Speaking at the breakfast kicking off New York auto show press days, Bob Nardelli, president and CEO of Chrysler LLC, offered no news but worked hard to sound like a car guy, and to reassure us that private equity CAN be interested in building a car company back to greatness.
Nardelli asserted how excited everyone at Chrysler is to come to work every day. And with Tom Lasorda's manufacturing expertise and Jim Press' way with dealers, "We have both the supply side and the demand side covered."
Selected quotes:
"Being private makes us fast, agile and flexible. It's a quick yes or a quick no, never a slow maybe."
"When you adopt the attitude of an entrepreneur, there are no days off."
"We're like a $60 billion start-up company."
"Our brands will become stronger as they become more differentiated, and build on their histories."
"The New Chrysler will get engineering innovations to market quicker than anyone else."
-- Kevin Smith, Edmunds.com Editorial Director
Here's AutoObserver's take: Chrysler's Nardelli: Private Equity Can Re-Build Chrysler
Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 New York Auto Show: Chrysler's Nardelli Channels Bob Lutz in Rousing Speech
ark6 says:
08:31 AM, 03/19/08
The promise for good cars is nice, but really Chrysler needs to stop talking and roll out the vehicles already. It has been a while since they put out a good car.
flicmod says:
09:17 AM, 03/19/08
Does anyone else dislike this guy as much as I do?
iskch says:
09:33 AM, 03/19/08
Cerberus + Nardelli = blah blah blah
ateixeira says:
06:44 AM, 03/20/08
There are no days off?
THERE ARE NO DAYS OFF?!
What a moron. They just announced the entire corporation was taking two full weeks off this summer.
What a MORON! Unbelievable.
http://66.160.188.111/Straightline/4469
estreka says:
06:21 PM, 03/20/08
I agree with most of his points.
1. Yes, Chrysler does indeed have the capacity to make quite decisions. But there's still execs to please.
2. Whatever. See Ateixeira's comment.
3. Very true. And that's not even taking into account the massive dealership network. But it also has a reputation to overcome as well. Only a series of promising products will prove this.
4. You can't be a "start-up" company and build on your heritage.
5. You've got some serious catching up to do first, buddy. I'd say Chrysler makes the most archaic vehicles on the market (until the Nano gets here).