The Chrysler Group is reeling, no matter what Zetsche proclaims publicly

Signs that your Auto company may be in trouble.
A. Your CEO appears on TV as a mascot of sorts.
B. Your CEO to decides mimic your competition's brand eroding rebate ("Employee pricing plus!")
C. Your CEO is still depending on decade old hits to sell new cars in a new market.
D. Your CEO blindly pushes SUV(ish) vehicles across every brand as new product when everyone is moving back to cars.

Z probably has it in him to pull the company out its slump. There are good products in the Chrysler line-up, but its a fast moving market and the good products are getting long in the tooth. The boat hasn't sunk yet... but it is leaking.

Mercedes: This brand will survive off reputation alone for the next few years, and probably still possesses a host of Grade A engineers because of it... but they need to focus on what built the company in the first place. Their cars.

Chrysler: They need another hit like PT Cruiser or 300C. Unfortunately the aforementioned are old news now. The Sebring is not1 even a name worth reviving. They should have called the new one something else. I think Z is struggling with placing the brand above the likes of Dodge and beneath the likes of M-B.

Dodge: Given the tier of affordability this brand fits into, it needs more economical cars in the line-up.

Jeep: The brand should be either be sold or the entire line-up overhauled. I know the Wrangler still has its following, but it hasn't changed in the last 20 years. The 4 people who buy one every year will find something else. The Cherokee needs a lot more than a Hemi option; and the Commander... ?... ? Apparently Z decided the market was begging for a bigger, uglier SUV... did you have your beer goggles on Z?

— webguy (View Profile)

Posted on 7/26/2006 11:50:28 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 3   

What a shame. Both companies would be better off if they had never merged. Benz is now just a glorified Chrysler and Chrysler doesn't know who it is.

— SixxFive (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 12:38:09 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

SUVs etc...

3-5 years ago I would argue that there was not much indication that the market would shift so suddenly. It takes years to develop new models. Don't you think they know what they have to do? The new introductions we're seeing now were planned when gas was in the $1.40 / gallon range.

— Tummy (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 12:51:24 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

That was a long read, but it mentioned the Aspen (Durango rebadged as Chrysler) I haven't heard anything about it, I wander if it has been scrapped. I thought it would be out by now as it is just a simple rebadge.

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 4:04:56 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

Nevermind, I just checked out the Chrysler website, the Aspen is still alive.

http://www.chrysler.com/en/aspen/index.html

— chewy (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 4:29:32 AM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

How can MB be a "glorified Chrysler"? They don't use Chrysler platforms. And engine sharing or the sharing of technology is not reason enough to claim this.

— BMW530i (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 3:18:50 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 0   

When 2 companies with different levels or success merge, either of 2 things happen - the higher raises the lower, or the lower pulls down the higher.

There are some mergers I will never understand (better companies listed first):
HP and Compaq
Time Warner and AOL
Daimler-Benz and Chrysler

What were the better companies hoping to gain by taking on such liabilities?

— dotuno (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 8:34:48 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 2   

Wow this story is dead-on. The new Chrysler Sebring gets my vote as one of the most mis-guided design misfits of the decade. Other votes go to the BMW 7 Series and Chevrolet Malibu.

— MercBasher (View Profile)

Posted on 7/27/2006 10:00:54 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1   

Well Mr. Z, here is my problem: I don't know what the Chrysler brand promises. Does it promise a high percentage of Mercedes parts? Does it promise that I can perpetually buy Chrysler cars at the lowest employee price? Better materials and fasteners? A demonstrably better dealer network or what?

— EnnNorak (View Profile)

Posted on 7/28/2006 2:28:13 PM | reply to this comment | Votes: 1