As far as I know, Chrysler has to deal with the same kind of UAW contracts.
The difference seems to be that Chrysler is actually making cars that people are interested in buying.
Some of their recent successes noted in the article:
The 300C sedan, the Durango SUV, their minivans with "Stow-and-Go" seating, and the diesel Jeep Liberty CRD.
I'm not a stockholder or anything...I just think GM is totally non-consumer-oriented, and they need to get with the program, but fast.
I like what Chrysler has been doing the last few years. And I love my Jeep even though it's a few years old now. There's nothing GM has been doing that really interests me, and I'm always kind of wondering why it is that they are consistently unable to come out with any vehicles I would buy.
The front end of the 300 reminds me of the mouth on Dancing Bear (Captain Kangaroo).
Also I think the Mercedez-Benz side of the house has had a lot of influence on the little things like interior quality. The difference between my old man's '99 1500 and my '04 is night and day.
Good post. My Dad and my ex-husband retired from Chrysler.
A very good company. We all drive Dodge products and I drive a Mercedes, which is now a sister product. I have a 2005 Dodge van and it is a joy to drive. Chrysler and Dodge have improved so much. Look for sales to continue upward.
The Chrysler and the 300 both have rear wheel drive, and can be purchased with their new Hemi engines.
GM in their infinite wisdon decided to stop makinf rear wheel drive cars, thus giving the cops no alternative but Ford. I expect to see a few Magnums show up with Bubble gum machines on their roofs soon.
GM has ONE decent looking vehicle, and it's a roadster pick-up with retro styling.
Ford has nothing on the market that I would recognize without finding the corporate emblem.
Chrysler has several fairly good looking cars on the market, and if the body is ugly the performance and engineering will hardly matter.
So Chrysler is making sales while the others wonder why no one is looking at their bland little box on wheels.
The above is a shame, U.S. stylist used to have a clue.
To be fair, they are working against the handicap of Fed. Gov. regulations which force all cars to have similar height bumpers, similar height headlamps, etc.
Love my 2001 Chrysler 300M and the 1999 Chrysler Concord LXI (Candy Apple Red) before that .... damn the red light runner that totalled it.
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.
Anyone not able to recognize the Mustang but for its Ford emblem needs to have his eyes checked. And to declare the Ford 500 as a Taurus is pure nonsense. They are nothing alike. The Ford 500 is based on the S-80 Volvo chassis. I drove one yesterday and it is a very fine automobile. Even has a six speed automatic. That's no Taurus.