For those who weren’t fortunate enough to attend the media briefing this morning, I thought that I would give everyone a brief overview. Get it? “Brief overview”?

Jason Vines opened the briefing with a short introduction of the briefing, then introduced Tom LaSorda.

Mr. LaSorda discussed the success of the 300 line, and mentioned the 10 new vehicles for the Chrysler brand of DCX, which is the highest number ever released in one year. He also said that the success of the 300 was largely due to the marketing campaign. He mentioned many past advertising campaigns, and then went through past “big name celebrities” and he announced that the new “celebrity”, DCX chairman Dieter Zetsche. He then introduced Dieter Zetsche.

Mr. Zetsche gave a brief overview of the success of the merger of Daimler Benz and ChrysCo. He discussed the worldwide success of various vehicles, such as the 300 line and the new diesel vehicles. He then introduced Joe Eberhardt.

Mr. Eberhardt discussed the new marketing campaign featuring “Dr. Z”, a hip new version of the Chairman, which will be included (currently) in a 60 second television commercial, four 30 second television commercials, and a 30 second radio commercial. The commercials stress the German engineering which goes into some Chrysler brand vehicles, especially the LX platform. They also point out the high performance and clean running flex-fuel and diesel SUVs.

They then went through a very brief Q&A with Vines, LaSorda, Eberhardt, and Zetsche. The questions were obviously to be aimed at the point of the new marketing campaign, and when someone (not me) asked “Any information about the Challenger?” And in typical Jason Vines fashion, he replied with “It’s a concept car. That’s all.”

There were then a few more questions with the management group, until LaSorda and Zetsche left for a “board meeting”. They then introduced a panel comprised of several dealership managers (Forgive me for not getting their names), Steve Landry Chrysler Group VP of dealer sales, George Murphy, head of global marketing for Chrysler group, and Mike Manley, VP of dealer operations. They fielded questions just about the new summer sales program with 0% APR and a 30 day return program. They also announced that many DCX dealerships in the US will be open until midnight from July 1-July 5, during the first 5 days of the new Summer Sales program.

They discussed how the 30 return programs will work. When a new car is purchased, the buyer has up to 30 days to return the vehicle, and the only “penalty” will be a mileage charge and restocking fee. Those returned vehicles will then become ‘used cars’.

There was a question about whether Chrysler Group is focusing more on performance or on fuel economy considering the price of fuel, and Mr. Eberhardt stressed that DCX is working to have a balance of performance and economy.

Mr. Vines than closed the briefing.

So, in short, it was a briefing strictly about the new Dr. Z marketing campaign, and the summer sales event for 2006.

I got shy and didn’t ask any questions…

Some images:
Thebackdrop during most of the briefing


The backdrop featuring the ten vehicles, shown while Mr. LaSorda spoke.


The backdrop showing the Summer Sales Event highlights, shown during Mr. Zetsche's time at the podium.

 

I got the last 12 minutes of it.....I like the no milage limit on the return program.

 

not available on the srt10 models..but does that mean that you could 'buy' an srt8 charger, take it to the track for a weekend and return it? you would pay a mileage and restocking fee, but then the car would move to the used sector, and you could have someone else come in and buy it used!

 

I'm dissapointed it doesent include the Megacabs.[:@]
If it did, I'd be at the dealer tomorrow. Oh well, I'll just have to wait and see what they'll offer for Memorial Day.

 

Doesnt work that way. They are not going to let Charger SRT-8s on that program unless the dealer is that stupid. But when the car is returned it will still be sold as new for it was never titled.


I was a Master Certified sales person for over a year in my car business career. Some new cars are sold with 4000 miles on them.




All new Cars) not all of those cars are all new. Chrysler fluffs everything.

 

The "30-day Return" promotion is a joke, the way it is being promoted is misleading. At a charged rate of .50 per mile on top of a 5% restock fee I am sure they want you to drive it as much as possible. This is a POOR deal and I doubt any consumers will take advantage of it. Take a $40k SUV that someone buys and drives 1,000 miles. To return the vehicle it is going to cost them $2,500.

 

Plus if you are an actual emp of dc you will lose your emp bonus cash of a grand!

 

well, as much as id like to take the word of a car salesman as fact, when the panel was asked which models were not available, the only models mentioned in the press conference were the srt10 models.

however, they probably have a more severe penalty of sorts for people who take out a higher end car like a 300C, as compared to say, a base model caliber (i think that this is the least expensive model offered by DCX right now?). dealerships can bend things the way that they want without "catching heat" from the parents corp, so long as theyre moving units, so even if the other srt8 models are available through this program, im sure that a dealership could either find a way around it, or find a way to bone people who do try to return high end cars.