Chrysler Group Shakes Up Executive Ranks (Dodge to be split up)

online.wsj.com ^ | 10-05-2009 | JEFF BENNETT

[Red Badger]

DETROIT – In a stunning shake-up, Chrysler Group LLC appointed new chief executives for its Chrysler and Dodge brands as the heads of each line resigned.

Peter Fong, chief of the Chrysler brand, resigned for personal reasons and Michael Accavitti, head of the Dodge brand, left for personal reasons, the Auburn Hills, Mich., auto maker said Monday.

Mr. Fong will be succeeded by Fiat SpA veteran Olivier Francois.

The changes mean the introduction of another Fiat executive into the Chrysler ranks. Mr. Francois serves as head of the Lancia brand for Fiat Group Automobiles, a position he will retain. He also will be the lead executive for Chrysler's marketing organization, with responsibility to coordinate world-wide marketing.

The Dodge brand will be broken into two positions with Fred Diaz Jr. serving as CEO for Dodge RAM trucks and Ralph Gilles becoming CEO for Dodge cars. Michael Manley will continue as CEO of the Jeep brand.

The move was the first time Chrysler has created a position to oversee its pickup trucks, which have remained one of the cornerstones of the auto maker's product portfolio in the U.S.

Separating different areas within a brand follows the strategy Sergio Marchionne has implemented as CEO of Fiat, Chrysler spokesman Gualberto Ranieri said in an interview Monday. Mr. Marchionne took over as Chrysler Group's chief when the Italian auto maker received most of Chrysler's assets through its reorganization in U.S. bankruptcy court.

Chrysler needs to quickly fix its U.S. operations and product portfolio. The auto maker's September U.S. sales dropped 42% compared with a year earlier. .

[Red Badger]

Rest In Peace, old friend, your work is finished.....

If you want ON or OFF the DIESEL ”KnOcK” LIST just FReepmail me.....

This is a fairly HIGH VOLUME ping list on some days.....

[DonaldC]

I think it is over for all the US automakers but Ford. Clearly Chrysler will be the first to die.

[Vigilanteman]

What are the odds that two top auto execs would simultaneously resign "for personal reaasons"?

Unless the reasons were something like "If you don't resign, the undertaker is going to visit your house"?

Something doesn't pass the smell test here.

[Springman]

Left for personal reasons, yeah right.

[avacado]

Please sell the Jeep division to an honest company.

[mort56]

Changing hood ornaments on the Titanic

[grellis]

If you would like to be added or dropped from the Michigan ping list, please freepmail me.

[Charles Martel]

In related news, this month's issue of Car and Driver magazine contains a feature on Rambler/AMC vehicles in the "collector" market.

The fact that the new Chryler CEO will retain his position as head of Lancia suggests that this arrangement is simply Fiat's "foot in the door". There will be no interest in preserving Chrysler, just in promoting the products already made by Fiat, echoing Renault's relationship with AMC in its waning days.

[Cletus.D.Yokel]

If the POTUS wanted me fired, I’d take it personally, too.

[staytrue]

Dodge cars need to go extinct.

Fiat will substitute theirs.

Dodge will be a truck only brand. Chrysler will be the car only brand.

[Springman]

Not POTUS, TOTUS, don’t think Barry can’t say a thought he had, unless in is on TOTUS.

[equalitybeforethelaw]

I liked my Dodge Ram, as well as my F150, but I gotta say, that today both are overpriced for what they are. Maybe I am cruel, but I don’t see why I need to pay $2,000 per American vehicle to insure a UAW mandated retirement plan. Seeing as how the UAW owns 60% of GM, wouldn’t it make more sense for them to sell out and retire than slog on trying to be competitive? I am sure there are buyers for Cadillac and Corvette and the truck lines. The rest will need to die.

[EyeGuy]

“.... oversee its pickup trucks, which have remained one of the cornerstones of the auto maker’s product portfolio in the U.S.”

####

I wonder why its OK to manufacture pickup trucks but SUVs remain the bane of civilization.

[RoadTest]

Ford is supported by the Council On Foreign Relations and their accomplices.

[RoadTest]

“Something doesn’t pass the smell test here.”

Or the numbers-adding-up test; we’re told that the UAW was given 56% of Chrysler (’s stock?) and we’re then told that Fiat “received most of Chrysler’s assets”.

Doesn’t compute.

[GreenHornet]

I would have put Al Bundy in charge of Dodge.

