Come on, let's get it right. The artical says cherokee (known as the liberty for USA). Not grand cherokee.


[Dieter Zetsche is getting serious with plans to make Daimler- Chrysler’s Mercedes and Chrysler divisions work more closely together.

The new chairman, who took over January 1, sees engines and transmissions, assembly processes and purchasing as areas where cooperation can be improved.

“We think the biggest opportunity lies in sharing all know-how and technological processes. There is opportunity in sharing parts as well,” Zetsche said at the Detroit auto show.

Asked about the possibility that Chrysler vehicles could be built in Mercedes’ plants and vice versa, Zetsche said: “Plant sharing is not an objective in itself. It would be interesting to have flexibility ‘in case of.’ ”

Zetsche, 52, also is CEO of Mercedes Car Group, a position he took over temporarily September 1 but now intends to hold for the foreseeable future. Until September, Zetsche was CEO of Chrysler.

Class/Jeep sharing
One option for sharing is in the development of next-generation Mercedes and Chrysler SUVs.

Frank Klegon, Chrysler’s vice president of product development, said: “The successors to the Jeep Cherokee and the M class won’t necessarily have identical platforms, but they will surely have many more common modules and systems,”

Thomas Weber, D/C board member for research and development, said: “We don’t want any common platforms, but we are discussing an intelligent module strategy. This isn’t putting a new hat on an old floor pan.”

Technology sharing between Mercedes and Chrysler likely will go in just one direction – from Mercedes to Chrysler.

“I don’t really see a transfer from Chrysler to Mercedes, but we will have integrated committees and common standards,” Weber said.

That makes sense, analysts say.

“On the technological side, clearly the expertise is at Mercedes-Benz,” said Georg Stürzer, an automotive analyst with HypoVereinsbank in Munich.

Stürzer said: “But in terms of production efficiency, Chrysler is ahead of Mercedes in some respects.” ]