Chrysler has urged its dealer network to order more cars or watch the company “burn down,” despite dealers having vast stocks of unsold new cars.
Dealers have been asked to order an extra 15,000 vehicles by Monday, in order to “keep the doors open” until further government aid arrives at the end of March.
The request to order a total of 78,000 vehicles for February sales has been ignored by 30 per cent of Chrysler’s US dealers.
Read Dan Stevens' blog on Chrysler's situation
It is the second such request made by Chrysler co-president Jim Press in two weeks, after he asked dealers assembled at the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in New Orleans on 24 January to help reach the target.
Press also warned dealers that the company would not forget those who failed to help the company. "If you decide not to do that [complete the orders], we've got a good memory of who helped this company make it," he said.
The plea comes two days after Chrysler announced it would close three plants to cut production and reduce stocks of new cars, currently standing at around 360,000 vehicles.
Chrysler’s January sales were down 55 per cent compared with January 2008, and down 31 per cent compared with December’s sales.
Add your comment