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Chrysler's unusual concept
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January 8, 2001: 12:18 a.m. ET
Troubled automaker surprises industry by showing small S/UV on eve of sale
By Staff Writer Chris Isidore
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DETROIT (CNNfn) - With the near future not looking particularly bright, DaimlerChrysler surprised the industry Sunday by using a venue where automakers look to the distant future to debut a car only months away from dealers' showrooms.
The troubled third largest U.S. automaker unveiled its Jeep Liberty, a small sport/utility vehicle that is set to compete with such models as the Toyota RAV4 and the Ford Escape. It did so at the North American International Auto Show here at a time normally reserved for "concept" cars, which are design leaps by the industry which are at least years away from being built, and many of which will never be built.
 "If there's one message I want to convey, it is this: exciting breakthrough products made this company and those kind of products will make our company stand tall again," said Dieter Zetsche, one of the Daimler executives brought in to run Chrysler late last year as losses mounted.
Chrysler executives insisted this was not a sign of desperation at a time of weak U.S. sales, saying they only wanted a surprise to gather attention.
"Using the concept time for a production car is good because everybody comes and not much happening around, so you can reach everybody who is at the show," said Wolfgang Bernhard Chrysler's chief operating officer. "We will have a concept car."
But Chrysler is counting on the car to help turn around the most unprofitable major automaker. Tom Sidlik, the general manager of Jeep, estimates it will have annual sales of 200,000, well above the 141,454 Cherokees it sold last year. The 14 percent drop in Cherokee sales last year is one of the reasons that Chrysler announced Friday it would discontinue the Cherokee while it starts the Liberty. It had previously planned to produce both vehicles.
 Ford's concept vehicle also wasn't so much about a futuristic design as a homage to the past. The 49 is modeled around the sleek 1949 Ford models. But Jac Nasser, Ford's CEO, also made comparisons to the Thunderbird, the redesigned car that Ford is set to introduce at the show and start selling later this week.
Only General Motors Corp. debuted futuristic designs with features from tailpipes recessed into the body frame to integrated laptop computers that come out from the dash above the passenger seat. GM officials felt it was important to continue the traditional practice debuting the cutting-edge design elements that could make it into models soon even if the cars themselves are never made.
 "There are a number of reasons why you do concept vehicles, one of them is to give an early look at intended production vehicles. Sure we thought about doing that," said Ron Zarrella, the president of GM North America.
The Detroit show is the kickoff of a challenging year for the Big Three automakers, which saw declining sales during a year that saw the industry set record U.S. sales. The automakers are trying to hold off incursions made by overseas automakers both in traditional cars as well as the light trucks, including S/UV, minivans and pickups which have grown to account for almost half of all U.S. sales as well as most of the narrowing profits.
But Sunday auto executives tried to put the best picture possible on their difficult just-completed year, and the challenges ahead of them.
"In the end it was one of the strongest years, in terms of sales, and returns, that we've ever had," said Nasser. 
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Big Three at crossroads at auto show - Jan. 7, 2001
GM shuts 12 plants later this month - Jan. 4, 2001
Big Three post big sales drop - Jan. 3, 2001
Ford cuts 4Q target, 1Q production - Dec. 21, 2000
Analyst says hard landing hitting autos - Dec. 15, 2000
GM cuts jobs, Oldsmobile division - Dec. 12, 2000
Auto sale fall hits profits, production - Dec. 1, 2000
GM cuts November sales target - Nov. 20, 2000
Daimler lowers Chrysler forecast - Nov. 17, 2000
Ford Explorer sales off - Oct. 31, 2000
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