SOLD!
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That’s right, Daimler finally sold Chrysler today.
Well, almost.
A company named Cerberus bought 80 % of it for $7.4 Billion.
That sounds like a lot, but the Germans bought it (I know, they still call it a “merger”) for I think, $27 billions back in 1998.
So it did take them almost 10 tears to ruin it.
Chrysler was actually making money at the time. And was known for good designs.
But a few greedy bastards on both sides of the Atlantic came up with the ultimate scam to put a lot of money in their pockets.
They called it a “merger of equals”.
Now Chrysler is pretty much in ruins, with ugly cars nobody wants. (For the most part).
They have more light trucks than anyone else. Talk about good planing .
And their all new models don’t exactly look like winners either.
The Sebring is kind of disturbing looking, I have yet to read a good review of the Nitro. And where is the new PT Cruiser?
Why let it die?
How come the Sebring doesn’t look like a small 300?
Etc..etc…
I think it will take Chrysler a long, long time to just catch up .
Let’s hope the new company has the funds, and the patience….
The worse part about the whole thing, is that I couldn’t come up with the whole amount on time…
I was close, but not close enough.
My dreams of running Chrysler are now officially shattered…
All hope isn’t lost. I hear the Ford family is trying to dump their stocks (Does that show you how much they belive in their own company or what).
Vince:
Hello, Mr Burlapp!
I concur with you on the PT Cruiser. Those disguised spy shots of the 08-09 “PT” is nothing but ANOTHER CUV( does Chrysler/Dodge really need another fake truck thing?).
The PT could be freshened up, using a GEMA engine, for slightly better MPG, and maybe build the cool looking PT Coupe(use the 173HP I-4 they have in the Sebring, from GEMA, vs a turbo for 180HP)they have been showing at autoshows for a few years, or the Jeepster! That is what I call Scion Plus type of vehicle( as in for people with 20-30K cash, in a coupe/dunebuggy of the future look!).At the autoshows , BOTH vehicles had people asking’ Are they going to build this, or when?” Answer?No Plans( sounds like how things have been done the past 2 years at Chrysler! No Plans).
Excellent Conpcets( also, the Airflight, from 03, although RWD, rumors were the Sebring, originally, was oging to be the FWD version of the Stunning Airflight concept, another astupid move on Chrysler’s part. Even the mini-300 FWD Sebring would beat the Bizzare-Car they have out now. It’s not bad, but it’s slow to 60, with I-4, and does need a few design details changed, like the hood, for one).
Why not a coupe Sebring( the convertible 2 door looks a tiny bit better than a 4 door, for some odd reason)or 5 door hatch?
Vince, I heard these guys will chop up and sell Chrysler in a few years. Jeep to GM or Daimler, perhaps, Dodge/Chrysler to Magna or maybe China(if that’s possible).
Sort of like how Daewoo in 2001 was chopped up and sold in parts.
If they stay in business, they need compacts, subcompacts(cars, not trucks, things that look liek trucks, or cars with truck like grilles, or odd ball cars like Sebring, in looks)etc. The Hronet is going to be built by Chery, supposedly, still,for late 08( that thing is barely 12.5 feet long… TOO SMALL, IMHO. If they replace the PT, why not with a version of the Hornet, the size of the current PT, and GEMA engines: 152 AND 173HP versions?).
The other car should be something liek the Chery A 3 many people here said looked nice(3 door hatch) you posted awhile back!
That would make a nice 15-=17K Dodge compact, slotted below the Avenger, or even as a Chrylser, below Sebring!
Ignore the customers at your own peril!
Toyota, why didn’t you jump in and help Chrysler?
(I think they might’ve done a better job than Daimler)
think twice about owning Ford. Their pension liability makes Chrysler’s look small. Plus they do not have one vehicle that is profitable.
I thought Nissan had more small trucks. Lets hope Cerberus actually turns the company around because we heard the same line, from Diamler ten years ago.
Who knows? They’re probably telling the unions one thing, and going to do something else shortly thereafter.
Ford family members actually trying to dump their stock you say, or you joking?
This is another group of “winners”.
No Mondeo, No C1 platform, just reskinned Focus, and “Taurus”/500, whatever.
roll eyes.
Fortunately, there are plenty of worthy competitors for every Chrysler-built vehicle. So unless you work for the company, none of this matters. DCX shareholders have seen a surge in their stock’s value since Mercedes decided to dump Chrysler.
I had some Chrysler cars in the past and most (especially a ’63 Plymouth Valiant and a ’68 Dodge Charger) were good cars.
Too bad if the company is ultimately split up or disappears, but there are enough cars from other manufacturers to keep buyers happy.
All that was proven is that Mercedes was a crappy parent who couldn’t manage an American subsidiary.
I though it was 37billion, yikes, think of all the cash they dumped into the company as well
The ford family had a press release denying the rumors. It has been a cash cow for them, they have little to gain by selling now.
who cares
Well, this was not unexpected.
They dumped Mitsubishi a year or two ago when they failed to turn it around (or whoever they installed there). And now Chrysler because they know they will lose a lot of money if they don’t drop the ball now.
It could have been nice if the real car guys run the show and not suits. Imagine a mass-market US carmaker w/ MB’s tech and prestige.
Ok…………….WHAT IN THE HELL IS GOING ON HERE??!?!?!?! SELL AMERICAN CAR TO GERMAN.Hold just on second. This could be a major cahnge for chrysler, but hey,what are Mopar fans gonna do? chrysler never thought about that!