The history of the Chrysler Corporation is essentially over. Relatively recently, Chrysler merged with Daimler-Benz, and the Daimler-Chrysler Corporation was born. So Chrysler has lost some of its independence, although it has not lost its individuality. The past of this corporation certainly deserves attention. Within a few years, Chrysler managed to break into big three and firmly took his place there.
Today, Chrysler is the third largest manufacturer of American cars, behind only Ford and General Motors. Machines such famous brands, like Chrysler, Dodge, and, of course, Jeep, have long gained extraordinary popularity among consumers. The sales market is mainly North America. What made Chrysler so successful in the early years? Actually, it would be more correct to ask not “thanks to what”, but “thanks to whom”.
Indeed, the history of famous companies is primarily associated not with original solutions, not with unique service (all this is secondary), but with their founders and leaders. So when we talk about Chrysler, we can't help but think of the man who gave the company its name and breathed life into it: Walter Chrysler. Walter was born in 1875. Here is his exciting career: 17 years as an assistant machinist, 24 as a master mechanic, 33 as a superintendent at Western railway in Chicago, 35 - manager of the American Locomotive Company.
And here a sharp turn is planned in the chain of Walter Chrysler's professions: in 1910, he bought himself a car. It is said that Chrysler was so intrigued by the very design of the car that he managed to disassemble and reassemble it before he learned to drive. As you can see, the first car made a big impression on him, because two years later Chrysler got a job at Buick, and in 1917 he was already president and CEO this division of General Motors.
Two years later, Chrysler became vice president of manufacturing at General Motors, but did not remain in this post for long. It is known that two people with powerful administrative abilities can rarely get along. Soon, William Durant (GM President) and Walter Chrysler were at odds. The conflict reached the point that Chrysler, considering himself sufficiently well off, quit in 1920.
His talent did not go unclaimed, and soon Walter worked in a kind of position as a company restorer. At first, Willy-Overland approached him with a request to help get out of the financial crisis, then an invitation came from Maxwell Motor Car. This company was revived with the help of a unique and very effective means - the Chrysler 6 car, which Walter developed himself with three engineers. This car was offered at a low price, but differed in comfort and memorable style. In one year, 32 thousand cars were sold.
Finally, in 1925, the Chrysler Corporation was born, which was the heir to Maxwell Motor. Chrysler, who became president of the new company, wasted no time. In the same year, the Chrysler 4 series 58 was put on the market. In full accordance with its name, the car reached a speed of 58 miles per hour (93 km / h). The speed was certainly frantic for the time, and soon there were about 4,000 dealers selling these cars. Chrysler made a powerful leap, climbing from 57th to 5th place among American car manufacturers in a year. The company continued to produce high speed models.
The next series was already developing 130 km / h. By 1928, the profits were sufficient to open new branches (De Soto, Plymouth) and even buy the company of the Dodge brothers. All new acquisitions were extremely successful. De Soto and Plymouth prices ranged from $670 to $725. Thus, even a consumer with a small income could buy a car, which significantly expanded the sales market. At the same time, by acquiring Dodge, Chrysler also gained a reputation for being very reliable manufacturer. - were considered a synonym for quality. After all, it was the Dodge brothers who created the famous car that was able to drive into the Grand Canyon and leave from there.
Already by 1929, Chrysler became a member of the Big Three automakers, along with Ford concerns and General Motors. However, the company suffered greatly during the Great Depression. Chrysler representatives are proud to note that, despite all the difficulties and the forced reduction in production costs, the costs of science and research have not decreased. This helped the corporation a lot in 1933. It was then the only manufacturer whose sales had grown since 1929. That same year, Chrysler surpassed Ford in sales for the first time. Whatever you say, it was a real victory.
Success was consolidated in 1934 with the release of the Airflow series (“air flow”). On these models, Chrysler introduced for the first time a curved windshield, which significantly improves aerodynamics, and an automatic transmission. During the Second World War, the company made good money. Among the popular products manufactured by Chrysler were Sherman M4 tanks (18,000 units), military trucks (500,000 units), B-29 aircraft engines, aircraft guns, etc. In total, by 1945, Chrysler had delivered $3.4 billion worth of military equipment.
After the war, 11 new plants were bought with the proceeds. At the same time, qualitative transformations did not keep pace with quantitative ones. If all manufacturers introduced many new models, then Chrysler limited itself to only a few. As a result, in the early 50s, the corporation fell to third place among American automotive companies. But many innovations in technology were introduced. First, in 1951, the first car with power steering was introduced. Then all the cars were equipped with an ignition key. The suspension was soon improved. Finally, in 1952, Chrysler broke into space. By winning the NASA competition, Jupiter rockets won the honorary right to lift two experimental monkeys to a height of 350 miles.
Hemi V8 engine with 426 hp was placed under the hoods of many muscle cars. Now the few surviving specimens of these monsters are worth up to several million dollars.
It is not known what the monkeys felt, but it is not difficult to guess how the Koreans treated Chrysler Corporation. After the outbreak of the Korean conflict in 1950, Chrysler again began to work for the defense industry. After successful cooperation with the government in many projects, the corporation has earned $1.1 billion. For many years, car enthusiasts will remember two specially designed Chrysler engines.
In 1951, the Hemi V8 was developed with unique properties. Unfortunately, the engine turned out to be somewhat expensive - its price was equal to a third of the total cost of the car. This platform served as a fulcrum for the creation of the legendary 426 Hemi. This engine has more than 400 hp. produced specifically for sports cars.
