I’ve been a Chrysler Corporation stockholder for decades in one form or another and REJECT, based on internal stockholder documentation and stockholder meeting feedback, that Daimler killed Chrysler. Far from that, as evidence to that rejection is in my garage, a Chrysler Crossfire authorized, designed and very carefully built to high standards during this era and my Dodge Challenger, still using some Mercedes designed elements from that era. To give clarity from my privileged stockholder vantage of this timeframe, it was the European stockholders that initially weakened and eventually killed this merger. If anything truly negative can be claimed, Daimler did draine the cash reserves of Chrysler during a downturn in Mercedes business, but at the outset Daimler was sharing engineering even manufacturing resources with Chrysler to vastly improve their partners product. It was elites in Europe who were appalled, furious really, that their precious and fabled German engineering was being directly infused into, what they considered, inferior American brands,
The Crossfire, and I have owned two since 2004, is totally a Mercedes Benz, built on the same assembly line, and truly an outstanding product. My roadster drop top, after 18 years is rattle and squeak free, handles and performs to European sports car standards and expectations, call it Mercedes standards. Paint, fit and finish, interior materials and comfort quality, even its top shelf radio performance is luxury through and through. That vehicle was NOT a poison pill to corrupt the Chrysler brand, it was a corporate decision to elevate the brand to the highest levels of European luxury. Looking for an affordable used Mercedes sports car, buy a Crossfire !
Blame for the failed Daimler-Chrysler marriage rests with stockholders, envious of American talent and arrogant of their German image forced this split. The stockholder meetings were insulting of America, contentious, angry, boarderline violent, leadership was outspokenly threatened with physical harm, please take my word as an American with documentation of these proceedings.
I do agree with you, Dodge is eminently capable of prospering with new product, priced appropriately and Chrysler, capturing its sacred ethos must create an identity based on affordable luxury that builds around a distinctive design signature and, I propose, a sedan, a coupe, an SUV and yes, a Crossfire reincarnation sports car that confidently touts luxury with affordability and the still present Chrysler legacy . Look at Genesis for proof of achievability that an upstart can define itself in the luxury segment and Chrysler, if any brand can, has the history to do it. Lastly, I doubt Stellantis, even with its issues, would be stupid enough to follow Daimler down that road of European hubris by squandering a brand with such potential and history. Stay the course Triple. We have no alternative.
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