Tom Gale joins Bernhard at Cerberus to work with Chrysler

Stole this link off Allpar.com.

Forbes artical (http://www.autoobserver.com/2007/06/fortune_magazin.html)

Former Chrysler Design Chief Tom Gale, reportedly has signed on as one of the many expert advisors by Cerberus Capital Management that is buying Chrysler, according to a profile on Cerberus in the June 18 issue of Fortune magazine.

Adding Gale to the growing roster of automotive experts suggests Cerberus is serious about turning Chrysler around and gets what needs to be done: get Chrysler's styling mojo back!

Probably not a bad move.

What designs were Gale's? Viper? Cab-forward sedans?

He ran the shop from the end of the K-car era until the late '90s... Viper, the '90s Rams and Dakotas, the classic Grand Cherokees, the cloud cars, the cab-forward LHs, Neon, etc. A lot of those vehicles look dated now but they were pretty stunning in their time -- much more attractive than the ugly-dog stuff Chrysler is pushing these days.

I said Wolfgang was on at Chrysler at the beginning and a high level GM exec told me no he's not.

Looks like Wolfgang is on board. I was the first to point out that he had a 2 year non compete clause..........well guess what. I also pointed out how they could get past it with a "advisory" roll.

Wolfgang will silently run the company right now through LaSorda and in 2009 he will take over full time duty with his own team.

So you think they are just hiring people now, according to Bernhard, and that entire group will take over in '09?

I think Lasorda has some time to prove himself. I don't think his eventual removal is a done deal yet. But certainly Bernhard is ready and waiting if Lasorda can't get it done.

sweet.. at least Mopar is not going down without a fight. Hope they come back and buy MB. would be rightfull justice if you ask me. after the pilfering they did to Chrysler.

Hmmm.... like Gale and Bernhard, Lutz is a Chrysler alumni. His contract expires in 2009 too, I think. :think:

At any rate, I'm turning bullish on Chrysler's future again.


One side note: Did anyone notice that from both sales and earnings, Chrysler currently isn't doing bad at all, and next to Ford, Chrysler is doing extremely well?

Funny time to want to sell a company. :think:

I'll give Cerberus 7 years before they sell the whole or major parts of Chrysler like Jeep. As you have seen Chrysler isn't as bad as Ford and they will do what it takes to make a profit so as to get the ROI.

Hmmm.... like Gale and Bernhard, Lutz is a Chrysler alumni. His contract expires in 2009 too, I think. :think:

At any rate, I'm turning bullish on Chrysler's future again.


One side note: Did anyone notice that from both sales and earnings, Chrysler currently isn't doing bad at all, and next to Ford, Chrysler is doing extremely well?

Funny time to want to sell a company. :think:

Well Fords selling a company thats doing good right?? Whats the dif with MB selling them? lol ;)

I said Wolfgang was on at Chrysler at the beginning and a high level GM exec told me no he's not.

Looks like Wolfgang is on board. I was the first to point out that he had a 2 year non compete clause..........well guess what. I also pointed out how they could get past it with a "advisory" roll.

Wolfgang will silently run the company right now through LaSorda and in 2009 he will take over full time duty with his own team.

Also, there have been some that have suggested that Bernhard will take over product development and LaSorda will take care of the manufacturing part, with LaSorda being the CEO. Kind of like the Wagner/Lutz duo.

I would be surprised if Lutz left GM. I think he once said he would only think about, in his words, retiring once GM's turnaround was complete and things were going in the right direction.

I hear Gale has already asked for changes/opined on several upcoming models, including the next-gen Viper (design altered) and the Imperial (killed, at least in the form it was shown in last year).

There are lots of interesting rumors bubbling out of Chrysler all of a sudden. People inside the company are getting excited, which is a great sign.

I said Wolfgang was on at Chrysler at the beginning and a high level GM exec told me no he's not.

Looks like Wolfgang is on board. I was the first to point out that he had a 2 year non compete clause..........well guess what. I also pointed out how they could get past it with a "advisory" roll.

Josh I didn't think you would be the kind of guy to toot his own horn. I guess that was the old Josh.

I hear Gale has already asked for changes/opined on several upcoming models, including the next-gen Viper (design altered) and the Imperial (killed, at least in the form it was shown in last year).

Thats some quick work and I'm glad the Imperial design was killed. It was lacking any serious imagination when it came to design.