A total of 11 thousand were produced, and some connoisseurs believe that Hemi is still one of the best. The 426 won various competitions, and in 1963 the Turbine appeared. turbine engine in the car - it was something new. The principle of its operation was very similar to modern jet engines. 50 vehicles were produced for preliminary tests, but the project was soon closed, and the Ministry of Defense became interested in the new engine, where further development was carried out. We just don't know anything about her yet...
In the 1960s, Chrysler held its own, but suffered greatly from ill-conceived management. Miscalculations were made many years ago. In the early 50s, Chrysler made cars that looked like a combination of odd-sized rectangular boxes, representing a rectangular style, and all other companies made models with streamlined shapes. In the early 60s, the company launched small cars into production, while the consumer needed luxury and immense space.
It would seem that everything is fine - because we know that the oil crisis will come soon and the demand for small cars will rise. However, just before the crisis began, Chrysler began to offer large cars with low efficiency. As a result, despite the fact that sales records were set in 1972 and 1973, the consequences of the crisis still affected. The market was captured by Japanese manufacturers, who were able to quickly adapt to new consumer demands. Chrysler was on the edge of the abyss - the losses were very large.
In the end, Mr. Lee Iacocca, with 32 years of experience at Ford, was brought in to save the company. Considerable funds were required to resurrect the company, and Chrysler tried to seek help from the US federal government. Most likely, help would have been denied if Iacocca had not held a series of performances. In his speeches, he described in detail what would happen after the closure of all factories of the corporation. Undoubtedly, bankruptcy big company would deal a severe blow to the American economy. As a result of speeches in 1979, a special act was passed through Congress and signed by President Carter. This act provided Chrysler with US$1.5 billion.
Help arrived just in time. In the same 1979, Chrysler's share of sales in the automotive market fell from 21% (1952) to 9%. Chrysler closed several factories, laid off quite a few employees, switched its entire fleet to front-wheel drive, and doubled its efficiency. As you can see, the restoration was successful. The slogan of those times was the words "If you can find a better car, buy it."
The developers have tried their best to best cars did not have. In 1981, new cars began to be produced. They helped to find a way out of the financial impasse. Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant conquered the market, provided the company with a profit, which allowed Chrysler to pay off the debt to the government already in 1983. Also in 1983, Chrysler opened up a new sector of the market by starting the production of minibuses. It has revolutionized the lives of many American families. And today Chrysler minibuses dominate the American market and make up about 20% of the European one. Rising profits, as always, prompted expansion. Chrysler has created many joint ventures (including the well-known Diamond-Star along with Mitsubishi).
In 1987, the famous Lamborghini company was acquired. So the fastest stock car of its time - Diablo - also refers to the Chrysler Corporation. Perhaps the biggest and most profitable investment was the purchase of American Motors. Along with it, Chrysler acquired the rights to such cars as Eagle and Jeep. These brands, obviously, do not need to be represented. Quite original was the joint venture for the production of transmission components, founded in 1989. To create it, General Motors teamed up with Chrysler. This was the first merger of two US rival companies.
By the end of the 80s, Chrysler had improved its service. The corporation gave a 7-year warranty on its machines. The warranty covered both the engine components themselves and the car body. Chrysler specialists claimed that after 100,000 miles, rust should not appear on the body. Concerned about safety, in 1988 Chrysler was the first to put airbags on all its cars, making them standard equipment.
Although the company lost about $800 million in a downturn in the economy in 1991, Chrysler's Big Technology Center was laid that same year, and in 1992, after a $1.6 billion investment, a new plant was built in Detroit. It is interesting to note the fact that the plant was built in Detroit itself and not in the countryside. Despite the fact that such an arrangement was less profitable from a financial point of view, Chrysler won the trust of the people of Detroit - a qualified work force- and supported the city itself. Financial prosperity began in 1994 - the company again set a record, earning $ 3.7 billion.
In the same year, the new Chrysler Cirrus and Dodge Stratus sedans were introduced. By the way, Cirrus won the honorary Motor Trend competition and was named Car of the Year. In 1995, a minibus won the same competition for the first time. Dodge Caravan became the Car of the Year and the best selling car. Incredible demand for Chrysler products led to the company receiving 19 more sales awards in the same year. In 1996, Chrysler headquarters was built. In this huge building, which is adjacent to the Chrysler Technology Center, you can receive major decisions, design, test, build and develop production lines, produce the machines themselves. Everything was concentrated under one roof automotive production. The convenience of the building and the reduction in transportation costs led to Chrysler achieving the lowest cost among manufacturers, and this made it possible to receive the maximum income per unit of production.
However, prosperity cannot last long. This was proved by the strike in 1997, as a result of which 450 million dollars were lost. The strike was the longest in the plant's thirty-year history, lasting a month and involving 1,800 workers. The corporation continued its international cooperation with various firms. Soon a small contract was signed with Daimler-Benz for the production of minibuses. Apparently, the cooperation turned out to be very fruitful, because in 1998 there was a merger of these largest companies.
It is difficult to say what fate awaits Chrysler today. On the one hand, there has been a consolidation of production, which will increase capacity and win a more advantageous place in the market. But, on the other hand, it seems to us that the new corporation, although it is called Daimler-Chrysler, is rather Daimler than Chrysler. The Germanization of the corporation is underway, which makes American workers very unhappy. Nevertheless, no matter what processes take place in the sphere of big business, no matter how different companies merge, chrysler cars remain as popular as ever. This corporation gave us the famous cherokee jeeps And Grand Cherokee, she developed Dodge Viper, Chrysler 300M and many others. Let the history of Chrysler be written and the last page turned. The history of new Chrysler cars is just beginning.
