At the Chicago auto show this week, Chrysler Group LLC president and CEO of the Dodge brand and senior vice president of product design Ralph Gilles reminded that the lowly esteemed and poorly selling Dodge Avenger and its Chrysler Sebring counterpart will get substantial overhauls for the 2011 model year.

The makeovers might include new names, Gilles told Bloomberg News.

The situation with the Avenger and Sebring leaves Chrysler in a conundrum that will test one of the more lasting adages of the auto business: establishing a nameplate is a costly investment, making it a good idea not to change. Likewise, establishing a new name for an existing or revised model can confuse consumers, threaten sales and squander the investment in the previous name.