DaimlerChrysler won't share Mercedes platforms
Brand-conscious DaimlerChrysler managers in Germany are very vocal about the fact that they're not interested in any platform sharing between the Mercedes brand and the others under the corporate umbrella. "A Mercedes will remain a Mercedes and will not share a platform with anyone," said Dr. Ruediger Grube, Board of Management, DaimlerChrysler Corporate Development. "We will leave that to the others," he added. The concern is that cost-savvy shoppers would eschew the flagship Mercedes brand if they felt they could spend less to get fundamentally the same vehicle with another corporate sibling's badges on it.
Dr. Grube told labor union leaders in Stuttgart that the manufacturer would have to look for opportunities to cut costs in other places, such as small parts that are under the skin and through efficiencies in purchasing and data systems.
[Source: just-auto (Sub req'd)]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
_thumbnail.jpg "2011 Audi A8: Live from Miami")
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Sam 9:13AM (12/14/2006)
Hmm.
The 300/Magnum/Charger use the 96-2002 E-class platform.
The Crossfire was a 1st-generation SLK in drag.
Maybe they should amend their statements to "current Mercedes platforms"?
Reply
Phil L. 9:21AM (12/14/2006)
I can live with Chrysler platforms. How about sharing some Mercedes engine technology? I'd love to see a Bluetec engine option for some Chrysler products.
Reply
nagmashot 9:25AM (12/14/2006)
reply to 1
I think that is what he means that they do not share currently in production platforms.. the Crossfire SRT6 is completly build in Germany at the Karmann plant in Osnabrück ... The SRT6 is a detuned old SLK 32 AMG (detuned = power reduced from 354hp to 335hp)
Reply
DJ 9:32AM (12/14/2006)
It could also mean that Chrysler really is being considered for sale to another party.......Calling Carlos Ghosn
Reply
nagmashot 9:39AM (12/14/2006)
reply to 2
The Chrysler 300C is in europe avaible with Mercedes diesel engines..
Called 300C 3.0 CRD powered by a 3.0l V6 diesel engine with 218hp 510Nm (376ft.lbf) 25-35mpg normal driven.
Big plus it can drive twice as much miles till it need service/oilchange as the petrol powered 300C.
http://media.autobild.de/bild/9/7eb2ea975557b746af5c8fd6f4a19839_1.jpg
picture of the 3.0l V6 diesel engine in the 300C 3.0 CRD
Reply
Phil L. 10:04AM (12/14/2006)
nagmashot -
Thanks - I wasn't aware some European Chrysler products got Mercedes diesel engines.
So... Once again, the US gets dissed in the diesel arena.
Reply
MikeW 10:13AM (12/14/2006)
The LX is an amalgam, the front suspension is all 2000-2006 S-class
The rear is supersized E-class.
The e-class 96-02 had a high mounted fuel tank [behind the rear seats], so did the 00-06 S-class. The LX does not. The c-class has the standard saddle type fuel tank, and so does the LX
It was parts bin engineered, one man's trash...
Reply
Ian 10:52AM (12/14/2006)
Totally dumb comment from a major manufacturer.
99.9% of all American Chrysler buyers have no idea what the origins of any particualr car might be. Ergo only 0.01% or less of buyers would specicially buy say a Chrysler 300C because it had some older origins in a MB E Class sedan.
If this is a sample of how the significant German Managers think at DC heaven help that company. In short they are fighting themselves b4 they even fight their competitors. Classic case of a company about to fall off a cliff with only themselves to blame.
Reply
Sebastian 11:02AM (12/14/2006)
But wouldn't sharing platforms be in the best interests for DaimlerChrysler to improve on Chrysler?? Why are they treating Chrysler like a stepchild???
Reply
Jeff 11:20AM (12/14/2006)
"Why are they treating Chrysler like a stepchild???"
Because in the Eurpoean mentality, it is. We hear so much about how GM and Ford are heading off the cliff, Mercedes is either right behind them or leading the way. What an absolutely snobbish European attitude. Of course they are sharing platforms, why would they spend the R&D and development costs to have different platforms for cars in the same size class? That would be a very stupid business decision. Well, I guess that is why they are heading down the road to ruin. With all the quality issues from Mercedes recently and the stupid business decisions, good bye. Nobody needs them in the market anyway.
