RoswellGrey

DEE-ANN DURBIN
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NEW YORK — If the economy continues to worsen and U.S. auto sales nosedive, the top executives of General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co. and Chrysler LLC say they are prepared to weather the downturn.
Speaking at separate events in New York on Wednesday, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Chrysler Chairman and CEO Bob Nardelli said their restructuring plans have cut factory capacity and other costs so they can make it through a deeper slowdown.
“We also stress-tested our business plan ..... to be able to go if everything gets much, much worse, to go down lower and still be able to keep implementing our plan,” Mulally said at the Morgan Stanley Global Automotive Conference. “So we have the cash, we have the liquidity. We just need to absolutely stay on our plan now.”
Nardelli said at the New York International Auto Show that Chrysler prepared for a downturn in U.S. sales this year with layoffs and cuts in manufacturing and inventory. Chrysler announced in November it plans to cut 12,000 jobs, including 2,000 salaried jobs, by the end of this year.
Chrysler Vice Chairman and President Tom LaSorda said Wednesday that the automaker is making good progress persuading its hourly workers to take buyouts despite the faltering economy.
“We've never missed a manpower reduction target,” he said. GM and Ford also are offering buyouts to almost all of their U.S. hourly workers.
Nardelli said that in its planning, Chrysler did not assume the economy will recover in the second half of this year as many automakers have. He said he expects total U.S. sales of 15.5 million in 2008, which would be the lowest level in a decade.
On Tuesday, automotive information company J.D. Power and Associates lowered its 2008 forecast for U.S. new light vehicle sales from 15.7 million to 14.95 million, the lowest level since 1994.
Westlake Village, Calif.-based J.D. Power said lower consumer confidence and spending, financial market turmoil and the industry's slow performance in January and February prompted it to update the forecast it released late last year.
GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz said the company continues to believe sales will rise in the second half of the year and will end up similar to last year's total of 16.1 million. But if sales continue to slide, GM will take steps to cut costs, he said.
“Obviously, like any corporation, we will react to changing conditions,” Lutz said. “If the stock market rebounds upward, it should ease the credit situation somewhat and bring back some consumer confidence.”
Nardelli also said Chrysler will make further cuts if the market demands it.
“If we have to adjust, I would submit to you we probably have to adjust less than some of the other manufacturers because we already adjusted significantly,” he said, pointing to the job cuts as well as cuts in the vehicle lineup and sales of some non-automotive assets.
Mulally told industry analysts that Ford, too, is ready even if U.S. auto sales drop to the low-15 million vehicle range this year.
He told the group Ford planned for overall U.S. market sales of 15.7 million for the full year, but during the first two months it's running around 15.3 million.
GM shares fell 38 cents, or 2 percent, to close at $19.03 Wednesday while Ford shares rose 16 cents, or 3 percent, to $5.45.

Jeremiah 29:11

I wish the best to our American workers, as it is not fun being without a job.

awsure

“We've never missed a manpower reduction target,”

That is a SAD statement. The fact that this metric is somehow spun as a positive makes me want to wretch. Our manufacturers are in RETREAT mode as opposed to attacking Toyota, Honda, etc...

We ought to instill goals in the industry that create the need to utter phrases such as..."We are vigorously filling headcount to satisfy increased demand"

RLSH700

That is a phrase that bothers me as well. I agree with you. They need to stop this retreat approach and take a more "We're going to take back the market" approach.

MrKrisSullivan

If American auto makers don't do something quick, and I might not be able to afford the new Challenger, Im going beamer or infiniti gas is way to expensive and im thinking about moving to go to school and Im not going to take a loan out to by a car to pay even more for gas its just redundant now-a-days. The economy sucks.
Yeah that phrase bothers me a lot too. I was laid off a few months ago do to pay-roll cuts. I really don't think I can further my education and afford paying for a gas guzzleing V-8. I love this car but Im not going to buy it in a V-6, so I might be out indefinatly.

DSkippy

Yeah, never failing to meet a lay off target? That seems like "Yep. We've effectively mis-managed this company so well, we've gotten attuned to firing thousands of workers very precisely."

Why would anyone make this statement? Granted, might be one of those perfect quotes taken out of context, to convey the "evil soul-less corporate executive" in the typical class bating media, but still. These are lives being thrown into turmoil, how about a little image control if one can't even muster genuine sympathy/empathy.

RLSH700

MrKrisSullivan, if you are having financial issues, why would you buy a luxury car? They cost more and they don't get very good gas mileage either.

Skippy, I hear you on that one. If that is a REAL quote, they are just plain foolish.

DSkippy

Wow, how did I miss that, RLSH? I can't afford gas so I'll buy a luxury car. What's the old addage? "If worried about the cost of the Gas in the car you can't afford the car" seems equally applicable to German and Asian automobiles.

I was surprised at my friends TL for the lack of gas mileage it was getting.