Chrysler Sold

I'm glad Mercedes can free up some money so they can concentrate on their new models to come in the near future. The quality control has improved much throughout the line up of Mercedes and with the 80.1% under new ownership this shows more promise for Merc overall.

Today is a great day. A day to celebrate the sale of Chrysler to a private equity firm and no longer full control of Mercedes. Both companies are better off seperated (esp. for Mercedes)

Agreed

What are you talking about? In that time period, Mercedes also created the current E-Class, CLK-Class, CLS-Class, CL-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GL-Class, M-Class and SLK-Class. Ever think to acknowledge THOSE?

S4, I seem to notice a surge of hostility in your words on many threads. Although I fully understand you. lol

uninspired cast-offs? the R is a weird car for sure. but the S, E, GL, SL, CL, CLK, etc. pretty impressive cars.

Bulldogz,

Did you not know that the Crossfire & 300/300C models were based off of the old SLK & E class platforms? I was in love with the 300C when it first came out it looked big and luxurious but it was never a Benz. Not even close in luxury amenities. I just don't see how they were better concepts. Do you have any information that you can argue in return? Chrysler didn't come up with that concept, It's Mercedes. Without the Merc platforms think about how horrific the ride quality would have been never mind the handling issues.

because chrysler was,is and hopefully will be a leader of an innovative design

I'm sure, in the next month, DaimlerChrysler will re-name itself again. I think the original Daimler company name still exists in the UK, but maybe "Daimler Holdings (DHX)" will become the new name of the parent corporation.

I wonder what impact this deal will have on Mitsubishi. Don't they share 1 or 2 vehicle platforms and 2 global engine families?

Mitsu got separated long time ago, altough they do share certain platforms.

The new Companies will be Daimler AG. and Chrysler Holding LLC.

I thought Mitsubishi announced that it won't be doing any developments with Chrysler anymore. Right now they do share platforms, but later on they will probably split completely.

"I think the original Daimler company name still exists in the UK"

Yes, Jaguar owns it, and they are sold as such, in the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan. www.daimlercars.com

It will be interesting to find out how they rename themselves.

...or at least the litigation which may result coudl be interesting...

The Daimler Saloon is just an ultra-luxury XJ, right? They look identical.

Yes. There are some slight differences particularly on the interior.

Does this mean the next Chrysler models will stop using Mercedes parts? The few good cars Chrysler did make was mostly because of the underpinnings they shared with some olders Benzes.

I would hope so... Mercedes will have very little to do with Chrysler now. This was the point of the sale. So no more "hand me downs" from big brother benz.

Dr. Z did the right thing. For get about Kirk, he’s just stock speculator, not a real business CEO. Beside, he low balled the price to 4.5 b. a little over half of the sale price offered by Cerberus.

Much better for them to cut their losses now instead of fighting in vain to make the Chrysler combination work for years and years.

They're already doing pretty awesome. The car that best epitomizes this is the S-Class. IMO it signifies Mercedes's push back to truly superb cars.

I have a much different take on this. While I was never a huge fan of the merger and am glad its over Cerebus is probably sbout to sink itself. It sounds like a pipe dream of a few guys who always wanted to run a car company since they were kids. Investment bankers usually cannot run things that aren't speculative in the same way that investments are. So what generally happens is that the stock rallies the first year or two, then as their incompetence is brought to the light the shareholders end up taking a bath and losing all their money because the stock falls like a rock. And in a case like this because they will be owned by an investment company so the chance of them being bailed out in a time of major crisis will be much less.
My question is what type of regulatory red tape will they go through to get approval of this?
T

Magna should consider itself lucky to be out of it. If Chrysler survives intact as a car company, Magana has every opportunity to retain its current sales to Chrysler. If Chrysler is dismantled for a quick profit on its assets, then Magna may see a temporarly sales drop but that would not present nearly the type of risk that taking over a white elephant poses. If Magna wants to become a car manufacturer in its own right, it should offer to purchase one of the Chrysler brands from the new investors along with a North-American manufacturing facility.

The biggest problem with Chrysler and Daimler marriage was that they hardly worked together (except for a few projects). The main reason to merge is to cut costs by using similar parts and designs. Of course it is not in Mercedes-Benz's interest to share parts, but that again signals that the merger was ill-fated from the beginning.

great a management company in other words like a Home Owners Assoc.? Just what Chrysler needed, a babysitter who tells them when to wipe their nose. Why in the heck don't you go the way of AMC, sell Jeep and fold the rest of the doomed company now!

To this day I still question Daimler's motives of buying CHrysler. At that time in 1997-98 Mercedes was not having such a good time. Its image of poor build quality had already plagued it and Chrysler actually had money in the bank and was in the black. Daimler "merges" (takeover of course)with Chrysler and then has full access to all that cash Chrysler had. I think they used them to try to steady themselves at that time and now are ready to bail, like a vampire that sucks out the life of a victim. Chrysler did have the great 300 come out of this merger, but that is about it. The future of Chrysler is definately a cloudy one now. I wonder if they will still platform share however since Daimler still has a 20% stake in it.... Hmmmmm time will tell.

Adios Chrysler, lets hope now Daimler will be more focused on what they have left. I wonder what the new owner of Chrysler will do. The Big 3 is now down to 2...

Go Mercedes! Cash in the bank- I'd like to see a new E-Class that wipes out its competition. Yes, INCLUDING THE A6.

Obviously, this merger was not a good one. I'm glad Daimler is reaping the profits, but I'm sad for Chrysler. It is foreshadowing the big brand's plunge down the toilet of oblivion. Oh, what has happened to the big three...

^^ ^^
Well if you ask me the E-Class already wipes the competition, including the A6; which would be my second choice in that class.

For more contemporary styling I would go for the A6 but for the premium feel and a classy all around Benz with the traditional luxurious interior the E is my choice. The 550i with m sport package looks amazing despite the Bangle design.

But I think we also forgot one competitor. The GS and I believe even the M45. Sure I'm a Merc fan but we have to count everyone in. I think I would take the GS over the A6 and it would be a tie between the 5 series and the E. It will all boil down to which salesman gives me the best deal. As for looks I like the GS. As for solid German engineering I would take any of the Germans.

I had a apportunity to drive a Dodge Charger for a weekend. I was really impressed by the quality of the handling and suspension.

Now that Mercedes sold Chrysler, where will Chrysler take their frames and components for their future 300c and Charger!

chrysler developed those platforms way before merger,lh front wheel drive cars had the best handling in it's class,so do not worry about chrysler,they have a better quality then mersedes anyway(that;s the fact!)