Been a busy couple news-days, regarding good ol' Chrysler L.L.C.
First: Cerebrus scored the hiring of Jim Press.
Who is Mr. Press?
None other than Toy-boat's (former, now) Head of U.S. Operations, and,
the only Gringo to have held a seat on the Toy-boat's Board of
Directors.
"He's smart enough to know how to bring to market what the customer
wants" said Jim Hall, an analyst with Tustin (CA) -based consulting firm
AutoPacific Inc., "andknowing the secret of how to put the customer No.1
is how the boatster went from being an importer with their headquarters
on Hollywood Blvd. to what may be the smartest car company on the
planet."
Press helped lead the Boat's drive to the top of the global market for
gasoline-electric hybrids and also managed the successful laubch of the
youth-focused Scion brand.
Chrysler didn't release details of Press' compensation but said that,
like Nardelli's,
it would be tied to the company's performance.
In any case, said Hall of AutoPacific, the bigger lure for Press was
probably the opportunity to help turn around a storied American
automotive nameplate.
THEN: Chrysler scooped Phillip Murtaugh from Generic Motors, where he
had been their Chinese Sales-Growth Manager.
Murtaugh, 53, becomes the fourth industry veteran from outside Chrysler
lured in the month since the Auburn Hills MI -based automaker's sale to
Cerberus Capital Management.
Murtaugh will be Chief Executive for Asia Operations. [He--] had been
Executive VP of SAIC Motor Corp., China's largest automaker, after
leaving GM. He had led negotiations in 1996 with Shanghai Auto to set up
GM's China venture.
Finally: keep your eye-out for a good deal on the PT Cruiser &/or
Magnum, as their sales, this year have languished; Bob Nardelli is
reportedly getting ready to discontinue them, due to the company
producing a plethora of products, right now.
I've had my PT Turbo since buying it new, in 2004, & have only put as
and oil in it, in its 60K miles, to date.
As any non-rich car buyer should plan on owning his new car for at least
10 years, both of these models should be a real long-term "deal"
for an astute buyer.
As I use my PT for business purposes, although I can easily afford a new
ride, and the Caliber is a GREAT car----rented on in Phoenix, this year,
it would not make good business sense to do so, when the PT will be
paid-off, in FEB, and my $0.70/mi file-billing will represent a lot of
profit, to me.
Neil Vedder
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