Topic: McCain: Chrysler Unlikely To Survive

[Careener]

http://www.insideline.com/chrysler/mccain-chrysler-unlikely-to-survive.html

PHOENIX — In yet another blow to the Motor City, Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) is predicting that Chrysler will not survive despite having been propped up by nearly $15 billion in government loans, according to media reports. He made the comments on Sunday while serving as grand marshal of the NASCAR Sprint Cup series race at Phoenix International Raceway.

"It was all about the unions," McCain said. "The unions didn't want to have their very generous contracts renegotiated, so we put $80 billion into both General Motors and Chrysler, and anybody believes that Chrysler is going to survive, I'd like to meet them."

Chrysler did not comment on McCain's prediction.

But as of early Monday morning, McCain had already turned his attention back to General Motors. Writing on his Twitter account, McCain said: "AP: GM reports $1.2B loss, says it shows progress. I'm not making this up."

McCain often weighs in with his thoughts on the dire circumstances in Detroit. "Chrysler finally filing for bankruptcy! Wish they would have done it months ago as I called for — could have saved taxpayers $26.7 billion!" he wrote on May 1 on his Twitter account.

McCain has been seen as a GM guy by such media outlets as the Los Angeles Times, which reported that he has owned a 1958 Chevrolet Corvette and a Cadillac CTS sedan. In comparison, the newspaper reported that President Obama is more of a Chrysler guy, having owned a Chrysler 300 before he turned it in for a more fuel-efficient Ford Escape Hybrid during the presidential race in 2008. Interestingly, McCain, too, is apparently a Ford owner, after tweeting in June that he had chosen a Ford Fusion Hybrid for his next car.

[rrocket]

They have a new company logo...so they will be fine!!!   

[Careener]

The future is still the RAM lineup..hopefully they can get a decent car lineup in shape instead of the facelifts they've promised.

[articsteve]

I have to agree with McCain.  It's really inconceivable that Chrysler will last till the end of 2010.

Nissan could use the Ram and VW the Caravan/Town and Country and I'd like to see Toyota to take Jeep.

[Sir Osis of Liver]

Could be, but he's also the guy who picked Palin as his running mate, so, you know....he's nuts.

[articsteve]

ya, what the North Vietnamese failed to do to McCain, Palin will.  The irony of it all.

16 Nov 2009 ... Sarah Palin said a run for the White House in 2012 is "not on my radar screen right now" as the Republican carefully did not close the door

[safristi]

the misogynst twins are at it again.........................RUN FER OFFICE fer facks sake..OR .................

[Mitlov]

Chrysler: McCain unlikely to survive 2010 either

DETROIT — In yet another blow to Arizona, Chrysler is predicting that Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) will not survive despite having been propped up by nearly $1 million in medical treatments which could have been directed toward sick kids, young parents, and others with far higher projected life spans.

McCain did not comment on Chrysler's prediction.

[Mitlov]

I have to agree with McCain.  It's really inconceivable that Chrysler will last till the end of 2010.

Nissan could use the Ram and VW the Caravan/Town and Country and I'd like to see Toyota to take Jeep.

I thought you said the key to success was a two-brand strategy (Toyota and Lexus) and not multiple overlapping brands?  There's a LOT of overlap between Jeep and Toyota SUVs.

[articsteve]

I have to agree with McCain.  It's really inconceivable that Chrysler will last till the end of 2010.

Nissan could use the Ram and VW the Caravan/Town and Country and I'd like to see Toyota to take Jeep.

I thought you said the key to success was a two-brand strategy (Toyota and Lexus) and not multiple overlapping brands?  There's a LOT of overlap between Jeep and Toyota SUVs.

I'm talking about getting rid of the sh*tty Chrylser mechanicals/electronics and sell the Jeep as a Toyota made in America.  Then they could retire the Japanese made 4 Runner and FJ, FJ being on the out anyways.

[Roddy]

The future is still the RAM lineup..hopefully they can get a decent car lineup in shape instead of the facelifts they've promised.

That would be a huge gamble. Fiat's best hope is to sell off Ram and scrap the rest of the company.

[PJungnitsch]

Chrysler: McCain unlikely to survive 2010 either

DETROIT — In yet another blow to Arizona, Chrysler is predicting that Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) will not survive despite having been propped up by nearly $1 million in medical treatments which could have been directed toward sick kids, young parents, and others with far higher projected life spans.

