Is Jim Press High? Chrysler to become a BMW or Mercedes?

In an interview in next week's Automotive News, Jim Press suggests that if Chrysler survives its current crisis, it could become a small, boutique manufacturer on par with BMW and Mercedes. "We're going to be a smaller, more focused company. We could be the Mercedes or BMW of America," crowed Press. He claims that Chrysler is building premium vehicles from the ground up, not "gingerbreading" them like Ford or GM. That's pretty tough talk from a guy whose dealers are currently choking on low-rent Avengers and Sebrings. The next generation Grand Cherokee had better rock!

Jim Press has had a legendary run in the automotive industry. I was shocked when he left Toyota for Chrysler and I'm still not convinced it was the best move for his career. I happen to think that Chrysler is a dead man walking and I don't see it pulling out of its death spiral.

Now that I've said my piece, I hope that I'm proved wrong. I hope that Chrysler is able to continue on as an independent company and become a purveyor of the premium vehicles that Jim Press describes.