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Chrysler Corporation Opens Chile Office

14 October 1997

Chrysler Corporation Opens Chile Office

      AUBURN HILLS, Mich., Oct. 14 -- Chrysler Corporation
has opened a regional office in Santiago, Chile to strengthen its
sales distribution network in western South America.
    "In recent years, Chrysler has been expanding its presence in South
America, with new investments in Venezuela, Argentina and most recently
Brazil," said Edwin H. Brust, General Manager of Chrysler's Latin America,
Middle East and Africa Operations.  "Establishing a sales office in Chile is
the next logical step to expand our business in that country as well as Peru
and Bolivia, whose automotive markets have collectively been growing at nearly
twice the level of the early 1990s."
    Having a corporate presence in Santiago will also allow Chrysler to expand
its import operations.  Beginning with the 1998 model year, the Chile office
will begin importing vehicles manufactured in  Chrysler's Canadian and Mexican
plants.  Chile's potential entry into the North American Free Trade Agreement
(NAFTA) would also allow Chrysler to further increase the number of vehicles
it currently exports to Chile from its plants in the United States.
    "Our goal is to provide consumers in these growing car markets with a
broader array of Chrysler products and first-class service at the most
competitive prices possible," said Robert M. Richard, Chrysler's Regional
Sales Manager for Latin America.
    The new sales office, known as Chrysler Chile Importadora Ltda., will be
headed by Mark D. Oquist, who has 18 years experience with Chrysler
International.  Oquist will manage import operations and supervise marketing,
parts and service support and dealer training for Chrysler's existing network
of independent distributors in Chile, Peru and Bolivia.
    "Demand for Chrysler products in these markets, particularly in Chile, is
growing steadily," said Oquist, "Since 1994, our sales have averaged a growth
rate of 40 percent per year."  In fact, Chile is one of our top markets for
Dodge Dakota outside North America."
    Chrysler sales in Chile, Peru and Bolivia in 1996 totaled approximately
2,500 units.  With the new regional office, the company hopes to increase
sales in those markets to 4,500 vehicles in 1998 and 6,500 by the year 2000.

SOURCE  Chrysler Corporation