Designed by designer Brian Nesbitt, the stylish Chrysler PT Cruiser hatchback not only became a real hit, but also a trendsetter in design - it was after him that retro-style hobbies became a mass phenomenon among manufacturers. The stylish Crossfire coupe followed suit. Just now, Chrysler's new rear-wheel-drive 300C and Dodge Magnum and Charger twins are coming off the assembly line at Brampton, Canada.
It is known that on the chassis of both the 300C and the Magnum, numerous units and components from the fraternal Mercedes found their place. As Burke Brown says, Chief Engineer Chrysler Group, - for a good 20%. From a senior German partner, a 5-speed hydromechanical "automatic", steering gear, front and rear suspension, main gear with differential, seat frames - and various electronics. But the engines are their own, Chrysler ones: the well-known 2.7- and 3.5-liter 24-valve V-sixes. The trump card is the powerful 5.7-liter "eight" Hemi. And recently, Chrysler has taken seriously sports models, referred to as SRT (Street and Racing Technologies).
The same Chrysler 300C in the SRT-8 version received Hemi engine, shaped up to 425 hp This is an all-aluminum, but quite traditional design, so dear to the heart of American motorists. Hemi (hemisphere - hemisphere) with hemispherical combustion chambers, a single central camshaft and rod-actuated valves (2 per cylinder). Motor from the romantic 50s and 60s; victories on NASCAR tracks... Full speed ahead - rear wheel drive!
According to the materials of the Internet magazine Drive.ru ( http://www.drive.ru/ )
Any spare parts from a warehouse in Moscow for cars of the brand Chrysler You can always buy from Jeep-Avtoklondike.
Concern Chrysler in the sports discipline "rake running", if it were an Olympic sport, would have no equal. Today we will briefly review the main milestones of this "obstacle race".The Great Depression was survived thanks to the very successful acquisition of the Dodge brand in 1928 and the Plymouth brand created in the same year shortly after the start of the economic crisis.
In the mid-1930s, the design-leading Chrysler Airflow shook Walter Chrysler's empire hard, arriving just a little too early. He paved the way for competitors - such as the Lincoln Zephyr, and the "airstream" in general, but he himself turned out to be the "first pancake".
Chrysler Airflow Sedan"1934
In 1930, Chrysler's chief stylist, Ray Dietrich, led the work of his design studio to create a car with the romantic name Airflow - " Air flow". This was the rare case when American styling acted as if at the same time with a functional design. The car was distinguished by a lowered frame and a forward-shifted engine, which made it possible to place rear passengers in a more comfortable area - in front of the rear axle. The silhouette of a two-volume body was also original, which for the first time in world practice received a front overhang.
Chrysler chief designer Carl Breer with an Airfow body mock-up
Chrysler Airflow Coupe 1934
Airflow was to be a major hit in 1934. The car received an ultra-modern streamlined body, developed according to the latest trends in aerodynamics based on the research of Kamm, Jaray, Rumpler and Ledwinka and a rigid semi-supporting spatial body frame in addition to the frame.
Moreover, if Chrysler retained more traditional models with a V6 engine in its lineup, then De Soto offered only its version of Airflow. And the car suddenly took and "did not go"! A large and expensive car was not accepted by a rather conservative public - exactly the consumer audience for which it was designed. For her, he was too progressive. Regular Chryslers sold two and a half times better than Airflows. And the sales of the shorter and curvier De Soto almost forced them to close the shop under this name altogether. A hasty re-registration in a more traditional way helped the model survive until 1937, when a new, more conservative car came out, which turned out to be even too conservative by that time - because the pebble of the failed Airflow pulled an avalanche and for many decades stylists become almost the main people in the developer camp. Meanwhile, the hit of the year was the aerodynamic Lincoln Zephyr, which provided Lincoln with 80% of sales.
Chrysler Airflow C10 Imperial "1936
Chrysler Airflow Sedan 1937
Interior Chrysler Airflow Coupe "1937
The concern was then pulled out by cheap and unpretentious Dodge and Plymouth, allowing it to "hold out" until the beginning of World War II, when military orders rained down, greatly improving the company's business. "Burned with milk" - they began to "blow into the water": from the late thirties to the mid-fifties, the styling of the concern's cars is conservative. Quite successful were also launched before the war Chrysler models Windsor, New Yorker and Saratoga from the "prestigious segment".
Plymouth DeLuxe Coupe (P10)" 1940
After the war, the concern even briefly took second place in sales, pushing Ford to third.
1951
What has always amazed me at the Chryslers is the amazing ability to get into trouble with the management that approves new models for production. Despite the fact that the lack of good designers and constructors in the style departments and design bureaus of the concern never complained. Cooperation with the Italians from Ghia in the 50s also resulted only in the creation of a dozen beautiful prototypes, but practically did not affect the general style of the concern's cars - the Americans are laconic European design not appreciated. But there was a lot of money involved.
