Don’t forget DeSoto. There’s a lot of pent-up demand for DeSoto. And they wouldn’t need to make new commercials; they could just run old clips of Groucho Marx singing “It’s de-lovely….”

Damned if I can see why GM would want to acquire Chrysler. They don’t need the production capacity or the brands or the dealer network. And if GM outlasts Chrysler, it can buy the dies and tools for T&Cs and Caravans at a bankruptcy auction.

That and the Glass House Gang is doing a little celebration dance as we speak that this is happening.

“BTW, what does the picture of the Nissan Murano have to do with this?”

(Heh heh.)

Chrysler would likely be merged in a transaction where GM would not come out of pocket with any cash. Cerberus would likely get a stake in the combined company.

GM would gain net cash via the cash that is allegedly in Chrysler.

Involving GMAC is another option. Especially as it seems likely that the government will become involved via the TARP facility.

Thus GM becomes a 14 brand auto maker. This means there would be no gaps in a GM lineup for any customer, and the 10+ rebadges of the Volt and Cruze save the company. Also, GM could boast they have 50 cars that get 30+mpg hwy.

Nobody in Washington wants to see thousands of people added to unemployment rolls in an uncontrolled fashion or have an entire heavy industry mired in bankruptcy.

Sorry, but that will happen anyway, merger or no. If we look at a moron merger, what will happen to Dodge?

Ram – dead. Durango – dead. Dakota – dead (isn’t it anyway?). Bye-bye assembly line workers.
Dodge/Cry-slur shared platforms – well, likely one will die. More workers bid adieu.

Jeep – okay, probably stays. Course, the braniacs might roll it into Hummer!
Cry-slur mini-van – stays, given that GM could never build one that sold well.

Chal-ger? Who knows. How many additional Chal-gers will be sold with a GM badge on them? Probably not many, assuming GM keeps a Camaro competitor around.

Sebring/Avenger/etc? Dead.

And, how much would it cost GM to move the various Dodge racing teams (back) into Chebby racing teams? I dunno. Probably more than they could afford. Which isn’t saying much.

So, from my point of view, a merger means many lost jobs. Just look at the numbers being kicked around with the HP-EDS merger regarding the number of “redundant positions that will be eliminated”.

Bruce

“If there is any credibility to this looniness I want to propose a possible reason.

“The Artist Formerly…etc.” could once again claim to be the biggest for an hour or two.

Ego has cause crazier disasters, WWII comes to mind.

Bunter”

Lenin is thought to have said that Capitalism and Capitalists will be buried by their own greed; he never figured it’ll be their stupidity which will be even greater.

BTW, what does the picture of the Nissan Murano have to do with this?

If GM wants to eliminate competition, they should start with the UAW.

Chrysler makes interesting vehicles; please don’t bore us by GM-izing them.

Buying Chrysler does nothing for GM long-term. When you’re no longer the big guy, you’re at the mercy of those who are.

The thing is though, the bigger the company and the more workers depend on it, the harder it is for the government to just let it die…maybe that’s the idea…not only fail, but fail spectacularly, so much so, that the government will have to come to the rescue, take over “General Mopar” and give the execs the compensation they think they deserve.