Chrysler Chairman Confirms Company is Discussing Being Acquired
14 October 2008
The Detroit News reports that Cerebus Capital Management LP began considering offers for Chrysler less than a year after acquiring it. Following the surfacing last week of the GM-Cerebus talks, Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli sent a note to employees confirming that the company was talking to potential partners.
In recent months, as the industry’s outlook has worsened, Cerberus officials have discussed deals involving Chrysler LLC with General Motors Corp. and with the Renault-Nissan alliance, according to sources familiar with the negotiations. They also have had contacts with Fiat SpA of Italy and India’s Tata Motors, the sources said.
Compared with the merger frenzy of the late 1990s, the tone of the talks is more cautious and guarded, the sources said. But some of them said Cerberus seemed eager to conclude a deal. Delphi Corp. Chairman Robert S. Miller told The Detroit News on Monday that the talks between carmakers reflected the “serious financial pressures the industry is facing.”
Chrysler sales through September have dropped 25% to 1,183,519 units compared to the same period last year.
So why don't they make a car people want? A nice 4 door family sedan that gets over 40mpg. Small turbo gas engine possibly or more likely diesel would do the trick. Off the shelf stuff.
Posted by: Rich | 14 October 2008 at 07:31 AM
Last year I would have said, "no Americans are not ready to make the necessary compromises in comfort, size, power, and cost to get a 40mpg 4 person sedan." Now though, I have to agree that Americans are ready to do so as long as it still hits the safety & reliability benchmarks.
We will know for sure when the Chevy Cruze comes out and if it meets the goals that have been set for it.
Posted by: | 14 October 2008 at 09:48 AM
Hi Rich...The Chevy Cobalt, Ford Focus, & Dodge Caliber are close to the smallest cars U.S. companies make. The Caliber could easily be lighter & shorter with the same interior space(look at the Nissan Versa with nearly the same CVT tranny as the Caliber). The Cobalt & Focus are old, but strong efficiency strides could put them near 40MPG. Even if they would not get EPA 40MPG ratings, feather footing would get 40MPG(Honda Fit, Toyota Yaris, & Hyundai Accent will get mid-40MPG with careful feather footing). U.S. manufacturers are scared of small high MPG vehicles, because the companies think they can't sell many or make much money per unit.
Posted by: litesong | 14 October 2008 at 12:37 PM
And because they have been positioned as unsafe and dangerous. Which they are when hit by far larger vehicles.
Posted by: | 15 October 2008 at 06:02 PM