Comments4u
I despise Zetsche and the Daimler ownership of Chrysler for being responsible for killing some really good looking concept vehicles 5 years ago in favor of coming out with ones that have more Mercedes content.
But I can't see where (as claimed above) that the Chrysler unit was in shambles.
Chrysler was in a sales shambles in 2003 because the new (and hideous) LX chbuttis was still a year away from production, and Dodge dealers were screaming for new car models (yes, I was pointing out then that Dodge seemed destined to be Truck and maybe mini-van only while the only cars would wear Chrysler badges).
Yes it was, because quality was falling at Mercedes even on the eve of the aquisition of Chrysler.
Zetsche's only job at Chrysler was to trash all current new vehicle designs and start new designs that would incorporate an increasing amount of Mercedes components. And that was not his idea - it came from Daimler. Chrysler build quality was already at historic highs in 2000 and the gap between north american and japanese makers were practically non-existant by 2004.
Zetsche has some really bad blunders - like hiring Celine Dione for sales-marketing, and the Crossfire failure.
Cops on fishing expeditions 2898I didn't write that. You don't get it. Everyone here would like to see such vehicle drivers ticketed for the faulty equipment. But they aren't. They...
How ironic. Chrysler was supposed to be the "volume" brand of the Daimler-Chrysler pair. Zetsche admitted exactly this in interviews.
Because Chrysler was never allowed to build models that would or could directly compete against Mercedes models. In 1999 and early 2000, Chrysler had introduced the 300M and was showing the stunning 300N 2-door concept. Chrysler was in a position to be thought of by the public has having some premium brands. Chrysler was in a position to throw some cars up against Lexus and Infinity in the North American market. But Daimler would have non of that. They myopically thought that their own Mercedes would compete in that arena. It turns out it could only happen if Merc quality fell enough to make them compebreastive.
Yea, I've always considered the new 300C to look more like a truck than a car.
Cops on fishing expeditions 2895He should have been. The light is, after all, there for a reason -- a point that I trust is preaching to the choir hereabouts, but was apparently lost on him if he spent five years...
This story was obviously written by a European or German with no real knowledge of the Daimler-Chrysler merger and subsequent history in north america.
