Comments on: Chrysler chimes in on Press’ comments about Prius development

By: johnnycanuck

johnnycanuck — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:54:54 +0000

Once again, for those of you who missed it the first go around: if there really was a backroom deal between Toyota and the Japanese government then the likes of Honda and Nissan are the ones who need to speak up. Unless, of course, they’ve been privy to a little backdoor handshake of their own.

By: autonut

autonut — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 02:00:16 +0000

What happened to common decency? Jim Press worked for Toyota for over 20 years, broke bread with them, did a lot of good things for Toyota and Toyota paid him well and maintained his standard of living fairly high (not as high as US execs, nobody does that). Why badmouth your former employee? He can’t possibly benefit from it. Is he already insecure with Cerberus and this is shot across the bow – don’t fuck with me?

By: dmbpearl

dmbpearl — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:24:52 +0000

Trust me, if there’s one thing Chrysler knows, that’s what a government bailout looks like… ask Lee Iacocca.

By: nerfer

nerfer — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 21:03:59 +0000

More on PNGV – wikipedia has good information, so does this site: http://www.technology.gov/Testimony/p_CCG-011206_CAFE.htm
By 2001 the U.S. government was feeding over $200 million into the program, so that the Big-3 could produce their own cost-effective hybrids. However, the program was dropped at the request of the car manufacturers (they had to contribute to it as well). Each manufacturer had already created cars that roughly matched the system objectives at over 70 mpg and had Cds < 0.2, but mostly diesel hybrids so they likely would be expensive. Still, they had all the basics there if they had actually wanted to build a Prius competitor.

By: A4

A4 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:59:07 +0000

cause toyota probably gave them a bunch of free cars, shaver.

By: nerfer

nerfer — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 18:32:54 +0000

Guys (particularly jumpoffit, Need4SSpeed), have you forgotten about PNGV? The U.S. paid for this R&D first, for our domestic Big-3. In the 90′s, they had the PNGV – partnership for next generation vehicle – whose stated goal was to make a production-ready family car that could get 80 mpg. Toyota asked to join this, they were told, sorry, U.S. companies only. So Toyota went off and developed their own technology (with or without the Japanese gov’t help) and came up with the Prius.
We’re the ones that should be upset – we spent millions of dollars on the Big-3 so they could build the Prius first, but they didn’t want to lose focus on their precious SUVs, so we have virtually nothing to show for all that money that American tax payers gave to GM, Ford, and Chrysler. Then Bush came into office, axed that program and instead started the FreedomCar program for hydrogen fuel cells – what an expensive boondoggle!

By: jackjimturkey

jackjimturkey — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:58:30 +0000

jumpoffit: yes, because that’s what americans do. Complain.
5451: you’re right about Nardelli. Idiot.

By: Need4SSpeed

Need4SSpeed — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:28:21 +0000

I’d believe Jim Press before I’d believe Toyota, IF it’s true, I’m sure Toyota isn’t happy that Mr. Press let that little detail out of the closet. But it is quite a big deal. Especially if Toyota’s R&D was 100% backed by the Japanese government, Toyota is rich enough and that’s how many hundreds of millions that Toyota probably didn’t pay? Sure would be nice if the U.S government could help out the Big Three who are the ones struggling, instead of mandating stricter emissions standards that are in the short run hinder the efforts of the big three. I’m not just sitting here making excuses for the big three because most of it is in their hands, but a little aide would help.

By: Ray Sinclair

Ray Sinclair — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 17:12:21 +0000

F451…I think you’re wrong. It looks like Chrysler is being trimmed down-and I agree with it. Press is putting out his feelers to see if he could get some aid in development costs…I don’t see the harm in trying to get some help, do you? Surely, it doesn’t hurt Chrysler to get money from an outside source, does it? Say what you want about Nardelli-he grew Home Depot when he was given the job to grow Home Depot. Growing Pains happen with that rapid growth. I think he’s one hell of an executive.

By: F451

F451 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:46:10 +0000

Ray Sinclair, Nardelli was a wrong choice from the beginning, and if his MO holds true (as taught to him by GE) then he’s even worse than people portrait him. Press has lost face, in so many ways, and seems to be angling for some sort of bailout; make no mistake Cyberus is notorious for accomplishing what they have in the past at the expense of others. Chrysler would have been better laying dormant until someone came along who really had Chrysler’s best interest at heart.

By: shaver

shaver — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:21:58 +0000

Nissan is the one who should be pissed they are paying Toyota for licensing on Hybrid tech they help fund through their tax dollars.

By: Ray Sinclair

Ray Sinclair — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:18:52 +0000

F451-are you kidding me? These guys were just brought in and are just beginning to make decisions for the group. Turnarounds take time. I happen to like what I hear from them, too. Cutting down on the products, especially ones that overlap each other for a particular market, dumping programs that take up valuable resources (Viper, etc.), and cutting back on production…to me these guys are up against the wall and are doing what they feel they need to to keep Chrysler going. There may be some time in the future where these guys should be let go, but not right now.

By: shaver

shaver — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:14:11 +0000

Why only Toyota? Why didn’t they help Nissan, Subaru and Honda?

By: F451

F451 — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 16:07:13 +0000

Chrysler needs a severe and swift change of high-level execs. Press, and Nardelli, among others need to be let go.

By: jumpoffit

jumpoffit — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:57:31 +0000

if the U.S. did this first- would anyone really complain?

By: tripleonefive

tripleonefive — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:56:43 +0000

The big three are and always will be behind especially with Hybrid technology

By: 400horseSS

400horseSS — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:56:03 +0000

W.C.—-Who cares about the Japanese gov giving a damn about their cash cow and supporting a home based buisiness, be like america and outsource everything.

By: corvette

corvette — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:55:50 +0000

great, like Chrysler really needs Japanese spy’s going through their shit.