SOUND OFF: What if Toyota Bought Chrysler?

Well after you pick yourself up off of the floor from laughing, it may not actually sound like such a silly proposition after all.

Chrysler could provide Toyota with immediate access to desperately needed assembly plants, and provide an established foothold into both the consumer and commercial truck markets, as well as future lock in the minivan market. Chrysler also provides several unique high performance models that could establish Toyota in the all important niche markets that they currently lack.

Purchasing Chrysler would also mean an instant American image for Toyota, that may help curb growing concern that its success was at the cost of the US Auto industry. Another factor to consider that Toyota would establish a direct pipeline into rural America where the domestics still dominate and loyalty is highest.

While we all can agree it would be an uphill battle for a while, we wonder what fruits a long term Toyota/Chrysler alliance would yield.

Imagine a Dodge V10 RAM with Toyota quality, or even Jeep 4x4 to compliment the Sequoia. Maybe a cool Hybrid SRT Nitro? If anyone has ever had the resources and expertise to turn Chrysler around it would be Toyota. With their advanced production and supply prowess as well the financial resources that many small nations envy, Toyota could possibly save an American icon.

What do you think?

ctsang - 2/14/2007 1:56:48 PM

+4 Boost

You are f-----g crazy.

EL34 - 2/14/2007 2:30:34 PM

-15 Boost

The real question is,

What if Chrysler Bought Toyota?

Bill - 2/14/2007 2:48:24 PM

+5 Boost

LOL!

Designer1 - 2/14/2007 3:18:13 PM

+3 Boost

Are you serious EL34? lol

EL34 - 2/14/2007 3:18:52 PM

-11 Boost

Bill, have you ever noticed the Toyota badge looks like someone sleeping wearing a sombrero?

Bill - 2/14/2007 3:51:22 PM

+4 Boost

I was just laughing at your Chrysler should buy Toyota comment, EL, nothing more.

mitchatlexusofmarin - 2/17/2007 2:02:36 AM

+1 Boost

EL34 is an idiot.You just noticing this??

305vice - 2/14/2007 2:39:35 PM

+3 Boost

EL34 ... Chrysler should not worry themselves with the purchase of Toyota. Better question, can any car company purchase Toyota?

Carboy - 2/14/2007 2:45:12 PM

+3 Boost

GASP!

JUGNU - 2/14/2007 2:56:01 PM

+2 Boost

How about Toyota purchasing the whole Daimler-Chrysler? EL34

Then,imagine a C class with Lexus or atleast Toyota's interior.


JUGNU

EL34 - 2/14/2007 3:15:27 PM

-9 Boost

It would be the end of Mercedes with that cheap interior.

MercBasher - 2/15/2007 12:58:22 AM

+2 Boost

Agree, and just imagine a Mercedes with Lexus quality and reliability, or a Lexus that's more to drive.

MercBasher - 2/15/2007 1:05:32 AM

+2 Boost

Sorry should have read "more fun to drive"

5MTenthus - 2/14/2007 3:01:25 PM

+4 Boost

The more realistic scenario is what if Toyota buys a larger share of Fuji Heavy Industries.

webguy - 2/14/2007 3:04:20 PM

+4 Boost

Hmmm... SRT8 Lexus ES 300 C? A Germanese car could be the perfect solution for many, but I don’t think it would happen. Toyota already has too many pains from growing too fast, and they’re wayyy too paranoid about tarnishing its hard earned reputation. Buying Chrysler would just send the company into overload with newfound problems.

EL34 - 2/14/2007 3:17:01 PM

-6 Boost

Volkswagen pwn3d'$ Toyota.

Nuff said.

SSP350 - 2/14/2007 4:18:00 PM

+4 Boost

el34 needs to go drive his buick lucerne. maybe he should save up his real estate commisions and buy Chrysler......??

sewingmachine - 2/14/2007 8:48:13 PM

+1 Boost

sadly i dont think she can afford one yet, maybe in 10-20 years.

VinnyP - 2/14/2007 4:42:27 PM

+3 Boost

The word from my cop friends is that the new charger is not as favourable as the new Impala cop cars, the charger is uncomfortable for the long hours...??

But yea, Toyota should buy lotus I say, since the elise already used the celica engine...would be a nice little company for them to tune their racing knowledge to street legal cars. Chrysler is a good brand, but a strong one cause its Diamler Chrysler.

VinnyP - 2/14/2007 4:43:36 PM

-1 Boost

Well I didnt mean good brand as in dependable, but just strong enough that toyota wouldnt be able to buy them

neutral - 2/14/2007 10:13:51 PM

+2 Boost

Believe it or not, there's cop cars out there (I think in Washington state) that are Priuses.