Looks like Wolfgang is on board. I was the first to point out that he had a 2 year non compete clause..........well guess what. I also pointed out how they could get past it with a "advisory" roll.

You were the "first"? You and thirty guys on Allpar, maybe, not to mention several dozen bloggers and half the auto analysts on Wall Street. WB's noncompete and the ways in which he might get involved with Chrysler without violating the letter of his contract were lively subjects of discussion on the Mopar boards from the moment he left VW -- well before DCX put CG in play.

I don't think Lasorda's demise is a done deal quite yet. He is a little out of his element as a CEO, but he's an acknowledged manufacturing whiz. Don't be surprised if they find a face-saving way to keep him around long-term.

Hmmm.... like Gale and Bernhard, Lutz is a Chrysler alumni. His contract expires in 2009 too, I think. :think:

At any rate, I'm turning bullish on Chrysler's future again.


One side note: Did anyone notice that from both sales and earnings, Chrysler currently isn't doing bad at all, and next to Ford, Chrysler is doing extremely well?

Funny time to want to sell a company. :think:

Lutz is not going anywhere until he reaches retirement with General Motors. He is on board with the company and, as I said up to I will reiterate....he's not going ANYWHERE.

Also, there have been some that have suggested that Bernhard will take over product development and LaSorda will take care of the manufacturing part, with LaSorda being the CEO. Kind of like the Wagner/Lutz duo.

I would be surprised if Lutz left GM. I think he once said he would only think about, in his words, retiring once GM's turnaround was complete and things were going in the right direction.

Again...Lutz is not going anywhere. He's safe and sound at GM.

Josh I didn't think you would be the kind of guy to toot his own horn. I guess that was the old Josh.

To toot Wolfgangs? I've been a HUGE fan of him and it's no secret (at least to me) that GM may have been interested in him.

I'm also curious what you mean by the "old josh."

Wolfgang is high on my list of a successor for Lutz. If not Wolfgang then I have two others. Brian Nesbitt and Denny Mooney.

Since Wolfgang is going to lead Chrysler in 2009 then I'd love to see Nesbitt take over the day to day duties that Lutz does. He knows Lutz' ways inside and out from Chrysler and GM and he also knows European design from Opel.

Thats some quick work and I'm glad the Imperial design was killed. It was lacking any serious imagination when it came to design.

I agree, more of Chrysler's "take it and run" mentality.

Let's take the already ugly Durango and make the Aspen ten seconds before the SUV bubble burst. Let's take the questionable face of the Charger which miracoulously became popular and slap it on the whole line.

:confused:

Let's take the questionable face of the Charger which miracoulously became popular and slap it on the whole line.

:confused:

Wait'll you see the next-gen Ram...

I'm also curious what you mean by the "old josh."

Pre-Outlook fiasco, which if you recall I supported you in.

Wait'll you see the next-gen Ram...

I know. :no:

Great quote from Tom in the new MT

"When you get the opportunity to be head of design, you should always try to get your company to the point where you're being proactive and the others have to react to what you're doing. That gets you design leadership. It's not something you can just proclaim; it's something you have to earn."

One side note: Did anyone notice that from both sales and earnings, Chrysler currently isn't doing bad at all, and next to Ford, Chrysler is doing extremely well?

FWIW, the Dodge/Chrysler dealership in my town just closed its doors without warning a few weeks ago. They had been a community staple going back almost 50 years.
:(

Its an exciting, but cautious time right now for Chrysler dealers. We had so much product we didn't want last spring, all of our floorplans skyrocketed...then last summer's EP pricing faltered, and we all had way too many cars. So a lot of us swung the other way and didn't have enough product on hand because we were scared of slow turn and the buyout...

Now? While our cars are somewhat lackluster at this point, the Jeep line remains strong and will get stronger with the new Liberty this fall, the new minivans will be winners for us (say what you will about the decline of the minivan market, but Chrysler still sells a bunch and dealers depend on them), and all of us look forward to a revised Dakota and all-new Ram. The Chrysler line still hurts, with 300 sales tapering off (especially in the Northeast, as I predicted long ago!!), the Sebring snoozing and the PT almost non-existant at this point...but who knows...maybe Cerberus can save us.

I know one thing...dealers all seem to love the move. And BTW, while I don't have exact details yet, apparently we are going to be adding more warranty starting in July ;)