Chrysler abandons Mainstreet

As FIAT started to take over Chrysler, the executives assigned to the American company cast about for ways to reverse its declining sales. New products often help but, having just traveled through bankruptcy, they had nothing new to offer. But they could pretend to have something new by putting new labels on the old bottles. So, part way through the 2010 model year, for Dodge cars, minivans, and SUVs they abandoned boring trim names like SE and SXT in favor of more colorful ones like “Mainstreet” and “Uptown.” Apparently this little experiment didn’t work out. For the 2012 model year the funky trim names are gone. In their place? SE, SXT…the same ones they replaced.

Yes, some people are paid a good salary to come up with this stuff…