McCain did not comment on Chrysler's prediction.

 

[Sival]

This from the guy who said one year ago that "the fundamentals of [the American] economy are strong" (like Harper did, and Charest)... Somehow, I'm not trusting him much on business and economic issues, but that may just be me.

[Roddy]

This from the guy who said one year ago that "the fundamentals of [the American] economy are strong" (like Harper did, and Charest)... Somehow, I'm not trusting him much on business and economic issues, but that may just be me.

Mcain predicted the economic crash long before it happened. I think what he has to say is worth hearing. Also, he's exactly right, one would be hard pressed to find anyone who thinks that Chrysler will survive.

[Sival]

Do you have a source that McCain predicted the crash? I've searched and found nothing, but I have found statements as late as mid-september 2008 where he was still saying there was no problem, the economy was strong, la-di-da, etc...

As to Chrysler surviving, analysts are split in two, some say it's not salvageable, others say it's a turnaround in the making:
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/fiat-may-get-mileage-from-chrysler-after-all/article1373537/

As to the facts, Chrysler has been looted mercilessly by Daimler that decimated its engineering department and reduced investment that hurt the product pipeline, but it's not all dark. The World Engine plant is still top-of-the-line, the line of engine is apparently cheap to make and the World Engine itself is pretty competitive in terms of power-per-displacement. The Pentastar V6 is coming, and by all accounts it will be extremely competitive in the V6 area. The Hemi engines are still around and offer great power for decent fuel consumption. FIAT is bringing over small car platforms and gas engine technologies that will ameliorate Chrysler's engines even more. Unlike the time of Daimler, the European partner seems eager to share technology and platforms, whereas Daimler refused to let new Mercedes technology be used in Chrysler by fear of "diluting" Mercedes, instead they sent old platforms down Chrysler's way to amortize the development cost, so this time the synergy will be real.

Of course, there's always the chance that this fails, and it will take at least a couple of years for the partnership to be felt in the product line, but it's not impossible for it to work, not impossible at all.

[Mitlov]

I think Chrysler is going to survive.  Then again, it's easy to feel that way in an area where people love and buy plenty of the LX cars (Charger, 300, and Challenger), the Ram, the Grand Cherokee, and the Grand Caravan/Town & Country.  I'm sure if I lived in a place where subcompacts were the most popular genre instead of a rarity, I'm sure I'd feel differently.

So is the Canadian perspective or the Medford perspective more representative of Chrysler's chances overall?  I don't know.

[Roddy]

I think Chrysler is going to survive.  Then again, it's easy to feel that way in an area where people love and buy plenty of the LX cars (Charger, 300, and Challenger), the Ram, the Grand Cherokee, and the Grand Caravan/Town & Country.  I'm sure if I lived in a place where subcompacts were the most popular genre instead of a rarity, I'm sure I'd feel differently.

So is the Canadian perspective or the Medford perspective more representative of Chrysler's chances overall?  I don't know.

While the new 300 (and friends) hasn't been released yet, I can't comment on its quality too much except to say that it's going to have to be a massive jump from the last model to get anywhere near even the trailing members of the competition - something which is very unlikely considering they were designed in the Daimler/Cerebus era. I also have little faith in there being a good future for vehicles of this type.

The challenger was a flawed idea right from the inception. Like the 300 it's directed towards a dying market and it is arguably the worst of the three pony cars. The challengers sales have reflected by these points by setting new standards for dismal results.

The market for minivans is vanishing faster then the glaciers at the north pole, so I don't think the caravan is going to save Chrysler either.

The caliber and the sebring - which are in segments which likely are going to have a strong future, are such bad offerings that they can't be given away (something Chrysler tried in the sebring's case).

Lastly we come to the only two bright spots of Chryslers lineup which are of course jeep and Ram. Like many of Chrysler cars, however, these two divisions are competing in dying segments - save perhaps the HD rams. Even so, both of these divisions have a decent market share in their respective segments and can be made profitable - credit where credit is due. The question therefore, is: can these two divisions that will likely be facing continual shrinking market share carry the rest of the brand? I highly doubt it and Fiat's decision to spin off ram into its own division could suggest that they plan on selling it at some future date.