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For Sale: Chrysler group

Started by 116Benz, 14 May 2007, 09:00 AM

116Benz

For the sum of 7.4 Billion....DC are selling off 80% of Chrysler, just heard it on the news...Could it be true? Back to the days of Daimler Benz?.

gregdeklerk

It is true and it seems they have made a fat loss too. I also want to know what they are going to call the company now?

116Benz

#2
I've heard Daimler AG....but its going to be a vote, 1 vote here for Daimler Benz AG...I miss the good old days of engineering v's marketing.

I've done a bit more investigating, seems the new owner will be Cerberus, one of the top executives is Wolfgang Bernhard. Back in 2004, Bernhard, was next in line to take over the CEO position of Mercedes division from Jurgen Hubbert, it was Bernhard that opposed the rescue package of Mitsubishi also. Instead he was sacked and went to work for Volkswagen. This is shaping up to be a very interesting show. Incidentally, Cerberus was chosen over all other bids, I suppose the fact that Dieter Zetsche and Bernhard have been friends, since the DC days didnt sway the deal....

CraigS

I just wonder how long it will be before Kirk Kerkorian issues another writ ! This time for selling it too cheaply - same reason as last time - albeit that they were buying Chrysler then (not to mention the fact that he missed out on buying it this time around).
[url="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/"]http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/[/url]

116Benz

What I heard in the news, Kirk has said he was bidding (Tracinda US 4.5bn), but was shunned. I think its the GM shares that he bought in retaliation that didnt help his case (a guess LOL).

This Cerberus group sound interesting, they bought the bulk of GMAC (finance arm) from GM and plan to tie it into Chrysler Finance, I hope it doesnt do a Rover...

500eguy

if Benz sells chrysler this will be a huge image boost. Some one told me the other day that all Mercedes were built in America using American engines and all that rubbish. The only M-B's built in America are the SUV's Right? with the execption of the g-wagen

Mforcer

What I wanted to know was how ANYONE from Daimler Benz could have thought buying Chrysler was a good thing :(

I don't care about Chrysler 'polluting' Mercedes-Benz but I could never see the business sense...
Michael
1977 450SE [Brilliant Red]
2006 B200

OzBenzHead

Quote from: 500eguy on 14 May 2007, 03:27 PMThe only M-B's built in America are the SUV's Right? with the execption of the g-wagen

I was under the impression (right or wrong) that some C-Class were built in Alabama, too.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Good riddance to the merger!
[img width=340 height=138][url="http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png"]http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a215/OzBenzHead/10%20M-B%20Miscellany/OBH_LOGO-2a-1.png[/url][/img]

Brian Crump

Well now that DC has tried world-domination by quantity and failed, I hope it will get back to world domination by quality.
I did an MB driver training day at Eastern Creek and when it was over the instructors compared the braking of the M class against that of a Jeep on the skid pan. One stopped and the other went for a long wet slide despit having ABS etc. Guess which was which....
I don't think the instructors were supposed to do that but, heck, why not?
I asked one instructor just how an E class could handle the extremes of handling so he suggested we go to 120kph, apply full brakes and turn the wheel all the way to the right at the same time. OK we did. It simply stopped and turned 90degrees to the right. ABS, ESP etc and one driver that had to be scraped out of the seat with a putty knife... yeah, me. It shows that qaulity can work though. Now, I want to try that with the Lotus... ;D
Regards,
BC

nathan

ML, GL and R class...i think these are the US products only.
C classes to my knowledge arent built in the US

thankfully, the G wagens are built in graz, austria - at 28 day by hand!  i went to this plant earlier in the year...they also build some saabs, the BM X3 and even chrylsers there (PT, 300 and xfire)...

they would ideally go back to daimler benz ag...man, imagine how much the stationery costs will be when they change the name!
1979 116 6.9 #6436
2018 213 e63
2011 212 e63
2011 463 g55
2007 211 e500 wagen
1995 124 e320 cabriolet
1983 460 300gd
1981 123 280te

Brian Crump

Referring to Michel's post -the profit will lie in providing credit not in selling cars. Cerberus is known for very high rates of interest to help bail out troubled businesses. It will be only a matter of time before you can buy a Chrsyler on no deposit, 20 years to pay and 20+% interest (in the small print of course...)
The joy of owning a 116 is paying cash for it!!!
Regards,
BC

116Benz

Quote from: nathan on 14 May 2007, 11:13 PM
ML, GL and R class...i think these are the US products only.
C classes to my knowledge arent built in the US

thankfully, the G wagens are built in graz, austria - at 28 day by hand!  i went to this plant earlier in the year...they also build some saabs, the BM X3 and even chrylsers there (PT, 300 and xfire)...

they would ideally go back to daimler benz ag...man, imagine how much the stationery costs will be when they change the name!
The Magna Steyr factory?

116Benz

We used to get the 270CDi M Class from there, dont know about the current model tho, back in the 80's it was Steyr Daimler Puch.

CraigS

There is an M class in Brisbane currently that went to MB for service - one week after the warranty expired. I have heard from a number of people (mechanics) that the brakes on this model are a problem, and this particular M class is no exception, however because of a number of other problems, the repair cost has been quoted in excess of $22,000 ! The owner, assuming they has made a mistake, said "don't you mean $2,200" to which they replied "No". DC Australia do not want to know about it !

Quote from: Brian Crump on 14 May 2007, 11:00 PM
compared the braking of the M class against that of a Jeep on the skid pan. One stopped and the other went for a long wet slide despit having ABS etc. Guess which was which....

BC
[url="http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/"]http://s109.photobucket.com/albums/n77/Aegeanfoods/My%20Cars/[/url]

Martin 280s

Quote from: OzBenzHead on 14 May 2007, 07:35 PM
Quote from: 500eguy on 14 May 2007, 03:27 PMThe only M-B's built in America are the SUV's Right? with the execption of the g-wagen

I was under the impression (right or wrong) that some C-Class were built in Alabama, too.  Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Good riddance to the merger!

Some C-class cars were assembled on the vacant production lines at the MB plant in Juis de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brazil. That plant had been built to supply the A-class, although it was not a runaway success due to its high price and spartanness. Amazingly, the C-classes were imported in parts assembled here exported to Europe and North America then re-imported by Brazilian 'stealerships' at "imported car" prices - about 60% more than national produced ones! One small detail the cars carried the manufacturers plaque as 'Made in Germany' which they were 'made' there but 'assembled' here.