products in the markets we are not covering," Press explained. "Our finances will have better quality.''
Press also described Chrysler's minivan models as being "redundant" and confirmed that some of them will be cut during the next four to five years. The overall goal will be to pare total models by almost a third, to about 19 from 28. At the same time Chrysler is also shedding more than 25,000 jobs to help improve its financial performance and ensure its long term viability.