"Italians":
Chrysler D "Elegance Concept Car by Ghia" 1953
Chrysler GS-1 Coupe Concept by Ghia "1954
Plymouth Explorer Concept Car by Ghia "1954
DeSoto Ghia Adventurer II Concept Car by Ghia "1955
Dodge Firearrow III Sport Coupe Concept Car by Ghia "1954
In the "Exner era" the pendulum swung from calm conservatism, albeit attractive, and enthusiasm for "European style", towards a riot of shapes and colors - as if Virgil Exner was trying to catch up on what he did not have time to embody when he was Studebaker's chief designer. They were again "ahead of the rest" - this time with "fins" in 1957. Competitors in a hurry also began to add "wings, legs and tails" to their models, but for some reason the "pioneer" did not have a jump in sales. There was growth, but not as much as we would like. Here is the group's sales chart for clarity:
Chrysler Saratoga Hardtop Coupe (C75-2 256)" 1957
Dodge Custom Royal Lancer Convertible 1957
The "post-exner" era, the 60s, was generally a calm and fairly successful time. Especially the second half of the 60s. The concern's macrocars of that time entered the golden fund of the automotive industry, and other models of the concern's departments showed stable growth. Dodge sedans Coronet/Polara/Monaco were very popular with the police.
The concern was always unlucky with sensible management - hence the constant problems. It seems that they could break the bank with the Barracuda model - a small, inexpensive and attractive fastback equipped with a large panoramic rear window, and even debuted before the famous Mustang. But it was this glass that played a cruel joke: in the sun, the car's interior turned into a microwave ... Hemi motors, on the development of which a lot of effort, time and money were spent, were the most powerful, but turned out to be very expensive. Not surprisingly, the client went to competitors Chevrolet or Ford. Throughout the 60s and 70s, experiments with gas turbine engines- a topic that is very fashionable with the onset of the "space age", but a dead end in the automotive industry, which absorbed a lot of money. Many experimented in this field, but only Chrysler brought the matter to the construction of a pilot batch of 50-odd copies and with perseverance worthy of best use, continued the program, even when it became clear to everyone else that this crooked path leads into a swamp.
Chrysler Turbine Car "1963
Plymouth Barracuda Sport Coupe (AV1_2-P V89)" 1965
In 1961, the De Soto brand was abandoned as "not justified". However, everything seemed to be quite rosy: the crisis of 1958 created a demand for compact cars, and the concern had something to offer in this segment - the Dodge Dart and Polara, Plymouth Valiant, Belvedere, Savoy models sold very well. By 1965, Chrysler's sales had increased by 65% and the brand had moved from 11th to 9th in the national rankings.
Dodge Dart 440 Hardtop Sedan (534)" 1962
The company actively begins to buy up European automakers: in 1963 it buys 40% of the shares of the Spanish company Barreiros Diesel, in 1964 - 30% of the shares of the British automobile consortium Rootes Group, which included the brands Commer, Hillman, Humber, Karrier, Singer, Sunbeam, Talbot; in 1966-67 - about 80% of the shares of the French company Simca. These firms are named Chrysler España, Chrysler UK, Chrysler France, respectively, and are subsequently merged into a single Chrysler car center in Europe. But... Like in Japanese films: "everyone died."
In 1964 the British Singer was bought. Six years later he was gone, but the brand has existed since 1905! The 1970s is when Chrysler really got down. Hillman, Humber, Karrier, Sunbeam, Simca, Barreiros, Commer, which the Americans bought in the 60s, were closed in the 70s. So indirectly, the British can "thank you" to the Americans for almost completely finishing off the half-dead British automobile industry by that time. Good investment! Moreover, many brands have just put new models on the conveyor.
By the seventies, the corporation approached with a good range of "mid-sizes" and magnificent "muscles", but there were practically no compact models. The "compacts" of the first half of the 60s, according to the requirements of the market, steadily grew in size throughout the decade, and by 1973 the launch of a number of "full-size" cars was planned, in which as much as 450 million dollars were invested - huge money at that time. That is why the oil crisis of 1973, which happened as always at the wrong time, hit Chrysler so painfully. their small and economical models did not have. They relied on imports from their foreign branches.
Plymouth Fury III Hardtop Sedan (PE1/2-M PM43) "1969
Dodge Charger 500" 1969
Dodge Monaco Hardtop Sedan (DH43)" 1970
Dodge Monaco two-door hardtop and station wagon "1970
Chrysler New Yorker Hardtop Coupe (CH23)" 1971
Chrysler Newport Custom Hardtop Sedan "1972
Plymouth Satellite Sebring 1972
Chrysler Corporation buys 15% Mitsubishi shares Motor Corporation and in 1970 under Dodge brands and Chrysler, the cunning Japanese from Mitsubishi Motors are starting to sell their subcompact models in the US. It all started with Mitsubishi Colt Galant crossed into a Dodge Colt. Actually, in the 70s, the Chryslers tried to sell everything under native American brands - here is the Hillman Avenger, which became the Dodge 1800 "1973-77 in the Brazilian market, and in the States - Plymouth Cricket (since 1971), and various Mitsubishi, and the Japanese Fuso trucks (a subsidiary of Mitsubishi), and the French Talbot Horizon "1978–86 as the Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon.
Dodge Colt Sedan" 1970–73
Plymouth Cricket Sedan" 1971–73
The Arab-Israeli war of 1973, the revolution in Iran, the beginning of a serious expansion of Japanese manufacturers, "playing" on the field, closely adjacent to the "compact line" of the concern, "successful" investments, shameless "badge engineering", and general stagnation in the American the economy was hit very hard by the well-being of the concern - Chrysler's pants were cracking at the seams. Clueless production policy, quality problems, a number of failed models - such as the twin brothers Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare, published as "semi-finished products", once again brought the concern under the monastery.
