http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/au...llispeech.html

NEW YORK — Despite a raft of executive changes at the top of Chrysler, the automaker has yet to come up with its own version of Bob Lutz, the General Motors vice chairman who is widely viewed as the quintessential Motor City "car guy." But Bob Nardelli, chairman and CEO of Chrysler LLC, made a valiant effort to sound like one in his kickoff speech on Wednesday at the 2008 New York Auto Show.

The speech offered no breaking news, but Nardelli emphasized that private equity can be interested in building a car company back to greatness. "Being private helps us be lean, agile, decisive and fast to act on market opportunities," he noted. "That means we can be highly responsive to our customers. A quick yes, a quick no, but never a slow maybe."

He asserted how excited everyone at Chrysler is to come to work every day, singling out his lieutenants Jim Press and Tom LaSorda for kudos. "In other words, we have world-class experts on both the supply and demand sides of our company," Nardelli said.

While skimping on the specifics about future products, Nardelli assured the audience that "our brands will become stronger as they become more differentiated and build on their traditional strengths.

"Our product portfolio will get stronger as we reduce overlapping products and add products to fill new segments and bring our customers the new technologies and innovation they're asking for," he added.

Nardelli mentioned the launch this year of the automaker's first hybrids, the Chrysler Aspen and Dodge Durango. "Within the next few years, we will offer mild-hybrid technology on other Chrysler vehicles," he said.

He also spoke about "our next generation of innovations, including a segment-first blind spot monitoring system for our minivans, a Chrysler-first Rear Cross Path System that notifies the driver of a car crossing his or her path when backing up — and the industry's first active transfer case and front axle disconnect system, which offers the efficiency of a two-wheel-drive system and the safety and performance of all-wheel drive when you need it."

"Chrysler has always been known for engineering innovation," Nardelli said. "The new Chrysler will get that innovation to market faster than anyone else in the business."

What this means to you: Nardelli serves as cheerleader at a major Chrysler pep rally. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent

 

They had him and they foolishly lost him.[:@] They put the fool Bob Eaton in front of him and he squandered everything.[&:]