Need info on plants to be sold by DC

Chrysler can bring concept cars to market faster than Merc. The logic
being that Daimler can transplant that ability into Merc. Step 1 of
that process is to throw in the toilet all current Chrysler concepts.
Step 2 is - what? Where is the evidence that Chrysler's
concept-to-market knowhow is being used by Merc? (other than to
re-design Chrysler vehicles so that they use more Merc parts?)

Lutz was in his late 60's when he left (67 I think). He was hired by
GM in 2001 and was going to "shake up the place". Anyone seen any
shaking at GM lately? No matter how good Lutz was as at product
development, if you don't have good design people in the trenches
turning out ideas then you don't have squat. Besides, he was
Vice-chairman when he left. That's a long way from product
manager/designer.

If there's an on-line reference, please quote the article.

If they don't require a subscription, and I'm sufficiently motivated,
sure. I'm usually too busy reading other (non-automotive) industry
publications.

You'd be wrong. Ok, maybe once every few years when I'm in the market
for a dishwasher or fridge.

Only when they review radar detectors.

Like your industry publications? Is that why you read them?

 

Um, DS said that Damlier now _can't_ transplant this faster
to market ability to Merc because all the talent jumped ship.
So why would there be evidence that the concept-to-market
knowhow is being used by Merc? They don't have it anymore
and lost it after the merger.

Also don't forget the US economy went into a depression shortly
after the takeover, and a great many things started to change. The
process was hastened by 9-11 and GM's subsequent kickoff of
a price war on 0% interest. Neither of these things were known
in advance (although many people were expecting the stock market to
crash, just not that quickly)

While I, like Daniel, believe that Damlier wanted more than a simple
market share increase by buying Chrysler it seems quite obvious today
that Damlier has abandonded all hope of getting anything more out
of Chrysler OTHER THAN market share. Clearly they have written
off Chrysler's engineering and design team and expect them to only
integrate Merc parts into the Chrysler model line. In another 10 years
if Damlier doesen't let Chrysler go, the typical Chrysler/Dodge vehicle
will be indistinguishable from the Mercedes vehicle under the hood, the
only external difference will be styling changes. Merc will be positioned
to the high-end market, Dodge will be everybody else, and Chrysler will
be sandwiched in the middle somewhere. This is the model that GM is
using with the Buick/Chevrolet/Olds lines.

Ted

 

If Daimler *really* had planned on taking advantage of Chrysler's
concept-to-market ability and applying it to the Merc line, then they
would have either anticipated (1) performing a substantial amount of
Merc vehicle concept work in Detroit or (2) transplanting the Chrysler
"dream team" to Stuttgart. Who really believes that either of those
options were viable (now, or back in 1998) ?

I think there is way more evidence that Daimler, since day 1 of the
"merger", wanted Chrysler's design team to scrap all current concepts
and begin immediately to redesign Chrysler vehicles to integrate Merc
parts. You might say that this is how Merc "took advantage" of
Chrysler's concept-to-market ability, but not in a satisfying way for
Chrysler's designers.

 

300C...closest thing to it..
http://www.carnuttv.com/coolcar.htm

The Magnum Hemi isnt bad either..

http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/aug2001/nf2001082_510.htm

http://www.autointell.com/nao_companies/general_motors/gm-management/gm-bob-lutz-01.htm

http://www.auto.com/2003show/iwirl6_20030106.htm


Still looking for the article that I found not long ago that talked about
it....the design team that is..

 

In name only. It's a rolling abomination. I don't care what it has
under the hood. If it looks like a boxy Bentley (and weighs as much,
and if it's got an SUV as a brother) then it ain't no sports-luxury
sedan. The interior design is plain crap. It has a front and side
profile that only a feeble senior citizen would love.

A waste of a power plant. The 300C is an SUV that's trying real hard
to be a sedan. If I wanted something like that, I'd buy a Ram with
the hemi.

3 stories about Lutz moving to GM. None of which hint at all about
any discontent at Chrysler over design issues, internal politics,
staff leaving, etc. Again, who is bold enough at Chrysler to give an
interview about design-team morale, about the politics between
Chrysler and Daimer, about where chrysler's designs are heading and
who's doing the driving.

 

Well, ehm, you've read how the Germans judge the build quality of the M-Klasse?

Johan