They're done.
Chrysler corporation has been hiding well from the bankruptcy demons that, like the evil spirit in the Final Destination films, has been haunting at its heels, trying to reclaim the company that escaped the clanking jaws of corporate death.
But recent developments suggest to me that they've sealed their fate big time. Partly because of just plain bad business, partly because of the clueless bean counter, Sergio Marchionne who is amassing all of his strength to make sure that Chrysler Corporation changes absolutely nothing substantive about its business practices.
Incoming Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne: "The price of gas doesn't matter."
Keeping the company's focus on things like luxury and the hugeness of dinosaurs like the Jeep Cherokee was a no brainer in the mid 90s. But now, it just shows - ONCE AGAIN!(and how many times do we need to be shown) - that there is no such thing as an "American Auto Company". There are only factories that do what the fuck they want and it's a crap shoot whether or not they decide to turn a deaf ear to the public din.
Right now, Chrysler is dangling off a cliff. The automaker is growing smaller every month and sits at the bottom of most quality ratings.
There may be reasons behind the poor quality of its vehicles, but consumers see them as excuses, and these self-inflicted wounds could be fatal.
But there is hope. Still.
But even more than what appears in this Detroit News story this morning, about Chrysler's stumbling around in the dark, still trying to outrun its metaphoric Wile E. Coyote, bankrupcy is this. In an all day meeting with the press yesterday where they laid out their 5-Year "survival plan" in Detroit, Chrysler execs flat out admitted that they understood that $4 gasoline was just over the horizon again. And what was their response? Something akin to the forward looking green policies that the entire planet is huddling around? Um. No.
Chrysler responded with the kind of eyeball-less moronity that was characteristic of everything they did just before the bottom fell out from under them the last time. It's like they're doing everything they can to pretend nothing ever happened to the Auto Industry.
CEO Marchionne's response was to aver that the price of gasoline, "doesn't matter (...) What matters is that in 5 years the vehicles Chrysler sells will get 25 percent better fuel economy."
You won't be SELLING cars in five years, you rube.
"The Price of Gasoline Doesn't Matter"
That was precisely what all three so-called "American Autos" said to us when gas approached 5 bucks the first time. 25 Percent better fuel economy is, to quote Gene Wilder, "doo doo." And I got news for ya ... I ain't waiting 5 years!! I want to see some change NOW!!! But you can't even do it with a mission statement, let alone a goddamned plan!
"It Doesn't Matter. Just keep buying the crap we build and shut up."
As for me, I will continue to support any company that sells cars with an eye to the future. Presently it doesn't include at least two of the aforementioned, and I'm not at all sure about the 3rd.
Attention Auto Companies!!! Sell me a car that doesn't use gas.
Is there something we were unclear about? Have you got it this time? Are you listening?
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