At Chrysler group, the sun is shining; COO says company isn't a one-hit wonder

AutoWeek/Automotive News ^ | 5/6/05 | Mary Connelly

[B Knotts]

The Chrysler group is sitting pretty compared with General Motors and Ford Motor Co.

Chrysler is gaining sales and share in a market that's depressed. The Chrysler 300 sedan has given the Chrysler group a hot aura - and shown that it can make cars that excite U.S. consumers.

While Ford Motor and GM struggle with turnaround efforts, the Chrysler group, says COO Tom LaSorda, is "just trying to maintain the momentum. That is what we are pushing with our employees."

...

Through March, the Chrysler group's sales are up 5.6 percent to 546,732 units. In contrast, U.S. light-vehicle sales fell 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2005. At GM and Ford, sales tumbled 5.1 percent each in the period.

[B Knotts]

Also, I suspect that the resale value on the diesel Liberty will be better than on the gasoline-powered Japanese vehicles. Diesels hold their value much better.

[JoeV1]

"There is some misinformation here. Ford is not GM and has not nearly the problems that GM has. GM is terminal and will have no alternative but to go Chapter 11 but only after it gets much, much worse."

GM is sitting on 20 BILLION in cash and so it is not in any immenent danger. It's major problem is not with it's line up which has been sabotaged by the soaring price of gasoline. They along with Ford and Chrysler have concentrated on trucks for a long while because that is what people wanted. Their major problem is their pension medical coverage costs for their retired and current workers. I believe that like the airlines GM will convince the unions to give back a good part of the benefits package they won over the years. Of course the unions can refuse but if they do they will more then likely wind up with a useless agreement with claims on a company that simply can not pay them. Simply put I see no way the union can NOT agree to give backs.

[JoeV1]

My brother just got one of the 300's. He immediately replaced the grill with an after market option grill that looks exactly like a Bentley grill. Really cool.

[JoeV1]

They have hybrids due out soon and I understand they will get about 30 mpg. What does a deisel Jeep get for mileage?

[B Knotts]

I have no interest in gasoline-electric hybrids, either. They're mostly hype, and are unproven, long-term. They're most suited for city use.

The Liberty CRD gets 21/27. Unlike other compact SUVs, the Liberty is a heavy, off-road-capable vehicle.