Chrysler CEO Pledges More Car Models

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. Reuters reported that DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler arm on Wednesday said 14 of the 21 new or refreshed models due in the next few years will be cars, a switch from Chrysler's recent history.

Chrysler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said during the auto industry's Management Briefing Seminars in northern Michigan that the automaker was trying to reduce its dependence on the pickups, minivans and sport utility vehicles that account for roughly 70 percent of Chrysler's sales today.

"This is by no means a reduction of our focus on the truck side, but an expansion of scope," Zetsche said.

Zetsche has previously outlined a plan to spend $6 billion a year on Chrysler's new vehicles, roughly $2 billion a year less than originally budgeted. Zetsche has said that as part of the company's turnaround plan, he wanted to increase Chrysler's annual sales by 1 million vehicles, or roughly 30 percent.

He also said some of the new models due out between the 2003 and 2005 model years would straddle the line between cars and trucks, such as the Chrysler Pacifica tall station wagon scheduled to go into production next spring.

To help cut costs, Chrysler will share more of its car parts with Mercedes and Mitsubishi. Chrysler and Mitsubishi are already jointly developing the next generation of their small and mid-size cars, while the new versions of Chrysler's large sedans due out in 2004 will be rear-wheel-drive and able to use Mercedes axles and transmissions.