AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 14 (Reuters) - DaimlerChrysler's (NYSE
CX - News; XETRA
CXGn.DE - News) struggling Chrysler division should soon see an increase in sales from its lineup of all-new or redesigned cars and trucks, a senior company official said on Wednesday.
"I think in the second quarter we should start to see some lift there," said outgoing Chief Operating Officer Wolfgang Bernhard, when asked how soon new products would translate into higher U.S. sales.
"Things are taking off at this point in time," Bernhard said.
He referred to, among other vehicles, the Chrysler 300, an all-new, flagship sedan.
Nine new models are coming from Chrysler and its Dodge and Jeep divisions this year, part of 25 due over the next three years. And in an industry where product is king, company officials are clearly hoping that glittering new sheet metal will give their long-running turnaround efforts traction.
"This will finally mean that Chrysler has taken off," Bernhard said of the product offensive. After a long drought, the automaker is finally getting "some air under the wings," he said.
Bernhard was appointed to head DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit in February and spoke to reporters at a luncheon marking the handover of his No. 2 spot at Chrysler to Tom LaSorda, a manufacturing chief hired from General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - News) in 2000.
Full Story HERE
"I think in the second quarter we should start to see some lift there," said outgoing Chief Operating Officer Wolfgang Bernhard, when asked how soon new products would translate into higher U.S. sales.
"Things are taking off at this point in time," Bernhard said.
He referred to, among other vehicles, the Chrysler 300, an all-new, flagship sedan.
Nine new models are coming from Chrysler and its Dodge and Jeep divisions this year, part of 25 due over the next three years. And in an industry where product is king, company officials are clearly hoping that glittering new sheet metal will give their long-running turnaround efforts traction.
"This will finally mean that Chrysler has taken off," Bernhard said of the product offensive. After a long drought, the automaker is finally getting "some air under the wings," he said.
Bernhard was appointed to head DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes-Benz unit in February and spoke to reporters at a luncheon marking the handover of his No. 2 spot at Chrysler to Tom LaSorda, a manufacturing chief hired from General Motors Corp. (NYSE:GM - News) in 2000.
Full Story HERE