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As expected, Chrysler and GM appear to be reviving merger talks. Oh joy. Guess we get to dust off that Chrysler-GM merger photoshop contest again, don't we? [MSNBC] More »
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Our very own El Werto Dinero will be on CNBC at 11:30 am to talk about the GM-Chrysler merger and how quickly all of those important changes can be made to achieve some kind of cost savings to the companies. Unlike other recent appearances, we'll probably have more than 20 seconds to drink during this version of the Official Car Pundit Drinking Game. If you're in front of a TV and work at Sterling-Cooper, join the rest of us in raising an Old Fashioned and snark to autopunditry. More »
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Just a reminder boys and girls — you only have until 12:01 AM on Wednesday, October 29, 2008 to get your best submissions in to us in the GM-Chrysler Merger Mashup p-chop contest. Slap 'em into either the comments on the original post or e-mail us at autoinsider@jalopnik.com for the “GM-Chrysler Merger Mashup Photoshop Contest”. Now, get out there and Photoshop us some crazy Monte Chargers and Corvipers or whatever for your chance to win the XBOX 360 game and a copy of the 10th season of Top Gear — and remember, as always, that standard contest rules apply. Oh, and that entry above? We're calling that the 300Camino! More »
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All this talk about a GM-Chrysler merger has caused us to think; What if, instead of loan guarantees from the feds back in 1979, Chrysler had approached GM and asked them to be their angel of deliverance. What would an alternate universe be like if GM and Chrysler were already merged? Would the automotive landscape be the same? Or would it thrive with Plymiac Azbrings and Dodgy Challamaros? Maybe a Town & Camino or two? We don't know — but after the GEM mashup last month and the SLR Guy back in June — we know your creativity knows no bounds. So grab your digital #2 pencils and fire up Photoshop because we’re challenging YOU to create this alternate universe. Give us your best creations because we’re giving away a copy of Baja: Edge of Control for XBOX 360 and the 10th season of Top Gear from iTunes to the most creative, awe-inspiring General Mopar creation out there. And no, we don't mean creating your own lineup — we've already done that. Let's give you an example — hit the jump for all of the details and for our own mashup — the Challamaro — to show you what we mean. More »
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Michigan Senator Carl Levin remarked during a local debate Monday that the federal government might be agreeable to greasing the squeaky wheel in any GM takeover of Chrysler, reports the Detroit News. "No other country in the world would stand by and watch major corporations go under this way without trying to do something about it," said the senator, acknowledging that a merger could result in job losses, but an outright failure of one or both of the automakers would produce far more devastating results to the state economy. So what kind of aid might be on the way? More »
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It's Friday afternoon, the auto industry is yet again in turmoil and that can only mean one thing: Lock the office door 'cause it's time for the Official Car Pundit Drinking Game as CNBC has Wert pundificating on the GM-Chrysler merger talks and the potential for job losses therein. Tune in to "Street Signs" at 2:10 as this once wild-eyed rumor grows legs and starts running. For the drinking rules on this edition, we think you better step it up with recommendations pushing the boundaries of logic, similar to these merger talks. What's that? You're new to our early afternoon "drinking game?" Here's the down-low, now go get crazy. More »
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The WSJ reports today (via Automotive News) Cerberus and GM are moving full-steam-ahead in their efforts to get a GM-Chrysler deal done by the end of October. Today also brings news Renault may have their hand in the cookie jar too, negotiating for one or more parts of Chrysler and leading to speculation the Auburn Hills, MI-based automaker could be divvied up among several companies: Basically the worst-case scenario envisioned when Cerberus Capital Management took over in 2007. Finally, we've got an unsubstantiated rumor engineering employees at Chrysler may be getting two months off sans pay beginning...drumroll please...November 1st. Coincidence? Maybe. Also, David Faber of CNBC had a chance to sit down with ChryslerCo CEO, Bob "The Builder" Nardelli; while we haven't had a chance to run through it in its entirety, hit the jump for the a full transcript of the CNBC interview with Nardelli. UPDATE: We now hear from a Chrysler source that rumors of an engineering furlough are not true; that's why we call them "rumors." More »
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Though the possibility of a GM-Chrysler Merger remains but a 50/50 chance, the non-denial denials have sent our heads spinning. Are conversations actually taking place? Of that we're certain. Will it actually happen? Hard to say. Will it magically save both companies? Even harder to say. What we do know is a combined company would have a lot of products to draw from across various segments, and their lineups are actually, with the right cuts and decisions, more complementary than you would think. We've taken a look at what choices a merged company should make to build their ultimate lineup should the two automakers industrially copulate, recognizing the production realities, brand equity, dealer concerns and other factors that would go into such a decision. You, dear readers, should take this as a starting point to draft and build your ultimate fantasy company in the comments below. More »
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The shocking news that talks on a potential GM-Chrysler merger are ongoing (and that GM sought out Ford first) got us thinking about the product lines of the two merging companies — you know, if this even happens, of course. But we've all seen it before. Two people move in together and stuff has to go. You don't need two coffee tables. You don't need two sets of cutlery. You don't need two Rain Dogs LPs. Given the market and recent performance it's clear that they can't carry on two separate lines. But what stays and what goes? More »
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As if the late-breaking Friday night news of merger talks between Chrysler and GM weren't astonishing enough, Bill "Pickles" Vlasic at the New York Times continued the onslaught of amazement with a follow-up story that GM had initially approached Ford before speaking to Chrysler. Apparently, GM execs approached Ford about a possible merger in July but Ford rejected the idea despite the talks progressing until as late as last month. And we though it was hard creating a name for a merger of GM and Chrysler — try coming up with one for Ford and GM. Best we could come up with was "Big Blue Moval." More »
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