Say It Ain't So: Cerberus And Opel? Pimped By Berger?
You thought you’ve heard it all? Now hear this: “The private equity firm Cerberus plans an engagement in a possible new European Opel concern,” the Düsseldorf, Germany, newspaper Rheinische Post writes, citing unnamed German government sources. If true, doesn’t Cerberus know how to say “uncle?” If not true, isn’t crack illegal, even in laissez-smoke Germany? According to the newspaper’s deep throats, the hellhound is interested in a chow-down of 25 percent of an independent Opel. Fiat would be part of the party, last week’s denials notwithstanding. According to the Rheinische Post, the prospective gang bang has been organized by Roland Berger. Roland Berger, the German consulting company, is in the employ of GM Europe. Roland Berger, the owner, has been hired by the German government to advise them in sticky Opel matters. He’s also on the Board of Directors of Fiat, says Der Spiegel. Conflict of interest? Never heard of it.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
More by Bertel Schmitt
Comments
Join the conversation
Geotpf Did you read my post? "Competitive" was important there. Chrysler does probably have the worst mid sizish sedan on the market right now with the Sebring (maybe the Gallant is worse) but the LX platform cars are simply not crap. I have my problems with them, but for the money no one else is doing what that line of cars does (unless you really want to talk about the panther platforms, and they suck by comparison). And lets not even get into the fleet sales that they are rightly begining to win. If you would really rather be driving a Camry or Malibu I just don't know what to say...nevermind, I'd say, "ouch...too bad you didn't try an LX first, sucks for you." Even the Genesis isn't really doing it, once you check the price. So their large sedan competes with the Panther platform (and wins not trying) while providing a RWD alternative to the crap family sedans w/out sacrificing all milage and price considerations. I personally wouldn't have one, but I couldn't say it's not competitive. I really don't know what to say about the assertion that Rams and Jeeps aren't competitive. I really don't. The Jeep Wrangler competes with the Xterra and a few other "hard" SUV's...and only one of them is an icon (hint...its not a Nisaan, even if I like it). The Ram is certainly competitive with its peers, and as I never claimed it was the best I don't really need to say more on that. I absolutely prefer the new Ram to the Tundra (if not the old one). Nisaan has historically offered the worst large truck btw. Toyota was right with them on the bottom until they released the Tundra towards the end of a domestic pick-up product cycle. I will admit to despising Chrysler in general on occasion (and certainly the Jeep CUV's), but that's really just b/c I think they should be competitive in every segment, not just 2 or 3.
@Geotpf, Saying the Ram is an "OK" pickup is like saying the Porsche Panamera is an "OK" sedan. It's definately better than the Tundra and the GM's and almost as good as the Ford (for work) and better than it (for recreation pleasure). And the heavy duities with the Cummins diesel are in a class by themselves.
Mr. Sparky, my hat's off to you. They say all humor contains an element of truth. In your case, it's ALL true! Or as the Coasters put it, "I got so bugged I turned it off and turned on another show But there was the same old shoot-'em-up and the same old rodeo Salty Sam was tryin' to stuff Sweet Sue in a burlap sack He said, "If you don't give me the deed to your ranch I'm gonna throw you on the railroad tracks!" And then he grabbed her (and then) He tied her up (and then) He threw her on the railroad tracks (and then) A train started comin' (and then, and then...!)" And then along came PTFOA.
What Fiat needs is Chrysler 300- sized platform for an entry level sedan. But Chrysler doesn`t have their own platforms. They just simply haven`t been able to design a competetive platform at all. The 300 uses old beefed up previous gen merc platform, which merc considered a junk, and worth giving to Chrysler. The rest of the crop are simply mitsu based. So what on earth would Fiat get from Chrysler? Zilch. So instead, Fiat should call mercedes and beg for the junk platforms or call Mitsubishi without engaging to a mediator parasite like Chrysler which is agonizing to get a real tangible hardware engineered by anyone except themselves. And german government should be wise enough to buy out at least 51 % stake in Opel not allowing a vapourware company like cerberus to shred it in pieces. Actually guys, frankly speaking I don`t see a difference between Chrysler, GM, Timex, Polaroid,Apple,Audiovox, you name it. Most of American companies show the same pattern . A starvation of domestic engineering which leads to depletion of expertize and later to rebadges and offshoring facilities.