VinnyP - 2/15/2007 12:30:35 AM

+1 Boost

Gotta be prius's, Washington gots to look nice infront of all the foreign nationals

VinnyP - 2/15/2007 4:28:20 PM

+1 Boost

I meant more along the lines of priministers from other countries

stevenv1999 - 2/14/2007 4:18:26 PM

+5 Boost

Toyota's Tacoma is the #1 selling vehicle in it's class(Toughy). Light duty trucks are the next mountain that Toyota will slowly conquer and the American manufacturers will just hope they go away. I also agree with webguy. Why would an independent and highly profitable company like Toyota even consider buying Chrysler? The truth is that any company Toyota would and of course could buy would be a great auto company. Toyota has to be admired for it's focus. I wouldn't buy a Toyota because they are way to mainstream for my taste, but I cannot deny they have the midas touch when it comes to quality and understanding it's customers wants and needs.

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:07:24 AM

+2 Boost

I agree totally.
It would be totally stupid.
But stupid things happen:
Remember in the computer world, HP (a profitable company) bought Compaq (a loser struggling to break-even) with no logical reason whatsoever ... it was a decision driven by an ego that wanted to run a big (unprofitable) company.

However, the Japanese aren't stupid, and don't make decisions based on ego. They use cold-calculated facts, and Toyota has many smart people.
They have the cash to buy GM, Ford and DCX if they wanted to, but why would they want to?
You can buy or build new plants without the baggage of any of the "big 3" companies ... they are all liabilities.

AE86 - 2/14/2007 8:28:44 PM

+1 Boost

If Toyota bought Mistsu, I could drive my dream car. Lancer Evolution IX MR.

AE86 - 2/15/2007 1:56:01 AM

+2 Boost

ronsscooby, WTF? Are you retarded?

TruenoAE86 - 2/14/2007 6:18:32 PM

0 Boost

This totally defies the old saying that, "one's garbage is another's treasure."

If Toyota picked up Chrysler, it would also pick up Chrysler's UAW workers....... and everyone knows that UAW has a big part to do with the Big3's downfalls.

AE86 - 2/15/2007 1:57:57 AM

-1 Boost

Nice, lifting my screen name!!

Raith - 2/15/2007 7:48:49 PM

-2 Boost

The down fall of the big three isn't UAW (which my husband is a member of) it is all of the people that think the foreign vehicles are so much better in quality. Toyota had more recalls last year than any of the big three. Where did our American pride go weren't you taught to buy American. And we wonder why there are no manufacturing jobs or any jobs for that matter. We would rather save a buck and shop at Walmart,a company that teaches their empolyees how to apply for welfare so that they don't have to provide benefits and let us flip the bill.

dusty - 2/16/2007 10:51:50 AM

+1 Boost

The problem is all those terrible short-sighted deals the big three automakers made with the UAW back in the sixties, seventies and eighties which have resulted in them paying exhorbitant retirement and healthcare benefits to retirees today and into the future. Sure these deals probably averted some strikes at the time and made the next quarterly report look good. But look at how they are literally killing these companies today. As the new GM CEO said when he first took over GM, "I thought I'd be building cars, but instead I'm running a healthcare company."

Larry - 2/14/2007 6:25:31 PM

-2 Boost

Volkswagen is has more financial problems than Chrysler, you can bet they lost a lot of money in spite of the profits that Skoda, Audi, and Bentley made. Now that new CEO Winterhorn has given the OK for a new phateon they will be out of business in soon.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/14/2007 11:27:52 PM

-1 Boost

Audi is actually the richest company in the VW group. I wouldn't say VW is having as many problems as DCX- VW is still profitable. They have a lot of disposable cash, obviously; how else would they have developed the multi-billion dollar Veyron?

AE86 - 2/15/2007 9:32:11 PM

+1 Boost

S4, don't start acting like Will making delusional statements not based on fact. VW does not break out the profitability of its separate units. (I do like Audi though :) )

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:01:01 AM

+1 Boost

Huh?

Get a grip!
Last year, VW made more profits than "the old big 3" combined!

What ARE you smoking?

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:09:52 AM

+1 Boost

This was a reply to Larry's comment above, but somehow it put it into the wrong location.

2JZSoarer - 2/14/2007 9:10:09 PM

+2 Boost

5MTenthus-Actually Toyota may take full control of Fuji heavy Industries this year due to the new law changes in Japan..

karupspc - 2/14/2007 9:13:43 PM

+3 Boost

Thats stupid idea. Almost as sane as when Daimler decided to merge with Chrysler.

Toyota has nothing to gain by buying Chrysler except debt and labor union headache.

trd1 - 2/14/2007 9:30:47 PM

+3 Boost

i agree with karupspc, is toyota stupid to buy something thats losing sales and evrything when their sales is just rising on the chart.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/14/2007 11:28:50 PM

+3 Boost

This would be retarded. Toyota wouldn't ever do that, ever.

Toyota buying AM? Maybe, but probably not, seeing as there are so many other suitors.

CHRYSLER?! Get outta town!

lexusis350 - 2/15/2007 1:05:28 AM

+2 Boost

I hope you're right, S4.

