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J. White's video of Bob Nardelli Q&A at the 2008 New York Auto Show
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0:00
assuming there's a recession Andy with
0:02
one do you accept that there is a
0:04
recession on the economy what would you
0:07
what a baby would you be doing
0:09
differently well it's a great question
0:13
and I mean it set a backdrop Jim Tom and
0:18
I myself got together towards the end of
0:21
last year and as I said in my comments
0:24
we really think reality we face reality
0:27
in the economy and reality in the auto
0:30
industry as a result of that we broke
0:33
with somewhat of a traditional view on
0:36
both sides and we identified quite
0:39
honestly a very aggressive conservative
0:42
plan for 2008 we kind of take the
0:45
industry at about 15.5 long before I
0:49
think the rest of the industry got there
0:51
as a result of that we were able to do a
0:54
number of things tom lasorda was able to
0:56
resize the footprint we went through
0:59
some agonizing the tough decisions any
1:02
time you have to downsize and effect
1:04
loyal dedicated employees but we did
1:07
that really taking a realistic look at
1:10
what the economy and the industry might
1:12
bring jim was again in a similar fashion
1:15
we were quick to move on reducing some
1:18
of our products within the product
1:20
portfolio he went out and talked yet a
1:22
fireside chat and all of our dealers I
1:25
think in eight cities talking about the
1:27
importance of justice so in our plan our
1:30
base plan we think we really
1:33
incorporated and thinking of the service
1:35
at ism for 2008 we did not build in a
1:39
second act recovery if it happens we
1:43
couldn't be happier to change the volume
1:45
up and drive the leverage
1:47
productivity if we were wrong and more
1:50
conservative enough and we'll be quick
1:53
to adjust as be good for at the end of
1:55
the port for tasting 2008 I think that's
1:59
the economy some of the consumer
2:02
confidence and so forth is out there is
2:04
it permeates throughout everything we do
2:07
our job is to can you see to make our
2:10
dealerships the attraction in the
2:12
community our job is to make sure that
2:14
our product differentiates from the
2:17
competition and represent all the
2:19
aspirational desires of consumer wants
2:22
the gear shoot them dead puts down their
2:24
hard-earned money for our vehicle so we
2:27
think that we're as well positioned as
2:29
one could be will face continue to face
2:31
the reality will make the Justice
2:33
accordingly thanks
2:43
most of you mentioned design and clearly
2:48
Chrysler has scored very well with some
2:50
good signs of recent years such as a 300
2:52
you also been hit pretty hard we're
2:56
designed a lot of new models from the
2:58
sum of the jeeps to the Japanese to
3:03
adventure vehicles like receiver talk
3:05
about the challenge you face is storing
3:08
your design reputation particularly with
3:11
your design reputation on the line why
3:14
you cut the Pacific of studio in
3:18
California which will come up with some
3:19
of the most creative designs you ever
3:22
had well because the three or four
3:25
questions in their first of all let me
3:27
say that just as we face the reality in
3:29
the economy in the industry I think we
3:32
have faith the reality of our consumer
3:34
feedback and that's why I generally
3:36
we're first in the industry that having
3:39
keep customer officer and we meet
3:41
regularly and repetitively on that
3:43
feedback so we're we are not in denial
3:47
we are not arguing with some of the
3:50
customer feedback we have I think in my
3:53
experience my 38 years you're usually
3:55
never as bad as people write about and
3:59
yours you're never as good as people
4:01
write about so I think what I would say
4:03
is that our quality in some of the
4:06
vehicles in this where we want it to be
4:09
and I can assure you will be a lot
4:12
better in the future and evidence in our
4:14
commitment and our resolve to make line
4:17
items in fruits point number one point
4:20
number two I couldn't agree with you
4:22
more I mean the most exciting part of
4:25
this this opportunity for me is to be
4:28
able to work with really high and select
4:31
engineers who really are on the leading
4:34
edge of
4:35
advances in our beautiful and then to
4:38
take that engineering and wrap it
4:40
artistically in the design I didn't tell
4:44
you is it's certainly a lot more fun
4:47
when I was building power plants high
4:49
technology not to appeal but very well
4:53
you know so the opportunity to work with
4:55
these brilliant people has been exciting
4:57
for me your question about the design
4:59
center I think goes right to the part of
5:02
my comment about globalization and
5:05
bringing globality Chrysler it is it is
5:09
certainly not a result of the excellent
5:11
work that the men and women have done
5:13
there whom we're working with closely to
5:16
make sure they continue to have gainful
5:18
employment and challenging assignments I
5:21
think the challenge for us on a much
5:24
broader scale is how do we how do we
5:26
search the world looking at our global
5:29
centers of excellence and look for more
5:32
of a learning in our design I think if
5:35
you look right here at home in North
5:37
America and you look at how consumers
5:39
are voting with their dollars relative
5:41
to international design international
5:44
features international fit and finish we
5:47
need to make sure that our view is this
5:51
broad as the customer in the market base
5:53
so it isn't about abandoning design it's
5:57
about reaching
5:59
our design use on a more global basis
6:09
I'm mr. jelly a great verse we're not
6:13
wearing my old car speaking regional
6:15
correspondent at which you're trying to
6:18
live an age where we're trying to take
6:20
at cut out of driver distraction and
6:24
confidence or import company why I'm so
6:27
hard than to find a car from the US car
6:30
maker where you can get a manual gearbox
6:32
I never thought I'd live long enough see
6:35
and carpet dodge challenger kind of
6:37
market without one and I probably went
6:39
over 300 or a charger in my skin manual
6:42
gearbox in a car Nina v8-powered sedan
6:45
like that maybe there's an opportunity
6:47
there that you know the edge of it don't
6:51
work now probably audience is going to
6:53
think that we we planet that question
6:56
with you so if you'll join Jim pressed
6:58
at the reveal will put you first in line
7:01
to sign up for one
7:08
I want to build an EVO thunder but be
7:11
assured happier and check for it hi I'm
7:21
Rick doing the US News where you're born
7:23
here intelligence but what's your target
7:26
for when pressure becomes profitable and
7:28
we're no marriage that you have to be in
7:30
there okay you're right I can't tell you
7:33
that but i will i will give you some
7:36
pretty clear direction I think it's
7:38
public knowledge that the price 13 met
7:43
or exceeded every one of the performers
7:45
that was presented to our investors for
7:49
2007 we also ended here with a billion
7:53
dollars more in cash in liquidity that
7:56
the turnaround plan identified we are in
8:01
our 2008 plan continuing to move in the
8:06
direction of returning to profitability
8:08
and just as we delivered last year early
8:12
in the year but we are on plans through
8:15
the first two months and that plant
8:18
again continues to drive the company to
8:21
profitability and so we are very pleased
8:25
with the progress we've made I couldn't
8:28
be prouder of the team your grazing the
8:31
initiatives that we've had from a market
8:33
focus customer-centric we're working
8:35
very hard on driving efficiencies in our
8:38
business we are allowing our engineers
8:41
again demonstrate their inspiration in
8:46
our design team to again demonstrate
8:49
their operational capabilities and i
8:52
would say again within within the not
8:55
too distant
8:56
future chrysler will return to
8:58
profitability
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