Chrysler fears slump four years

The U.S. car maker Chrysler is in its home market in a long line a thirst. After the industry as early as 2008 only 13 million cars sold in the U.S., will build sales in the coming months continue to fall and the full year to fall about ten million, said Chrysler President Jim Press on Wednesday the FTD. Press warned: “In the next four years, we could remain at this level.”

The warning reflects the dramatic situation on the U.S. auto market. Most recently, Chrysler even with small increases expected from 2010. Even analysts hoped for a speedy recovery. Some experts expect now but due to weak sales in February even a decline in sales to 9.1 million cars this year. The cash-strapped Chrysler Group could be the existence of the cost.

The world’s largest U.S. vehicle market, where once some 17 million cars were sold, is in the economic and financial crisis shrunk immensely. All manufacturers around the world, this too. But the U.S. manufacturer General Motors (GM), Ford and Chrysler are particularly affected because most of their cars in the home sale. Most Chrysler is on the U.S. market. But other producers can not decrease due to higher sales in other regions cushion, as the global economic crisis rages.

“We will survive,” said Press. Chrysler but need a bridging loan. As GM and Ford has the third largest manufacturer in the United States government in Washington for billions of new loans requested. Chrysler also has its costs. The production capacity was increased by 1.3 million cars down, the fixed costs were reduced by $ 3.8 billion decrease, 35,000 jobs eliminated. “We now have a job as we had 1934,” made clear the dimensions Press. But Chrysler can go it alone by the crisis – if there was state aid. Former merger talks with GM were off the table, said Press.

In February, the U.S. market once again caved – the lowest level in nearly three decades. GM wants the production in the second quarter by more than one-third cut, Ford by 38 percent. Chrysler paragraph shrank by 44 percent, from 48 percent at Ford, GM sold about half less than last year. Also lost the competition: Audi, Volkswagen lost 14 percent without a 20 percent Mercedes, Toyota, 40 percent.

Press the decline, however, may also likely be good: Chrysler have fleet sales to companies and lenders significantly reduced. Here, sales increased by 71 per cent lower than in the same month last year. This business was not profitable been. “There we have a lot of money lost. It is good that the stops,” said Press.