Chrysler unveiled the new 300 and 200 sedans and the Town and Country minivan, saying the top quality of these new cars shows the company is well and truly back.
In an emotional presentation, Olivier Francois, president and CEO of the Chrysler brand, now owned 20 per cent by Fiat of Italy, said the company had fought back from the brink.
“We had our backs against the ropes, but look at the new 300 and know we came out swinging,” said Francois.
Fiat could raise its 20 per cent stake in Chrysler to over 50 per cent this year, if the formerly bankrupt U.S. company is able to float its stock on markets in 2011. Fiat has already agreed to increase its stake in Chrysler to 35 per cent from 20 per cent by providing technology and meeting sales targets.
Francois, who is French, said Chrysler spent $1 billion redesigning the 300 from the ground up, and pointed to a 292 hp V6 version with an 8-speed gearbox, which could achieve 30 mpg. The 300 boasted a “uconnect” system with a touch screen which “is almost like having an (Apple) iPod in your car”. All-wheel drive was an option for customers, and the car had more safety features than any other domestically produced vehicle.
Francois also pointed out, as a new Town and Country was driven on to the stage, that Chrysler had invented the minivan. Francois said the new 200 was as an important vehicle for Chrysler in a top selling sector. The redesigned 200 has received much acclaim in the media for its improved quality, in contrast to the much-maligned Sebring which the 200 replaced.
Perhaps to remind the audience that an Italian company controlled Chrysler, the presentation started a fashionable 10 minutes late, but managed to claw back some time and only overran by five minutes.
Francois praised Detroit’s resilience during its recent economic difficulties, and hinted that Chrysler itself was now a world-class performer.
“You don’t have to cross an ocean for what Detroit can deliver on these shores,” Francois said.
Neil Winton – January 15, 2011
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