The Chrysler brand has had a good run with roots that trace all the way back to its formation in 1925. A rich and iconic history, however, isn’t enough to keep a brand going and it looks like the Chrysler nameplate may get killed off just a few years before it’s 100-year anniversary. That’s the word from an Automotive News report that Sergio Marchionne could kill off the brand at the June 1st investor’s meeting in Balocco, Italy.

Goodbye Chrysler, It’s Been a Real Slice…Not

The report comes from an Automotive News editor who cites “a source that told a European colleague} and says that an announcement could come June 1st. This rumor is officially unconfirmed, but as pointed out in the report, Marchionne had nothing to say about Chrysler when asked about passenger car strategy for FCA.

Of course, this isn’t really surprising. We all know that the only thing keeping FCA alive at the moment is Jeep and Ram, and if it wasn’t for them, it’s hard to imagine FCA even functioning long at all. As far as Chrysler goes, it’s not exactly ripe with offerings. If you go to its U.S. homepage, you’ll find just three models, which is really two: The Chrysler 300, Chrysler Pacifica, and Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid. Over the years, Chrysler’s lineup has gotten smaller and smaller with the most recent death warrant being served to the 200 which sold about as good as ice cream in the middle of winter in the Arctic.

On top of that, the 300 is, technically, a nice car, but its styling is dated, and the last generation was complete trash with major chassis errors (speaking from experience as a mechanic here) and serious electrical problems as well. The new-gen model addressed some of these issues, but if you listen close enough, you can still hear those newer models and their clunky suspension when they hit bumps. The 300 has, essentially, become a huge part of the subprime used car market where it’s often sold and repossessed time and time again.

With that in mind, the only model left in the lineup is the Chrysler Pacifica. It’s a pretty damn good minivan, but that’s a very small chunk of the market and to top it off people aren’t that interested in it. I saw the crowds when Chrysler debuted the Pacifica and Honda’s new Odyssey kicked its ass hands down when it’s time in the limelight came out. The bottom line is that the Chrysler brand was essentially left to die and it’s probably best that Marchionne just pull the plug now and put that poor brand out of its misery. Nobody likes it, nobody wants the cars, and it’s just a huge hemorrhaging hole in FCA’s portfolio.

Chrysler’s death isn’t the only thing that could come out of the June 1st investors meeting. As it turns out, Marchionne may jerk its other ball and chain, Fiat, out of both the United States and China. That move is also due to poor sales and would further the amount of money FCA as a whole could invest into Jeep – FCA’s most profitable division. We can’t say that we’re sad to see either brand go but it sure is funny that two brands that make up FCA’s name are the ones getting the ax. Sometimes life can be funny that way I guess.

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