[tubebender]

Fiat Ram Trucks coming to a Dodge dealer near you?

[Happyinmygarden]

“Something doesn’t pass the smell test here.”

I’m just shocked that some relative of Rahm isn’t being put in charge. Frankly, tapping some marginally qualified minority to head up Obambi Motor Company would have surprised me less.

(I’d love to be a fly on the wall when the Italians and the Unions lock horns)

[dools007]

Ping. Despite two taxpayer bailouts Chrysler can’t get it right. IMHO their labor rate and benefits were never really fixed when Bwany Fwank appointed himself CEO of Chrysler. Ditto for GM.

[Vigilanteman]

There is only one way it would compute: the UAW gave up assets to Fiat in return for job guarantees. Believe it or not, the UAW entitlement mentality may actually be more tolerable for Fiat than the entitlement mentality of some European Unions.

At this moment in time . . .

[SMM48]

If I recall, when Fiats were previously sold in the USA, they were CRAP!

Likewise when AMC sold Renault designed cars back in the days. Absolute CRAP!

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Hope the Italians have better luck than the Germans...

[TChris]

This is only rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

The gaping hole in the ship is the UAW.

[RoadTest]

“Obama: Fake black man. Fake Messiah. Fake American. How many fakes can you fit in one Zer0?”

- - - and everything he touches turns to garbage.

[Red Badger]

Because the Sierra Club says so......................

[Red Badger]

Penske...................

[Red Badger]

Look for the Charger, Challenger, and 300 to go quietly into that good night...................

[avacado]

Are they looking to buy Jeep?

[Red Badger]

GM and Chrysler are both “fiats” now..........

[Red Badger]

Well, Penske just told the GM government goons to shove it on Saturn...........

[NonValueAdded]

management by fiat

[Red Badger]

With fiat money...........

[avacado]

I hope they buy Jeep. Can’t stand the thought of Chrysler anymore.

[Red Badger]

As far as I know, Jeep is not for sale..............yet.............

[TexasNative2000]

“Bottom-line Bob” Nardelli strikes again....

[Dewey Revoltnow]

Please sell the Jeep division to an honest company.

Exactly.

[Rebelbase]

I drove a Dodge 3500 flat bed this weekend hauling stuff and liked it very much.

[SouthTexas]

I’ll stick to my F-150. ;)

[tubebender]

You're not much encouragement for my wife as she breathlessly awaits the first Buick LaCrosse to arrive at the struggling dealer up here...

[taildragger]

On another post, Supply Chain Mgt issues, close Toledo Jeep Plant. I wonder if these are related.

I have predicting for a long time and one of my auto gnomes, that is is nothing but an epic fail waiting to happen.

Man, at some point America will wake up and realize that they are keeping GM and Chrysler alive and floating the whole State of MI via balancing the State Budget with "Porkulus" Money.

And they will be pissed....

[SouthTexas]

Buy her a pick-up, a real one and she will be happy.

[RckyRaCoCo]

Fiat...."I'm going to make them an offer they can't refuse".

Chrysler is turning into a spaghetti western...

"Don't die blondie...don't die until later..."

[bonehead4freedom]

The plan is to kill off the truck & jeep vehicles and move to enviromentlal friendly vehicles weenie mobiles even though doing so will kill any chance at making money.It's not about government owned companies making money but forcing Americans out of those big cars they shouldn't have because they have too many luxuries compared to the rest of the world.It's time to redistribute wealth to other countries and end the era of American prosperity!That is 0's goal and true economic program.

[dusttoyou]

Post a phot of your tinfoil hat.

[happydogx2]

Took my MIL in for eye surgery at 0630 last week. She settled on the seats of my F-150 Lariat and said “ooooo, heated seats”. The ride, comfort and quality of the ‘150 is amazing.

Ford had another better idea in not excepting a bail-out.

We’ve even changed our rental reservations to companies w/ Ford products. I will not drive nor support Government Motors vehicles in any way.

[ClayinVA]

Plus Chrysler is trying to put out a new engine in production the 1st of the year. After this summer’s shutdown fiasco, no supplier wants to take chances.

[tubebender]

She has a choice of three pickups now. My 99 Silverado or my 90 SS454 Chevy or my vintage 68 Chevy Step Side plus she is quite happy driving her SuperCharged 95 Buick Riviera...

[SouthTexas]

“ooooo, heated seats”

Never understood heated seats, the rest I will agree with. ;)

[tubebender]

Heated seats = the wuss factor...