Plymouth Volare Premier Station Wagon (HH45)" 1976–77
Plymouth Arrow GT "1976. He is Mitsubishi Lancer Celeste" 1975–77 And Dodge Lancer Celeste" 1976–80
Later experiments with gas turbine engines: Chrysler LeBaron Turbine Concept 1977
Own models sold worse and worse, and they were increasingly replaced in the corporation's line by slightly turned Mitsubishi models. They also tried to sell the European model Simca Horizon (since 1978) as the Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon.
Rebranding products:
Plymouth Sapporo "1978/Mitsubishi Galant" 1977–1978
1978 Dodge Omni
Market share fell from 21 percent in 1952 to 9 percent in 1979. All foreign divisions that had not yet closed were sold to cut costs. One and a half billion dollars of a loan (then dollars, and the dollar in the 70s was much more significant than the current one) from the federal government and the genius of Lee Iaccochi, who very successfully "turned up by the arm", leaving Ford, "by the ears" pulled the concern out of the swamp, from which already sticking out some nostrils. It was he who succeeded in wresting loan guarantees from the government of Jimmy Carter, proving that the closure of the factories of such a giant corporation as Chrysler would be a disaster for the American economy. In 1979, a special act was passed through Congress and signed by the president. A line was hastily developed compact cars on the new front-wheel drive platform K-Car, tailored according to American tastes, first of all externally, "pulled up" the quality. Cars on this "K" platform, the styling of which was developed under the guidance of Donald de la Rossa, who came with Iacocca from Ford, although they received the nickname "steel brick" for their "cubist" appearance, were "in a trend", besides differing in profitability, compactness and good equipment at a very moderate price tag. Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant have conquered the market. The effect was not slow to manifest - sales went up. A big success was the launch of a new class of vehicles - "extended station wagon" - a cross between the traditional passenger station wagon and commercial van. To tell the truth, everything new is a well-forgotten old, and the Chryslers did not invent the bicycle, but only revived the "station wagons" of the 30-40s at a new level. (Although the Americans beat their heel in the chest that the modern minivan is their invention, however, the Japanese began to produce their Mitsubishi Space Wagon in February 1983 and from the same year sell in the States as the Plymouth / Dodge Colt Vista, and the Plymouth / Chrysler Voyager trinity /Dodge Caravan appeared in November 1983. And the Nissan Prairie debuted even earlier - in August 1982. So let's leave these claims to the conscience of advertisers.)
Plymouth Reliant" 1981–85
Dodge 400 Coupe" 1982–83
Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country Wagon "1981
The extremely unsuccessful F-platform, on which the Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volare was based, was replaced by the M-platform, on which the Chrysler Fifth Avenue and the classic Dodge Diplomat were created. Buyers, however, preferred more economical "K-platform" cars, and the main buyers of "M-cars" were taxi drivers and the police.
Dodge Diplomat Sedan Police San Jose 1988
In 1983, the debt to the government was paid, and a golden era began in the history of the concern. The bankrupt concern AMC was immediately bought, mainly because of the Jeep brand, which for many years kept it afloat. Joint ventures with GM were created, cooperation with Mitsubishi continued. In addition, for some reason, in 1987, the Lamborghini company was acquired, which, however, did not bring anything but losses, but, on the other hand, put into production with the money of the Americans new model Diablo. Sales grew, unsuccessful projects were curtailed, successful ones, like the Plymouth/Chrysler Voyager/Dodge Caravan minivan, flourished and brought in a steady income. The company is thriving.
Plymouth Voyager" 1984–87
Dodge 600 Convertible" 1985
In the nineties, another global world crisis begins. Unobtrusive at first, by the middle of the decade, he applied from the heart. In 1997, 1,800 workers went on strike for a month at a cost of $450 million, and a year later Chrysler was bought by the Germans Daimler-Benz. Although it was loosely called a "merger", in reality the Germans simply bought a Chrysler with giblets. Having suffered for some time with the acquisition, they preferred to get rid of bad purchase, reselling Chrysler in 2007 for $7.4 billion to the Cerberus Capital Management investment fund. And then came the mighty financial crisis of 2008, when everyone became dreary. Sales in 2008 fell by 30%, and in 2009 by another 36%. The concern, which had already lost its third place in the market to both Toyota and Honda a long time ago, again had to be pulled out by the US government, but even a six-plus billion dollar loan did not help: on April 30, 2009, Chrysler declared technical bankruptcy. Part of the shares was sold, this time to the Italians from Fiat. And since this year Chrysler belongs to them completely.
P.S. My name is Alexander. This is my personal, independent project. I am very glad if you liked the article. Want to help the site? Just look below for an ad for what you've recently been looking for.
Warning: This news is taken from here .. When using, indicate THIS LINK as a source.
Are you looking for this? Perhaps this is what you could not find for so long?
Chrysler: history of creation
The company ranks third among other American manufacturers. Luxurious cars of the brands Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth, Eagle, Jeep fell in love with capricious and demanding motorists.
Creator worldwide famous car Walter Chrysler begins his career in 1910. He holds senior positions in companies such as Buick, General Motors. Walter's talent did not go unnoticed: Maxwell Motor Car invited him to work. Car brand Chrysler 6 - Walter's design: chic design, affordable price, - and 32 thousand cars were sold in a year.
