Chrysler enters new era

THE CHRYSLER GROUP entered a new era this week as an independent car manufacturer after its sale to private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management was completed.

The former chairman of home improvement retail giant The Home Depot, Bob Nardelli, was named chairman and chief executive officer, with former CEO Tom LaSorda second-in-charge as vice-chairman and president.

Interestingly, former Chrysler Jeep Australia boss Judy Wheeler has continued her climb up the corporate ladder, rising to director of international marketing and communications for the Chrysler Group.

She reports to executive vice-president of international sales, marketing and business development Michael Manley.

As we reported last week, it was expected that former VW brand chief (and ex-Chrysler COO) Wolfgang Bernhard would be named chairman, however, Chrysler said in a statement that he declined an offer to become non-executive chairman, citing personal reasons.

While Mr LaSorda has remained at Chrysler, COO Eric Ridenour elected to resign after 23 years of service. His position will not be filled.

"The New Chrysler" also this week announced the return of its "Pentastar" corporate logo after a nine-year hiatus during the company's involvement in the US-German marriage that created DaimlerChrysler.

First created as the Chrysler Corporation mascot in 1962 under then-president Lynn Townsend, the Pentastar has received a bolder, three-dimensional update for 2007 and has now been unveiled from top of Chrysler headquarters tower.

"Having the Pentastar back – in its new form – serves as the perfect symbol for The New Chrysler," said Steven Landry, executive vice-president - North America Sales and Marketing, Service and Parts.

"The Pentastar represents all the pride that employees feel for the 85-year history of Chrysler, and the confidence we have in our new direction." The original Pentastar had five triangles which floated independently in a pentagon shape, broken by a five-pointed star in the middle.

Chrysler says the new Pentstar, with some changes by Trevor Creed, senior vice-president – Design, conveys strength and precision by fusing the ends of the five triangles to enclose the star and complete the pentagon.

"What we wanted to do was give the mark a look of extremely high quality," said Mr Creed. "We closed up the gaps in geometric unity and added a sense of solidity that gave the star shape a much slimmer, high quality, precise appearance.

"I do not envision us using this mark on our products, only on buildings, signage, corporate stationary and business cards,” Creed said. “It’s about who we are, not what we build.” The revised Pentastar was rolled out in all new corporate ads starting from yesterday (August 8).