| Jim Press, the former Toyota Motor Corp. top | | | | company with a tough legacy, competent people |
| exec, is pushing Chrysler LLC to establish | | | | and an opportunity for quick recovery. "I |
| shopper-driven focus. | | | | think the product is undervalued and |
| | | | underappreciated and under-recognized," he |
| In an interview with Detroit News, the | | | | said. |
| Chrysler head honcho said: "My role is to be | | | | |
| the voice of the consumer and to represent | | | | While he commended Chrysler's engineering and |
| the needs of the dealers in the marketplace. | | | | design, the "bones of the product," Press |
| That's my passion." | | | | suggested that the organization needs to |
| | | | listen more closely to the needs and desires |
| It can be recalled that the exec's departure | | | | of its customer base. Press painstakingly |
| from Toyota, which he has served for 37 | | | | critiqued the design of the sport utility, |
| years, was one of the most shocking news in | | | | all the way down to the placement of its cup |
| the auto industry lately. As Toyota's top | | | | holders. |
| North American exec, Press enjoyed a stellar | | | | |
| status as perhaps one of the most clever | | | | Chrysler dealers have welcomed Press into the |
| sales and marketing exec in the industry. | | | | fold, but are realistic about his ability to |
| | | | improve sales in the short term. "Jim is a |
| Currently, the 60-year-old Chrysler head is | | | | great listener and knows the business," said |
| using his know-how in reviving the product | | | | Martin "Hoot" McInerney, a longtime Chrysler |
| lineup and boosting sales at his new | | | | and Toyota dealer. "But all the Jim Presses |
| employment. These goals are acquired in | | | | in the world won't help if you don't have |
| August by private-equity firm Cerberus | | | | great product." |
| Capital Management. | | | | |
| | | | Not only is Press easy to do business with, |
| Press said he sees great opportunities and | | | | but also he has better instincts about |
| some challenges in the automaker's product | | | | vehicles than most sales chiefs, said George |
| portfolio. "There are some products that may | | | | Peterson, president of consulting firm |
| go away, and there are probably some products | | | | AutoPacific Inc. in Tustin, Calif. "The |
| that we need to add," he said. "We need a | | | | dealers loved him. He is very approachable, |
| more strategic product portfolio going | | | | very smart," Peterson said. "He asks |
| forward that is customer-driven." | | | | excellent questions and he's very engaged |
| | | | with the product." |
| While he declined to give specifics, Press | | | | |
| said some of Chrysler's cars and light trucks | | | | Press said he expects Cerberus to invest |
| "are sort of overlapping the same segments" | | | | heavily in new Chrysler products and |
| and need to be differentiated. "Some products | | | | technology, particularly in alternative-fuel |
| seem to satisfy the same customers," he said. | | | | vehicles. "Absolutely every car we make will |
| "If we can separate those, we can get a lot | | | | be impacted by advances in powertrain," he |
| more traction in the marketplace." | | | | said. "Plug-in hybrid, diesel hybrid, |
| | | | fuel-cell hybrid, petrol hybrid they're all |
| The veteran exec is expected to have | | | | in the mix." |
| considerable power over company's product | | | | |
| lines. He will take a hard look at Chrysler's | | | | "I brought no Toyota secrets along with me," |
| place in the harshly competitive American | | | | he concluded. "But the company I came from |
| auto market. In the United States, Chrysler | | | | definitely proves the strength of bottom-up |
| slipped to fourth in sales and has struggled | | | | management." |
| with overproduction of slow-selling product | | | | |
| lines. Additionally, the Auburn Hills-based | | | | Chrysler isn't the only automaker wanting |
| automaker was hardly injured by escalating | | | | modifications and product revolutions. As the |
| gas prices and shift of shoppers' interest. | | | | competition heightens, shoppers can now |
| | | | expect enhanced Acura antenna, improved auto |
| After a short time on the job, Press sees a | | | | lineup and lots of surprises in the industry. |