Chrysler: history of development
New cars came off the assembly line. They were distinguished by excellent design and the ability to develop a high speed for those times. Already by 1929, the Concern was one of the top three automakers, and was earning a reputation as a reliable supplier.
Innovations appear in the car:
power steering;
ignition keys;
improved suspension system.
Every Chrysler owner, whose car impresses with power and luxury at the same time, appreciates the brand.
Post-war years: ups and downs
In the 60s, the history of Chrysler goes further, but the concern is not going through better times incurring significant losses. However, the American government invests in the company, and a new round in the history of the concern begins. The production and production of minibuses are being established, which are becoming very popular with American families.
The company improves service: gives a guarantee for 7 years, puts airbags on all cars.
Company prosperity
Since 1994, an unprecedented rise of the company has begun. Chrysler has received 19 sales awards. The main office is being built, under the roof of which all production is located. Cooperation with by Daimler-Benz, and in 1998 there is a merger of the companies.
But Chrysler still has not lost its individuality. New rear-wheel drive models with powerful engines are already being produced, so for Chrysler the story is just beginning!
Chrysler was founded by American Walter Chrysler in 1925 when Maxwell motor company(founded 1904) was reorganized as Chrysler Corporation. Walter himself by that time had already earned a reputation as a "worker of miracles", since thanks to him many companies achieved tremendous success, among them General Motors, Willys-Overland and Maxwell. motor corporation. For 4 years, since 1920, he, together with Studebaker engineers, designed a revolutionary new car. At the same time, they decided what the products of the Chrysler brand would be - available cars, created using advanced technologies. The company's logos have changed several times. Initially, the emblem was stylized as a wax seal, then it was replaced by a star, and then wings appeared.
Milestones in development
The first car was the Chrysler Six, costing just $1,565 with a light, powerful six-cylinder engine. All four wheels of this car were equipped, which was new. In addition, the car was equipped with aluminum pistons, replaceable oil and air filter, tubular front axles, shock absorbers. With over 30,000 units sold in its first year, Chrysler climbed to number five in the industry. The purchase in 1928 of the company was very successful, which allowed Chrysler to join the ranks of America's leading automobile companies. The first serious problems, and, unfortunately, not the last, began in the 70s. The company suffered losses due to the energy crisis, ill-conceived production policies, a number of unsuccessful models and serious quality problems. It is worth noting that the well-known manager Lee Iacocca became the man who saved the manufacturer from imminent death in 1978, who proved to the federal government that the closure of Chrysler would be a national tragedy in America. In 1998, there was a merger with the Daimler-Benz concern. New company became DaimlerChrysler. In 2007, the Chrysler division was sold to the Cerberus Foundation. And two years later, part of the company's shares were acquired by the Italian company. Currently, the company consists of several independent divisions, including: Chrysler, Dodge, Ram Trucks, Jeep, SRT (high-tech versions of cars), MOPAR (high-end versions of cars, pickups and SUVs).The most famous and significant cars of the brand
Chrysler Imperial was created in 1926 by Walter Chrysler to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln, the main luxury car brands of that time. Chrysler New Yorker - full size a car, which survived 13 generations of model updates, was produced from 1939 to 1996, and since the 70s has become the flagship of Chrysler Corporation. In all generations, this model has been one of the most expensive and well-equipped cars of the brand. The Chrysler 300 is a car with smooth body lines and a powerful 375 hp. He is considered the first "muscle cars" (muscular car), which became analogues in the future. - sport car Dodge, a division of Chrysler. Viper was produced since 1992 and stood out among other cars with a powerful V10 engine and aggressive design. - a full-size business class sedan with a 5.7-liter engine was a huge success in the United States. 440,000 vehicles have been sold since 2006. Chrysler is one of the biggest innovators in automotive history. The list of technical innovations includes: rubber engine mounts to isolate the body from vibrations (Floating Power), downdraft carburetors, replaceable oil filters, and a curved windshield made in one piece. Also with technologies created by Chrysler, are: ignition key and starter (1949), power windows (1950), power steering (1951), (1958), connection all-wheel drive and automatic transmission (1963).Interesting facts and sporting achievements
Chrysler 300, 1955 release, regularly won victories in various circuit races. He held an auto-sports record - maximum speed on the track equal to 230 km / h. Chrysler has achieved tremendous success in NASCAR racing. In addition, the Viper GTS-R repeatedly came first at the 24-hour races of the Nurburgring and Le Mans. During the years of the Second World War, the production of all civilian vehicles was suspended. Chrysler ranked eighth among all companies producing products for military purposes. In 1954, after the head of the company, D.T. Keller was selected by President Truman to head the US missile defense program, Chrysler began production of the 4-stage Redstone Jupiter C rocket that launched America's first space satellite. In addition, the company participated in the production of rockets for the Apollo missions.Chryslerin Russia
Chrysler began to be officially sold in Russia in 1998. According to Russian representatives of the brand, today the market for American cars is just beginning to take shape in Russia, thanks to an aggressive marketing policy. In 2010, 663 cars were sold in Moscow, in 2011 this figure was doubled, and in 2012 the company sold 2,700 cars already. Two models are currently offered in dealerships for Russian buyers: Chrysler 300C and Grand. These are worth american cars about 2 million rubles. popular model is a hatchback with a retro design that was sold in Russia from 2006 to 2008.
