#IAA: Renault/Nissan And Daimler Suggest They Are Interested In A Ménage à Trois With Fiat/Chrysler

Didn't Mercedes and Chrysler already to a dance that didn't work, called Daimler-Chrysler? This looks an awful lot like a divorced couple talking about getting married again.

True but you gotta admit, that couple produced some pretty important babies for Chrysler atleast which includes the successful 1st Gen Charger and 300 based on E Class underpinnings, and the most successful Grand Cherokee ever for Jeep based on the ML(now GLE)

Things definitely got bitter towards the end, and I'm sure Mercedes now takes an our way or the highway approach which is currently working for Nissan. If FCA should join, Benz will likely fit them with the same muzzle they've fitted to Renault Nissan.

It is better the second time around they say.

^^^
Once you've learned your lessons and you've graduated, you don't have to repeat them.

Renault and MB want to use Chrysler as a private label brand for their old product to increase profitability.

Chrysler will be brand of surplus MB chassis, Renault engines and special one-offs like the Viper.

Gotta love the revisionist history: "that couple produced some pretty important babies for Chrysler" Yeah, DCA gave them an old platform for the Chrysler 300 and Wolfgang Bernhardt took it and did a number on it. Does say a lot for the platform that its still selling. Yes, the Grand Cherokee is also a legacy but Car4Life you leave out that Daimler bought Chrysler for what $60B because at that time Chrysler was the most profitable car company in the world and was hot. Daimler gutted it and took the profits and left a shell of a company when they were done. Chrysler went from hero to zero after it was nearly destroyed by Daimler. Daimler got the money Chrysler spun off then left it for dead. Chrysler got the last laugh though when Daimler dumped it for pennies... Truth!

I am still amazed by the conviction with which Chrysler apologists claim that Mercedes “used” Chrysler and left it for dead. This, despite Chrysler’s years of subsequent losses and Daimler’s final, $27 billion bath on the entire acquisition. The sad truth is that Chrysler’s biggest successes are usually attributable to savvy niche plays (minivans), styling (Ram), or pure market luck (any Jeep). When they have to compete against others in a mature, competitive market (sedans, compacts, non-Jeep SUVs),they fall flat. Daimler didn’t help (their expertise is decidedly not in FWD), but they didn’t send the company on any more of a downward trajectory.

IMO, Robert Eaton doesn’t get enough credit for finding a big enough sucker to grossly overpay for Chrysler. Schrempp bought a lot of other stupid things with Mercedes’ money (Fokker aircraft, a huge stake in Mitsubishi), paid for by the eliminating the “excessive engineering” that made a Mercedes a Mercedes. Schrempp makes Jac Nasser look like Jack Welch.

Let's also look at the current state of Mercedes/Nissan/Renault. Sure, Mercedes has some great technology, but Renaults and Nissans are nothing special in any way.

Mercedes cash raped Chrysler, sent quality into the skids, and spat out the carcass.

VW should buy FCA. Especially with respect to the USA and China it's a brilliant move for VW.

Axis Motors!

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