If you want to see the plight of the ailing automotive industry at the Geneva Motor Show, just visit the stands of the US companies. Take Chrysler: The Detroit-based carmaker has even pinched pennies when it comes to the artificial waterfall that the company usually sets up at trade shows. Now the US brand is presenting its cars as if they were on a parking lot.
But it's another story altogether with the Germans.
Volkswagen (VOWG.DE) has hired pop star Pink to sing the praises of the new Polo. And Daimler's flagship brand Mercedes-Benz has illuminated its new E-Class with huge rows of floodlights. Daimler (DAI) CEO Dieter Zetsche regards the biggest competition as coming from inside Germany but even there he doesn't seem very worried. Munich-based competitor BMW (BMWG.DE) has replaced Mercedes-Benz as the best-selling brand—so what? BMW has "also toned things down," says Zetsche. What about Audi which is moving up in the rankings and selling an increasing number of luxury cars? "Puffing themselves up."
Daimler is Daimler, says Zetsche. If any brand can weather the crisis alone, it's Mercedes-Benz. After all, a car show is primarily just that: a big show and Zetsche is
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