Chrysler cars are interesting not only to buyers, but also to car thieves. Over the past year, more than 150 cars of various models have been stolen in Russia. Walter Chrysler was born in 1875. Here is his exciting career: 17 years as an assistant engineer, 24 as a master mechanic, 33 as a superintendent on the Western Railroad in Chicago, 35 as a manager of the American Locomotive Company. Here in the chain of professions of Walter Chrysler there is a sharp turn: in 1910 he bought himself a car. It is said that Chrysler was so intrigued by the very design of the car that he managed to disassemble and reassemble it before he learned to drive.
As you can see, the first car made a big impression, because two years later Chrysler got a job at Buick, and in 1917 he was already president and CEO of this division of General Motors. Two years later, Chrysler became vice president of manufacturing at General Motors, but did not remain in this post for long. It is known that two people with powerful administrative abilities can rarely get along together. Soon between William Durant (president of GM) and Walter Chrysler there were serious disagreements. The conflict reached the point that Chrysler, considering himself well-to-do, quit in 1920. His talent did not go unclaimed, and soon Walter worked in a kind of position as a company restorer. At first, Willy-Overland approached him with a request to help get out of the financial crisis, then an invitation came from Maxwell Motor Car. This company was revived with the help of a unique and very effective means - the Chrysler 6 car, which Walter developed himself with the help of three engineers. This car was offered at a low price, but differed in comfort and memorable style. In one year, 32 thousand cars were sold.
Finally, in 1925, the Chrysler Corporation was born, which was the heir to Maxwell Motor. Chrysler, who became president of the new company, wasted no time. In the same year, the Chrysler 4 Series 58 was put on the market. In full accordance with its name, the car reached a speed of 58 miles per hour (93 km / h). The speed was certainly insane for the time, and soon there were about 4,000 dealers selling these cars. Chrysler made a powerful leap, climbing from 57th to 5th place among American car manufacturers in a year. The company continued to produce high speed models. The next series reached speeds of 130 km / h, which was almost twice the speed of the famous Ford Model T. By 1928, profits were sufficient to open new branches (De Soto, Plymouth) and even buy Dodge Brothers. All new acquisitions were extremely successful. De Soto and Plymouth prices ranged from $670 to $725. Thus, even a consumer with a small income could buy cars, which significantly expanded the sales market.
At the same time, by acquiring Dodge, Chrysler also gained a reputation as a very reliable manufacturer. It was the Dodge brothers who created the famous car that was able to drive into the Grand Canyon and drive back from there. By 1929, Chrysler had become a member of the Big Three. However, the company suffered greatly. Chrysler representatives proudly note that, despite all the difficulties and the forced reduction in production costs, the costs of science and research have not decreased. This helped the corporation a lot in 1933. Then it was the only manufacturer whose sales were higher than those of 1929. That same year, Chrysler overtook Ford in sales for the first time. Whatever you say, it was a real victory.
Success was consolidated in 1934 with the release of the Airflow series (air flow). On these models, Chrysler put a curved windshield and automatic transmission for the first time. During the Second World War, the company made good money. Among the popular products manufactured by Chrysler were Sherman M-4 tanks (18,000 units), military trucks (500,000 units), engines for B-29 aircraft, cannons for aircraft, etc. In total, by 1945, Chrysler supplied $3.4 billion worth of military equipment. After the war, 11 new plants were bought with the proceeds.
At the same time, qualitative transformations did not keep pace with quantitative ones. If all manufacturers introduced many new models, then Chrysler limited itself to only a few. As a result, in the early 50s, the corporation fell to third place among American automobile companies. But many innovations in technology were introduced. First, in 1951, the first car with power steering was introduced. Then all the cars were equipped with an ignition key. The suspension system was soon improved. Finally, in 1952, Chrysler broke into space. By winning the NASA competition, Jupiter rockets won the honorary right to lift two experimental monkeys to a height of 350 miles. It is not known what the monkeys felt, but it is not difficult to guess how the Koreans treated the Chrysler Corporation.
After the outbreak of the Korean conflict in 1950, Chrysler again began to work for the defense industry. After successfully working with the government on many projects, the corporation has earned $1.1 billion. For many years, car enthusiasts will remember two specially designed Chrysler engines. Firstly, in 1951, the Hemi V8 was developed, which had unique properties. Unfortunately, the engine turned out to be somewhat expensive - its price was equal to a third of the total cost of the car. This platform served as a fulcrum for the creation of the legendary 426 Hemi. This engine has over 400 hp. With. made specifically for sports cars. A total of 11 thousand were produced, and some connoisseurs believe that Hemi is still one of the best. The 426th won various competitions, and in 1963 the Turbine machine appeared on the market. A turbine engine in a car was something new. The principle of its operation was very similar to modern jet engines. For preliminary tests, 50 vehicles were produced, but the project was soon closed and the Ministry of Defense became interested in the new engine, where further development was carried out. We just don't know anything about her yet...
In the 1960s, Chrysler held its own, but suffered greatly from ill-conceived management. Miscalculations were made many years ago. In the early 1950s, Chrysler produced cars that looked like a combination of odd-sized rectangular boxes, representing a rectangular style, and all other companies produced models with streamlined shapes. In the early 60s, the company launched small cars into production, while the consumer needed luxury and immense space.
It would seem that everything is fine - because we know that the oil crisis will come soon, and the demand for small cars will rise. However, just before the crisis began, Chrysler began to offer large cars with poor fuel efficiency. As a result, despite the fact that sales records were set in 1972 and 1973, the consequences of the crisis still affected. The market was captured by Japanese manufacturers, who were able to quickly adapt to new consumer demands.
