Chrysler may sell or close Mopar
There are perhaps better bloggers out there to eulogize the potential passing of Mopar, Chrysler's high-performance and specialty parts division. Those with more wrinkles on their brow could reflect on days when Mopar muscle ruled the streets and stalked stoplights like a hungry predator. It's future as a division of the newly-named Chrysler LLC is in doubt, as reports are surfacing this morning that it may be sold or even closed, along with Chrysler Transport, the division that delivers parts and supplies to the company's various plants. Of course, everything's on the table during a turnaround, so the possibility of Chrysler selling a division that defines a large part of its identity is not surprising. It appears the idea of shedding Mopar was put on the table during contract talks with the UAW that are happening as we speak. Mopar and Chrysler Transport represent about 1,300 paid employees, and it appears these people are being used as a bargaining tool in a high stakes game of chicken. Hopefully they'll still have their jobs after Sept. 14th when the current contract between the automaker from Auburn Hills and the UAW expires.
[Source: Blogging Stocks]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Tool 12:03PM (8/29/2007)
It's pretty clear, now, that Chrysler will not survive as it is currently configured.
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Jeff 12:06PM (8/29/2007)
The Detroit Free Press is reporting that the warehousing and packaging operations of Mopar are under consideration for sale or closing, not the performance brand itself. No need to panic yet.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070829/BUSINESS01/708290330
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F451 12:05PM (8/29/2007)
This is sacrilege!
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Don 5:23PM (8/29/2007)
Tell us about it. But what exactly were we all expecting from a bean counter weasel like Nardelli?
AlexP 12:13PM (8/29/2007)
No one gives a shit (in the general public) about Mopar.
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AlexP 12:15PM (8/29/2007)
This was meant to be an answer to Tool, by the way.
Don 5:24PM (8/29/2007)
Define "general public"...'cause I sure as hell care.
naggs 12:13PM (8/29/2007)
there is no way Mopar as a brand will disappear.
that would be about as stupid as chrysler selling the Hemi trademark to a energy drink company.
it may be spun off as a seperate entity to raise some cash but from now until the sun burns out (or at least until chrysler goes completly under for the last time), you will be able to buy mopar acces for your dodge
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NeoteriX 3:21PM (8/29/2007)
Somewhere out there in cyberspace, an autoexec just read your post and thought... "Hey... that's a Great Idea!!!"
66coronet 1:39PM (8/29/2007)
Isn't the warehousing and packaging operations of Mopar the hart of performance parts? No warehouse = no parts.
Maybe they should just make the parts and let amazon.com or P.A.W. or summit racing or ??? deal with warehousing & packaging operations.
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Du 2:06PM (8/29/2007)
Man people don't know anything.
MOPAR is more than performance parts. Every automaker has a distribution network for parts (in general) and warehouses to store those parts. GM calls is SPO (Service Parts and Operations) for example. Chrysler's MOPAR does that AND it sells and designs performance parts. I think what they want to sell is the distribution centers and warehouses MOPAR has relating to regular parts.
Basically Chrysler wants to get out of the transport business.
iamhoff 12:36PM (8/29/2007)
Incorporate the Mopar name and functions into SRT. Toyota has TRD packages/models for some of its vehicles, and sells individual TRD parts for just about all of them. Ford's SVT has made use of FRP (Ford Racing Performance) parts in the past and presumably will continue to do so with future models. I'd like to think (and maybe this is my age and nostalgia kicking in) that there's enough equity in the Mopar brand to make it a viable addition to SRT. ChryCo seems to be getting some good vibes out of the SRT brand, so it should be a pretty good fit.
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Travis Rassat 3:03PM (8/29/2007)
Good point, iamhoff. That would make as much sense as possible in today's business climate, at least as much sense as killing off Mopar could make. Perhaps, it's the least worst alternative.
Rolf B 12:41PM (8/29/2007)
Ahhh, the selling of the pieces has started. I knew the claims the "NEW" Chrysler would be in it for the long haul was to good to be true.
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F1Mikal 1:11PM (8/29/2007)
NOOOOOOOOOOO!
MOPAR.
Move Over People Are Racing!!!
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jayhawker 12:51PM (8/29/2007)
Get rid of the unions...which Save Mopar and Chrysler
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Rob 12:57PM (8/29/2007)
That would be a real stupid mistake. If anything, I think they should start branding everything SRT makes with MOPAR branding, and merge SRT and Mopar. Mopar is all about v8s, and SRT seems to be about everything performance oriented, so a marriage seems pretty natural. They do the same thing.
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wally 1:14PM (8/29/2007)
Next is Jeep!!
Then Dodge!!!
Then give away Chrysler!!!
Total profit for the devil's dogs..........Priceless
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Steve 1:18PM (8/29/2007)
Can you say "Strip and Flip"?
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Ben Levy 1:25PM (8/29/2007)
If they were to sell it all off it might still work. Mugen is isn't owned by Honda, yet they still make stuff you can get at a dealership.
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