MercBasher - 2/15/2007 12:57:15 AM

+3 Boost

I think Nissan Renault is a better fit than Toyota. Does Toyota have any experience in turning around a major acquisition?

lexusis350 - 2/15/2007 1:04:32 AM

+3 Boost

I hope and pray Toyota doesn't buy Chrysler. Here's why: People look at Toyota and have a respect for them for being unique, reliable, and very upscale for their class. People look at Chrysler and don't see much but just another American made car. I hope Toyota sees this and doesn't buy Chrysler. I don't want them to be 1/2 Toyota 1/2 Chrysler. That means that Lexus would be 1/2 Chrysler, too.

S4cabriofoxone - 2/15/2007 11:20:37 AM

+2 Boost

Well, I do think the 300 is a pretty good effort, and the vans work well. But everything else is mediocre, I agree.

Raith - 2/15/2007 7:53:27 PM

-2 Boost

How can you say Toyota has unique cars they all look the same and the lexus sedan looks just like a Camery

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:15:11 AM

-1 Boost

Good argument if you remove the word "unique".
There are no blander cars on the planet than the American-market Toyotas.
Although the latest Camry is a huge step in the right direction.

lexusis350 - 2/18/2007 5:45:55 PM

+1 Boost

I agree with you, the 300 is a fantastic vehicle. But all in all, Chrysler isn't too great.

tecnopolis - 2/15/2007 5:53:04 AM

0 Boost

Maybe Kirk Kerkorian can buyback Chrysler from Daimler for $1.00USD.

VinnyP - 2/15/2007 4:30:00 PM

+1 Boost

Diamler is trying to get rid of chrysler so who knows.

ellives - 2/15/2007 6:40:29 PM

+2 Boost

What do I think? *I* think Chysler has been lost since Daimler bought the company. Having Toyota buy the company would just worsen the anti-Toyota sentiment that's drewing out there.

BigQ - 2/15/2007 8:23:45 PM

+2 Boost

It isn't crazy, but Toyota probably wouldn't do it. I think they should though. It would give them the market share that they so desperately crave and a friggin Hemi. Add to that, of all the Big three, Chrysler has to be in the best shape. Most of their cars make sense and I would like to think that Toyota would make them stick to the things that they do well and leave everything else alone. Jeep wouldn't have to make much more than the Grand Cherokee and Wrangler.
I have been thinking though. An even better merger would be BMW Honda. They are both top notch well run companies that try to sell cars that outperform. Honda can help make better Minis. Acura can collapse into Honda. Together they would engineer the best cars in the world and an army of robots too.

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:22:06 AM

+2 Boost

Good call, except the "Hemi" isn't a hemi at all, they're just using a name with some draw.
And it takes 5.7 litres for Chrysler to make 340 HP, but only 4.2 litres for VW/Audi to make 340 HP (using a lot less gas while doing it!)
I don't see Toyota lusting after any of Chrysler's engines.
(although getting access to Benz' diesel know-how would be worth big $$$)

SquirrelV8 - 2/16/2007 6:49:44 PM

+1 Boost

The Hemi is most certainly a Hemi... Plus, which sounds better, the roar of an American push-rod V8 or an over revving, latte sipping European v8? More is to come for future Hemi's...

DieselRules - 2/16/2007 12:35:25 AM

+1 Boost

huu76: Great article.

I think the most likely purchaser for Chrysler will pop out of China, and be a name that 99.9% of North Americans won't recognize.
The Chinese conglomerate will use Chrysler dealers to sell small, high-gas-mileage "made in China" cars at prices that turn the industry upside-down overnight. They'll take advantage of the American designers, keep building pickups in North America and maybe the 300/Charger series, and sell off all other plants, and lay off the production workers.
Gradually, the engine production will move to China for the American made vehicles too (like GM is already doing).
But with sub-$9,000 cars, Chrysler dealers will see a surge in sales business, just like being a VW dealer in the 60's.

woood - 2/15/2007 9:13:59 PM

+1 Boost

If Toyota makes this mistake, they would be doing what Ford and GM did by buying other brands, and look where they are now.

SLR722BCE - 2/16/2007 11:30:53 PM

+1 Boost

I hope they do buy it so that we don't have to worry about it anymore!

philippz - 2/15/2007 10:58:18 PM

+1 Boost

Toyota could use the extra production capacity...

bagwell - 2/16/2007 8:11:03 AM

+1 Boost

true...

mitchatlexusofmarin - 2/17/2007 2:01:46 AM

+1 Boost

Toyota would have no interest in this POS company.

cjxx - 2/17/2007 10:59:36 AM

+2 Boost

Nah...you guys are all wrong!!! Toyota should buy MEXICO. They take over the economy put Mexicans to work, build a bunch of cars, solve the immigration problem, become a reliable socio-economic ally, have a whole bunch of land for the first time in their history, drill for oil, find it, sell it to us so we can tell the middle eastern oil countries to eat shit and finally... every Japanese-Mexican citizen gets a discount ticket to either Disney-Land or Dollywood. Thats what I call rediculous to sublime improvement to all of your suggestions.

DieselRules - 2/23/2007 3:08:16 AM

+1 Boost

Awesome idea.
Then I'd finally be able to get good sushi in Mexico!

TominNH - 2/17/2007 1:15:43 PM

+1 Boost

If they bought Chrysler, maybe THEN they'd keep the Solara!!!