| The possible merging of General Motors and | | | | Town & Country and the Dodge Caravan are the |
| Chrysler is seen by most analysts as a desperate | | | | nation's best-selling minivans while GM is in the |
| move to survive. However, it is still unclear how | | | | process of giving up on the minivan market |
| such merging would result to anything positive for | | | | completely. And if ever the merging really pushed |
| either company or for the US auto industry as a | | | | through then General Motors will be the new |
| whole. | | | | proud owner of Chrysler's minivan fleet. |
| The only beneficiaries of the possible merging are | | | | But most analysts think that Chrysler's minivans |
| the DaimlerChrysler's shareholders who are hoping | | | | are not enough of a reason for GM to buy a |
| to finally ditch the Chrysler Group. | | | | losing company especially when there is that risks |
| Buying the Chrysler Group would put General | | | | of an overlapping portfolio of products. In the |
| Motors, world's largest automaker and maker of | | | | auto industry it is not easy to dispense |
| popular GM Buick parts in a bad position due to | | | | overlapping products. Unlike the merging of banks |
| the basic fact that Chrysler is an embodiment of | | | | in which half of the branches are eliminated, |
| everything that GM is trying to avoid which is to | | | | including the back offices and in the process keep |
| become overly reliant on light trucks resulting to | | | | all the customers. |
| excessive production and losses in North America. | | | | Not to belittle the management capability of |
| | | | General Motors but it is no secret that the |
| John Casesa, an industry consultant and former | | | | automaker is finding it hard to manage all of its |
| Wall Street analyst said, "It would increase | | | | eight brands and adding three more would |
| exponentially the challenge that GM management | | | | become an impossible mission even for the |
| faces in executing its turnaround." | | | | world's numero uno. Imagine managing Jeep and |
| Until now General Motors and DaimlerChrysler still | | | | Hummer at the same time would demand for a |
| refuse to give any official statement on the | | | | juggler's ability. And if you think that's difficult just |
| speculated merging. According to Chrysler | | | | wait till GM has to market Dodge Ram pickups |
| spokesman Michael Aberlich, "We're not going to | | | | and its very own Chevy Silverados which are |
| comment on the rumor of the day." | | | | considered to be the lifeblood of both Chrysler |
| Most people are questioning is Chrysler really | | | | and GM. The bottom line here is that GM and |
| worth it? In terms of products the only thing that | | | | Chrysler has the same products which will |
| Chrysler has that GM doesn't have are minivans. | | | | compete with each other instead of competing |
| It is also interesting to note that the Chrysler | | | | with those of other automakers. |