Is the turmoil in the financial markets good or bad news for Chrysler?
NARDELLI: Obviously, we’re very sensitive to the economic news. Toward the end of last year the three of us took a hard look at the economy and the industry and put together a conservative plan. We pegged the industry at about 15.5 million [U.S. vehicle sales in 2008, down from 16.1 million in 2007 and 16.6 million in 2006]. Tom did a heck of a job in resizing the footprint. Jim has been working very hard on pruning the portfolio. PRESS: Good news or bad news, it’s how you play the hand. We all have the same economy. We are doing everything we can to strengthen the organization, the dealers, our products, and our marketing muscle. The saying goes that the strongest steel comes from the hottest fire. It’s a good fire right now. What’s your economic forecast? LASORDA: I think of being in the bathtub curve: We’re at the bottom, still rolling along to the other side. We’re operating the business as if it will continue that way a little beyond 2008. If it rebounds, we can respond very, very
