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#31059 of 32000 First Corvette fetches 1.1M for charity at auction by ateixeira

Jan 22, 2013 (11:44 am)

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/01/19/first-production-2014-chevrolet-corvette-stin- gray-draws-1-1-mil/

#31060 of 32000 Re: "dealer enthusiasm is very, very strong" [steve_] by ateixeira

Jan 22, 2013 (11:47 am)

Replying to: steve_ (Jan 22, 2013 11:36 am)
Not sure how it will compete with a 240hp (conservatively rated) BMW with 138hp.
 
I still wonder if this would have been better off as a Chevy, at a lower price.
 
It may even sell well, but will they be incremental sales, or just steal a few more from the Regal?

#31061 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [busiris] by keystonecarfan

Jan 22, 2013 (11:50 am)

Replying to: busiris (Jan 22, 2013 10:32 am)
Cerberus wasn't an automobile company, unlike Daimler-Benz. We expect more from Daimler-Benz. After all, isn't Daimler one of those perfect German automobile companies that has never, ever, made a single mistake or built one lemon?
 
And it wasn't as though Daimler sold Cerberus a healthy, thriving company. Daimler had already run Chrysler into the ground.

#31062 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [keystonecarfan] by andres3

Jan 22, 2013 (12:03 pm)

Replying to: keystonecarfan (Jan 22, 2013 11:50 am)
And it wasn't as though Daimler sold Cerberus a healthy, thriving company. Daimler had already run Chrysler into the ground.
 
The Dodge Neon, Stratus, and Cirrus had more to do with running Chrysler into the ground than Daimler.
 
Daimler didn't buy a healthy thriving company; they were on the verge of a collapse, financial sector breakdown or not!
 
And yes, Daimler built a ton of lemons, mostly in the years of involvement with Chrysler.
 
Remember, the Neon, Stratus, and Cirrus made a lot of money for Chrysler because owners are forced to buy a lot of replacement MOPAR parts when they breakdown every 3 months. But after they get fed up with it, and get rid of it, there are no more Chrysler sales in those peoples futures.

#31063 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [keystonecarfan] by fintail

Jan 22, 2013 (12:05 pm)

Replying to: keystonecarfan (Jan 22, 2013 11:50 am)
DB was just looking to get revenge for 1945. Looks like they got some
 
And yeah, the company wasn't exactly Toyota-strong before the buyout. Remember the Simpsons episode when the Germans buy Mr. Burns' poorly maintained power plant? It was kind of like that. And some good did come of it - the 300.
 

#31064 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [keystonecarfan] by busiris

Jan 22, 2013 (12:04 pm)

Replying to: keystonecarfan (Jan 22, 2013 11:50 am)
I think you're giving MB far too much credit on running Chrysler into the ground.
 
Seems pretty clear that, like the other 2 domestics, they were already suffering from "domestic-itus" well before the MB union, or the problems all 3 domestics suffered simultaneously has to be one of history's most bizarre coincidences.

#31065 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [keystonecarfan] by andres3

Jan 22, 2013 (12:07 pm)

Replying to: keystonecarfan (Jan 22, 2013 10:24 am)
direct result of Daimler's mismanagement.
 
And how do you manage a walking zombie.... exactly?
 
I think Daimler and Cerebus got infected with the zombie plague by Chrysler, not the other way around.

#31066 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [andres3] by ateixeira

Jan 22, 2013 (12:10 pm)

Replying to: andres3 (Jan 22, 2013 12:07 pm)
Actually the issue Daimler had was zero synergy. Like oil and water, the products just didn't mesh.
 
There were almost no savings, besides re-using some old M-B tech on some Chryslers (Crossfire, 300C suspension, etc).
 
And recylcing old tech is not exactly cheap or effective.

#31067 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [ateixeira] by michaell

Jan 22, 2013 (12:57 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 22, 2013 12:10 pm)
I would recommend the book "Taken for a Ride", which details the Chrysler / Daimler merger in pretty good detail.
 
Chrysler was a pretty healthy company when Daimler came along. Bob Eaton thought that consolidation in the auto industry was going to happen, so he sought out Daimler as a partner.
 
Was sold as a 'merger of equals', but was really a takeover by Daimler. Lots of culture clash and supervisory issues (remember, MB was but one unit of Daimler at the time).
 
It was thought by both companies that the synergy was there. Chrysler had almost zero int'l presence. MB didn't do trucks, SUV's or mini-vans.

#31068 of 32000 Re: Question about Corvair influence [ateixeira] by andre1969

Jan 22, 2013 (1:07 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Jan 22, 2013 12:10 pm)
There were almost no savings, besides re-using some old M-B tech on some Chryslers (Crossfire, 300C suspension, etc).
 
And some of that stuff ended up hurting Chrysler, because incorporating the M-B tech into the Chrysler designs delayed the introduction of some of these new models.
 
For instance, the original plan was to replace the Intrepid, Concorde, and 300M with 2003 models. They were going to offer FWD, RWD, or AWD, and choice of 6-cyl and V-8 power. Dodge and Chrysler were going to each offer two models. One was going to be a larger, more upright traditional sedan, and the other, while still a sedan, would be a bit smaller and more low-slung.
 
Well, we did get the choice of V-6 or V-8 power. But we didn't get it until the spring of 2004, and then, only as the Chrysler 300 and C. It sold well at first, but remember, initially it had to fill the shoes of the old Intrepid, Concorde, AND 300M. And Dodge had nothing to offer. We also didn't get the AWD until later. And we didn't get the choice of upright or low-slung.
 
Even before that, they started cutting corners. For example, one of my friends had a 2002 Intrepid SE as a loaner, when his 2001.5 Passat had to go in the shop. Compared to my 2000 Intrepid (which was just a base model; they didn't start calling it SE until 2001), the loaner was missing something like 5 or 6 things, all in the name of cost cutting. I forget what all they were, but they included the rear sway bar, the tint on the windshield, the cloth and carpet on the door panels, a cheaper, built-in cupholder (the one on my 2000 retracted), and probably one or two other things.
 
Similarly, when the 2001 Stratus/Sebring came out, they seemed like they were cheapened, compared to the old Stratus/Cirrus/Breeze.

Messages Page 3107 of 3201

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