Chrysler was on the edge of the abyss - the losses were very large. In the end, Mr. Iacocca, with 32 years of experience at Ford, was brought in to save the company. To resurrect the company required considerable funds, and Chrysler tried to seek help from the US federal government. Most likely, help would have been denied if Iacocca had not held a series of performances. In his speeches, he described in detail what would happen after the closure of all factories of the corporation. Undoubtedly, the bankruptcy of such a large company would have dealt a severe blow to the American economy. As a result of speeches in 1979, a special Act was passed through Congress and signed by President Carter. This Act provided Chrysler with 1.5 billion US dollars.
Help arrived just in time. In the same 1979, Chrysler's share of sales in the automotive market fell from 21% (1952) to 9%. Chrysler closed several factories, laid off quite a few employees, switched the entire fleet to front-wheel drive, doubled the rate (km / liter). As you can see, the restoration was successful. The slogan of those times was the words "If you can find a better car - ... buy it." The developers tried with might and main so that there were no better cars. In 1981, new K-cars began to be produced. They helped to find a way out of the financial impasse. Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant conquered the market, ensured the company's profit, which allowed Chrysler to pay off the debt to the government already in 1983.
Also in 1983, Chrysler opened up a new sector of the market by starting the production of minibuses. It has revolutionized the lives of many American families. And today, Chrysler minibuses dominate the American market and account for about 20% of the European one. Rising profits, as always, prompted expansion. Chrysler created many joint ventures (including the well-known Diamond-Star along with Mitsubishi). In 1987, the famous Lamborghini company was acquired. So the fastest car in mass production - Diablo - also belongs to the Chrysler Corporation.
Perhaps the biggest and most profitable investment was the purchase of American Motors. Along with it, Chrysler acquired the rights to cars such as Eagle and Jeep. These brands, obviously, do not need to be represented. Original enough was a joint venture for the production of transmission components, founded in 1989, General Motors teamed up with Chrysler to create it. This was the first merger of two US rival companies. By the end of the 80s, Chrysler improved its service. The corporation gave a 7-year warranty on its machines. The warranty covered both the engine components themselves and the car body. Chrysler specialists claimed that after 100,000 miles, rust should not appear on the body.
With safety in mind, in 1988 Chrysler was the first to install airbags in all of its cars, making them standard equipment. Although the company lost about $800 million in a downturn in the economy in 1991, the Chrysler Big Technology Center was laid that year, and in 1992, after a $1.6 billion investment, a new plant was built in Detroit. It is interesting to note the fact that the plant was built in Detroit itself and not in the countryside. Even though this location was less financially advantageous, Chrysler won the trust of Detroiters - a skilled workforce - and supported the city itself.
Financial prosperity began in 1994 - the company again set a record, earning 3.7 billion. In the same year, new sedans Chrysler Cirrus, Dodge Stratus were introduced. By the way, Cirrus won the honorary Motor Trend competition and was named Car of the Year. In 1995, a minibus won the same competition for the first time. Dodge Caravan became the Car of the Year and the best selling car. Incredible demand for Chrysler's products led to the company winning 19 more sales awards in the same year. In 1996 Chrysler headquarters was built. In this huge building, which is adjacent to the Chrysler Technology Center, you can make critical decisions, design, test, build and develop product lines, and produce the cars themselves. All automotive production was concentrated under one roof. The convenience of the building and the reduction in transportation costs led Chrysler to achieve the lowest cost among manufacturers, which made it possible to receive the maximum profit per unit of production.
However, prosperity cannot last long. This was proved by the strike in 1977, as a result of which 450 million dollars were lost. The strike was the longest in the plant's thirty-year history, lasting a month and involving 1,800 workers. The corporation continued its international cooperation with various firms. Soon a small contract was signed with Daimler-Benz for the production of minibuses. Apparently, the cooperation turned out to be very fruitful, because in 1998 there was a merger of these largest companies.
It is difficult to say what fate awaits Chrysler today. On the one hand, there has been a consolidation of production, which will increase capacity and win a more advantageous place in the market. But on the other hand, the new corporation, although it is called Daimler-Chrysler, is rather Daimler than Chrysler. The Germanization of the corporation is underway, which makes American workers very unhappy. Nevertheless, no matter what processes take place in the sphere of big business, no matter how different companies merge, Chrysler cars will still remain as popular as before. This corporation gave us the famous Jeeps Cherokee and Grand Cherokee, it developed the Dodge Viper, Chrysler 300M and many others.
Let the history of Chrysler be written and the last page turned. The history of new Chrysler cars is just beginning, just now the new rear-wheel drive Chrysler models are coming off the assembly line at the Brampton plant in Canada - the 300C and Dodge Magnum twins. It is known that on the chassis of both the 300C and the Magnum, numerous units and components from the fraternal Mercedes found their place. According to Burke Brown, chief engineer of the Chrysler Group, a good 20%. From a senior German partner comes a 5-speed hydromechanical "automatic", steering gear, front and rear suspensions, main gear with differential, seat frames - and a variety of electronics. But the engines are their own, Chrysler's: the well-known 2.7- and 3.5-liter 24-valve V-shaped sixes. And the trump card is the powerful 5.7-liter "eight" Hemi. All-aluminum, but quite traditional design, so dear to the heart of American motorists. Hemi (hemisphere - hemisphere) with hemispherical combustion chambers, a single central camshaft and rod-actuated valves, 2 per cylinder. Motor from the romantic 50s; victories on NASCAR tracks.