Reply
66coronet 11:50AM (12/14/2006)
"2. I can live with Chrysler platforms. How about sharing some Mercedes engine technology? I'd love to see a Bluetec engine option for some Chrysler products.
Posted at 9:21AM on Dec 14th 2006 by Phil L."
MB 3.0L crd V-6 is also used in the Jeep Grand Cheokee (first to use the 3.0L crd in the US for chrysler div) jeep commander, 300C touring/wagon, 300C and sprinter (next gen). Bluetec capable. But the GC at first will not be bluetec.
PT cruiser uses the MB 2.2Lcrd. Started out to be 119hp and finally bumped up to 150hp to match rest of MB C & E class cars with same motor. Probably now that the new E class 2.2Lcrd is 170+hp.
Reply
66coronet 12:00PM (12/14/2006)
http://www.worldcarfans.com/news.cfm/newsid/2060602.002/country/acf/Jeep/2007-jeep-grand-cherokee-crd-first-full-size-diesel-suv-in-us
The 2007 Jeep® Grand Cherokee with a 3.0-liter common rail turbo diesel (CRD) engine will arrive at Jeep dealerships in the first quarter of 2007.
Reply
66coronet 12:11PM (12/14/2006)
http://uk.cars.yahoo.com/car-reviews/car-and-driving/jeep-commander-3.0crd-predator-1005093.html
JEEP COMMANDER 3.0CRD PREDATOR
Reply
Phil 12:15PM (12/14/2006)
#10. Hey Jeff, lets just put it down to Mercedes Benz, not Europeans in general. I mean after all isn't Ford guilty of similarly shunning Ford Europe's products that would do well in the US because of company politics and short sightedness?
Reply
M. 12:20PM (12/14/2006)
Funny. The Chrysler 300, Dodge Magnum and Dodge Charger use the platform of the old W210 E-Class... The Crossfire was already mentioned as well as the Diesel engines.
Also funny: the PT uses the old C-Class' common rail Diesel unit. Newer Chryslers get ugly VW Diesels instead of installing Detroit Diesel/VM units...
Reply
Tiago do Vale 1:41PM (12/14/2006)
Anybody who says MB is sinking must be stupid: did you check the sales figures? Are you aware that having a few reliability issues, related to the electronics, doesn't say nothing about the quality of the cars, and it's only news because we are talking about Mercedes?
Check the JDPowers surveys, and see were Mercedes stand...
They refuse to share, because they understand the value of a brand... That's why every single american marque in -yes- sinking... Any europena marque in trouble? FIAT is great and giving profits, just a few years after GM went away.
Reply
Buhyina 1:58PM (12/14/2006)
It's a two-way street: the Mercedes R wagon is built on the Chrysler Pacifica platform. I wonder if MB's eurosnob mentality made that point easy to forget.
Reply
M. 2:58PM (12/14/2006)
#17: Definitely no. The R is a modified M-class. Yes. The Pacifica might be a modified M-class as well... :-)
If a company like Daimler-Benz decides to go together with a company like hrysler, they have to be aware of the consequenses. They have to know that they must find a source for transversally mounted engines as well as they have to tap RWD platforms somewhere. Many execs do not want to know about the problem.
The solution is to modularize platforms, to build engines that can be mounted in both configugarions, but Daimler does not seem to be ready for this: They are still building I4s and V6 for North-South-layouts. It sucks. It sucks so much that they have to buy VW engines instead of looking around in the same company...
Reply
Philip 3:04PM (12/14/2006)
The most blatant badge engineering is their MB/Dodge/ Freightliner Sprinter...
Reply
dakota 6:33PM (12/14/2006)
Lets get a few things straight here.
LX's are not old "E" class cars, rear suspension, transmission, and electrical are MB parts. Front suspension is not MB with a lower roll center and wider track.
"R" class is not a Pacifica. Period.
Reply