1/7/2011 - Chrysler's top executive says the production launch of 2011 models at the automaker's plant in Brampton, Ont., underlines the company's resurgence since emerging from bankruptcy protection nearly two years ago.
"The launch of the all-new 2011 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger demonstrates how far this company has come in 18 months," said CEO Sergio Marchionne, who visited the plant northwest of Toronto on Friday. Also part of the production launch Friday was the upgraded 2011 Dodge Challenger.
Chrysler restructured under bankruptcy protection in mid-2009 after it nearly collapsed during the recession.
Marchionne said help from the Canadian and Ontario governments, along with the U.S. government, was key to the company's survival.
"The assistance of the government of Canada and the province of Ontario gave us the opportunity to create a future," he said.
* story courtesy of cbc.ca
1/5/2011 - Chrysler, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan, boosted sales 16 percent last month, topping the 9.3 percent average estimate of four analysts. Deliveries of the Grand Cherokee climbed to 12,753 from 4,097 a year earlier.
Sales of Chrysler?s namesake brand dropped 28 percent, and Dodge deliveries fell 6.4 percent, while Jeep deliveries gained 49 percent and Ram brand truck sales increased 87 percent, the company said in a statement.
Toyota?s U.S. deliveries fell 5.5 percent to 177,488, according to a statement on the company?s website. The average estimate of three analysts was for the Toyota City, Japan-based company to report a decline of 10 percent. Its full-year U.S. sales fell 0.4 percent to 1.76 million, the sole annual decline among major car makers.
* story courtesy of businessweek.com