The Firings will continue untill the moral improves..

[Dan Vargus]

The Firings will continue until the moral improves…
The future of the Viper and for that matter Chrysler/Daimler (names reversed due to automotive production) was never so uncertain as it is at this time. Why? It has become a clash of titans, cultures, and perks.

Daimler is trying to steer a hurricane called Chrysler. Chrysler is trying to continue production and design at break neck speed. Chrysler has always moved faster and built more automobiles then their counter part Daimler. Daimler’s style is a slow well thought out decision process.

When two big boys meet on the street inevitably someone gets in the first punch. He usually is the more aggressive one or just plain sneaky; in this case it was Daimler. This marriage began on bad faith similar to a marriage that has experienced the infidelity of one of the partners. Daimler has now admitted that they never had intended to be a peer with Chrysler. Which means they were not dealing in good faith at the time of handshakes and smiles. Perhaps they had they’re fingers crossed behind they’re backs. Daimler made it a point to cut the heads off of the Chrysler giant early by removing the decision-makers. They didn’t accomplish this through firings or with threats, they did it with golden parachutes. A large number of Chrysler’s top execs left with pockets full of money. No one can blame the top execs for making exiting decisions that were so heavily weighted down with exiting gold, after all anyone probably would have done the same.

The problem now is along with them went a fair amount of Chrysler’s talent and leadership. Perhaps Daimler underestimated the impact these top people had on the success of Chrysler. Today Chrysler still possess tremendous talent but will it dare show it self amidst the fury of a reorganization strategy that so far has amounted only to firings.

So far this test tube baby isn’t doing well. Maybe the problem is in the genes. Rarely can cultures that are so different ever find a middle ground. We know now who threw the first punch let’s wait and see who will be the first to deal in good faith.
We can only hope that the profits that have been relocated will be reinvested for the benefit of both companies. Or neither company may survive the cynicism of the future investors and customers.

Let us also hope that the dominant egos that have been unleashed are not the last monuments standing after the dust clears...

Still Hopeful,
Dan Vargus


<FONT COLOR="#ff0000" SIZE="1" FACE="Verdana, Arial">This message has been edited by Dan Vargus/PartsRack on November 24, 2000 at 21:32</font>

 

[VardaMan]

Track the latest stories on www.detroitnews.com Thier cover page story yesterday talked of 24 new German managers being
brought in to cut costs. Viper & Prowler may be history soon!

 

[ruckdr]

Dan,
Sounds like doom and gloom to me, but then it might be for Chrysler. Who ever said that a German Co. could manage large American Corporation in a country/economy like the US.
Dan, I met you with my son-in-law Walter, who is from Germany, in Puyallup last summer. You should here some of the stories he tells about the German Socialistic country/economy. Maybe it's time for another Lee Iacocca (sp?) and the "K" car, (heaven forbid).
Later,

 

[Roland L-Ocala FL]

Although this would certainly make my '94 worth a whole lot more than it is worth today, I do not want it to go this way. Chrysler is in deep dodo if this keeps going the way it is right now. I hope they (Daimler) do sell off Chrysler, and that enough good old American businessmen that know cars manage to get their hands on Chrysler. Otherwise, we may yet come to see the demise of a great car company, one that has come out with some fantastic cars, and was well on its way to becoming the premier automobile development company in the US. Everybody was always waiting to see what Chrysler would come up with next at the Detroit Auto Show. I want to see that continue, and hope it does, one way or the other.

 

[ViperLSS]

Hello Viper World,
I have a little more at steak in the success of Chrysler than most of you. You see it's my job to build your wonderful cars, the Vipers. We (UAW workes at CAAP) said from day one that this was a take over and not a merger. I wish we had been wrong. In 1998 Chrysler made twice as much in profits as Diamler useing only 1/3 the number of employees. No news at to what is going to happen to the Viper and Prowler programs. There are a lot of talented people at CAAP. I'm sure most of us will find employment elsewhere if things go bad.


Thomas

 

[Steve-Indy]

Appreciate your viewpoint, Thomas. Hope to see things work out positively(regardless of who ends up owning Chrysler) for YOU, and all the rest of us. With 5 Chrysler products in the garage, we also feel a long term vested interest(especially with wife chewing on me to add a 2001 Viper!!). Keep up your fine work and Happy Holidays!!

Steve

 

[Jay Herbert]

I was at the Viper facility at the time of the '90 Indy Pace Car Vipers return. I saw what Viper did for Chrysler then.....

I have been at the Petit Lemans, and have seen what the Viper is doing for Daimler Chrysler now..... Remember, the Viper WON its class at LeMans

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Daimler may have bit off a lot more than it could chew when it tryed to swallow Chrysler, but one thing for sure, is they have seen Fords success with Jag, have to be worried about what Rover could do to Jeep.... One thing about Daimler management, they like to WIN, and dumping Chrysler like BMW dumped Rover would be admitting defeat... I don't think so.

My vote is the Viper is going ot be around for a while, it saved the Company once, why not again (what a great story!). Also, Viper/Prowler is one area where NOBODY IS LEAVING.

 

[Jay Herbert]

I stand humbly corrected

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I am sitting here staring at the race ticket stub.... and should have known better.... It was great being at Indy in 1991

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as part of "50 future Viper owners" that signed up for the special weekend. We met Carroll Shelby, Roy Sjoberg, Tom Gail and more, had a pool side cocktail party will nearly the entire (small) Viper project team, and had FANTASTIC seats at the end of the front straight..... We could see most of the track. It was the best Indy I ever attended. My Father attended the Viper Seminar with me (of which I have a copy of the Overheads) and my Brother came to the race.

Somewhere in a closet I have a bunch of the Viper brochures that were at the Viper Display before the race...... unfortunately the Viper WAS NOT IN THE DISPLAY raceday as they were afraid they may need it as a backup for the Official Viper Pace Car. This was one of the few Indy races the the Winner did not get a copy of the Pace Car... If I had won, I would have said, "I'll wait for the '92 Viper, thank you very much."

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Funny how I don't remember any Stealths around, must have had "Viper Tunnel Vision" I took many pics of the Viper though..... tee - hee

 

[MiamiJeff]

Here's a link to CNNfn's story about Kirk Kerkorian suing Daimler for fraud. It is very interesting and on point with our recent discussions here: http://cnnfn.cnn.com/2000/11/27/news/chrysler/