Chrysler puts lipstick on an outdated product line

At first, the red Ferrari, with a statuesque model leaning against it and revolving on a giant white platter, looks a little out of place. This is a Chrysler exhibit, after all.

A few feet away, a Chrysler 300 S with its blacked-out grille and improved front fascia sparkles under the spotlights. To the right, a Dodge Ram hangs upside down from the ceiling, its doors and hood open, exposed and vulnerable, hanging from a precarious position.

There couldn't be a better metaphor for the smallest of Detroit's three carmakers and the one with the most uncertain future.

While Ford Motor Co. surpasses everyone's expectations and General Motors Co. refines its image, Chrysler remains the biggest work in progress. Auburn Hills, home of its corporate headquarters, should be marked on maps with a question mark.

Walking through the carmaker's display area at the North American International Auto Show left me disappointed and thrilled at the same time. Some cars hint at the potential of Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep, but others remain awful.

The Ram pickups are here, and they're stylish, durable and world class. They rest proudly in a long line -- showcasing their versatility. Jeep added some new trim packages to create tougher looks. It's a Rubicon light idea, called Renegade, offering bigger wheels and special colors.

The reworked Dodge Nitro now has a street-smart look with a lower-to-the-ground body kit. Big 20-inch wheels beef up its appearance, and Dodge has changed its packaging so people can buy the big wheels without breaking the bank. It's smart business.

But here too is the PT Cruiser Couture Edition for 2010. A hit 10 years ago, the PT Cruiser looks out of place, the automotive equivalent of Miss Havisham with a new paint job. It should only be shown on " The Antiques Roadshow." It's hideous.

Every Detroiter should be embarrassed by cars like the midsize Sebring sedan and convertible. It may have had its straked hood replaced by a smooth one, but the changes are minor and unimpressive.

"They are doing what they have to do," said Ed Kim, an automotive analyst with AutoPacific. "There are a lot of paint and stripe specials, but it takes time to develop new vehicles.

Kim was referring to the special-edition cars, touched up with fresh paint or racing stripes to show something different.

But these vehicles have not been fundamentally changed.

And they must. I want Chrysler to recover. I want Detroit to succeed and it needs Chrysler to reach for the Pentastar and pull this region up with it. But can it?

"We're still selling vehicles," said Ralph Gilles, president and CEO of the Dodge brand and the design guru Chrysler needs to transform the company. "We still offer a value for customers."

But Gilles admits there's a lot of "catching up to do," and there's no time to overhaul one or two vehicles. "Everything is a priority," he said.

He's right. Some Chrysler vehicles are embarrassing and raise questions about its future.

Chrysler has one life left in it. If the vehicles at the 2011 North American International Auto Show look too much like the ones here today, the company is beyond hope. Pull down the tent, the party is hopeless.

Over the next year, the company promises 11 major overhauls and five significant refreshes. This spring, the first of the "New New New Chrysler" arrives in the form of the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Designers, engineers and executives work with renewed energy since Fiat SpA arrived. The Italians have created a master plan to overhaul its brands and emerge with stylish vehicles conveying a lifestyle.

Those are signs of hope. I'm going to keep rooting for them. I want to believe. I think Gilles is one of the most talented people I've ever met and if anyone can pull it off, it's him.

But closing my eyes and wishing isn't going to help.

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