Chrysler Crossfire mit M 112 E 32 in Serienproduktion

Detroit, 03. Jan - Die US-Tochtergesellschaft des Autobauers DaimlerChrysler<DCXGn.DE> will am Donnerstag auf der Autoshow in Los Angeles erstmals den Sportwagen "Chrysler Crossfire" präsentieren, der zu 39 Prozent aus Komponenten von Mercedes Benz besteht. "Dies ist der erste starke Beweis für die Vorteile der Fusion", sagte Larry Achram, der bei der US-Tochter des DaimlerChrysler-Konzerns für die Fahrzeugentwicklung zuständig ist. Der Crossfire, der im Jahr 2003 auf den Markt kommen soll, enthält unter anderem einen 215-PS-Motor Motor von Mercedes-Benz. Das Auto soll beim Karosserie- und Fahrzeughersteller Karmann in Deutschland produziert werden, in dem auch das Mercedes CLK Sportcoupe gefertigt wird. Zum Preis und zu den Produktionskosten des Crossfire machte Chrysler noch keine Angaben.
Die Fusion der beiden Autohersteller Daimler Benz und Chrysler im Jahr 1998 war maßgeblich von dem Ziel geleitet worden, Synergieeffekte der beiden Konzerne zu nutzen. Den Unternehmensangaben zufolge gibt es mittlerweile mehrere Pläne, Mercedes-Teile wie Achsen, Getriebe und elektrische Komponenten für künftige Chrysler-Modelle zu verwenden. Die gegenseitige Verwendung von Autoteilen für gemeinsame Modelle ist auch ein Kernaspekt des vier Milliarden Dollar schweren Plans von Chrysler-Chef Dieter Zetsche zur Sanierung der verlustträchtigen Konzerntochter. Mit Hilfe des Plans will Zetsche Chrysler im nächsten Jahr wieder in die Gewinnzone bringen.
By Justin Hyde

Ausführlicher, die Original-Pressemittelung.


DETROIT, Jan 3 - A sports coupe set to appear on American roads next year will be the first true child of the marriage between Chrysler and Mercedes after years of trial and turmoil.
The 2004 Chrysler Crossfire, to be unveiled on Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show, is a German-American crossbreed. It borrows about 39 percent of its parts from Mercedes, including its engine. It will be built in Germany, in the same Karmann plant as the Mercedes CLK sports coupe. And its existence comes thanks to the two former Mercedes executives who now run Chrysler.
But DaimlerChrysler AG <DCX.N> <DCXGn.DE> will need more of that kind of cooperation to reverse Chrysler's massive losses and live up to the promises made when it was formed by the merger of Chrysler Corp. and Daimler-Benz AG in 1998.
"It's the first really strong evidence of the benefits of the merger," said Larry Achram, Chrysler's vice president for advance vehicle engineering. "We have a lot of possibilities."
The $36 billion merger between Chrysler and Daimler-Benz in 1998 was fueled by the promise of grand synergies between the two companies.
But since then, DaimlerChrysler's fortunes have soured as Chrysler's losses grew into the billions of dollars and many of the savings from the marriage between the companies simply did not appear.
Synergies fell victim to a cultural divide as wide as the Atlantic. Daimler executives were once wary of even admitting that Jeep and Mercedes sport utility vehicles were sharing an assembly line in Austria, lest the Mercedes brand image be tarnished by association with Chrysler.
And while the two have swapped manufacturing tips and executives, only after the arrival of Dieter Zetsche as president and Wolfgang Bernhard as chief operating officer in 2000 did component sharing between Mercedes and Chrysler take on a sense of urgency.
Now there are several plans to use Mercedes parts in future Chrysler vehicles, including axles, transmissions and electrical components. Parts sharing is a key part of Zetsche's $4 billion plan to return Chrysler to profitability next year.

AMERICAN NAME, GERMAN PARTS
The Crossfire is the first Chrysler vehicle approved under Zetsche and Bernhard to go into production. It retains many of the cues of last year's concept car, such as a decorative "spine" that runs the length of the vehicle, with a few modifications such as a larger rear window and a concealed rear spoiler.
Power comes from a 215-horsepower Mercedes V6, the first use of a Mercedes engine under a Chrysler badge in the United States, routed through either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic transmission.
With Mercedes' help, the Crossfire will go into production in Germany some 14 months after the vehicle's design was settled, about 10 months less than most vehicles require. And after killing the uniquely American Prowler, the Chrysler brand now has an image car it can shop to buyers around the world.
In size and function the rear-wheel-drive Crossfire targets the $33,000 Audi TT coupe. But the TT is more than a competitor -- it's also an inspiration for the Crossfire, whose brushed aluminum control panel and reddish-brown leather interior borrow many Audi styling cues.
"The interior of many of our products has been influenced by benchmarking Audi," Achram said. "Between them and Mercedes-Benz, there is a benchmark quality we don't see in our domestic competition."
Chrysler executives declined to reveal the Crossfire's price or production estimates. Audi sells about 12,000 TTs a year in the United States.

Crossfire: The Ultimate Expression of the Chrysler Brand

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 3 -- No other automotive brand has changed
as dramatically as the Chrysler brand during the past 10 years. The 2004
Crossfire will continue the Chrysler brand renaissance.
"We hit the sweet spot in every single segment that we either invented or
compete in," said Tom Marinelli, Vice President, Chrysler/Jeep(R) Global Brand
Center. "From Chrysler PT Cruiser to 300M to Town & Country, every one of our
vehicles offer breakthrough design with exceptional performance."
By combining passionate American design with German engineering, Chrysler
Crossfire will effectively expand its product portfolio and further build the
image of the Chrysler brand.
"Crossfire is the ultimate expression of the Chrysler brand," said
Marinelli. "Chrysler Crossfire will attract incremental consumers who may
have never before considered buying a Chrysler. More specifically, we think
Chrysler Crossfire will attract new buyers including luxury import owners or
intenders."
Chrysler brand's mission is to offer a broad range of aspirational
automobiles that showcase expressive design, graceful athletic performance,
refined functionality and romantic allure. Chrysler's complete award-winning
brand portfolio includes 300M, Concorde, PT Cruiser, Sebring Sedan, Sebring
Coupe, Sebring Convertible, Prowler, Town & Country, Voyager and now
Crossfire. With one of the freshest lines in the entire industry, it's hard
to believe that the Prowler is the oldest vehicle in the brand's lineup.
"In short, we will continue to build cars that people will fall in love
with, aspire to own and are proud to drive," said Marinelli. "The 2004
Chrysler Crossfire exceeds these expectations."
The Chrysler brand continues to gain momentum. Chrysler brand sales have
increased 270 percent since 1991 (from 130,000 to 484,000), more than any
other American automotive brand. In addition, Chrysler has nearly tripled its
market share (from 1.0 percent to 2.7 percent) in the same time period.
Finally, Chrysler has moved to seventh place from 17th place in just the past
four years, by far the most dramatic improvement of any other brand.