Chrysler Gets Pride Hurt, Tesla Claims Brazen Loan Payback – Really!
Tim Esterdahl | May 23, 2013 | Comments 3
In a world of instant communication and brand awareness, it seems Chrysler is pretty upset. Well, rather Chrysler is butt hurt actually at Tesla. This delightful story is full of great comments and more marketing nonsense than you can shake a stick at.
In case you didn’t know, Tesla has claimed it is the first American company to pay back it’s government loans. Here is their statement actually: “In addition to payments made in 2012 and Q1 2013, today’s wire of almost half a billion dollars ($451.8M) repays the full loan facility with interest,” Tesla said in a statement released after Wednesday’s stock market close. “Following this payment, Tesla will be the only American car company to have fully repaid the government” under the DOE program, according to an Autonews.com story.
Chrysler (see: baby, cry) responded quickly by writing a blog post on their corporate site and sending not one, but two emails (the first email had an incorrect link, ironic) to journalists alerting them to this pressing news story.
All of this nonsense was followed with probably the BEST comment, I have ever read on an automotive site: “Dear Chrysler, Sorry, Tesla was unmistakably referring to the ATVS loan. Clearly other automakers have previously received government loans and paid them off. The comments were in the context of this specific loan program. Also, you don’t really count as an “American” company anymore.” LOL!
These comments are good too:
sebring96hbg May 23, 2013, 7:20 AM
It was not clear that Tesla was referring only to the DOE loans. In fact, some car blog sites were confused by this and thought Chrysler was being slighted. Chrysler Group LLC has legally satisfied the repayment of all government loans since it was created and formed in 2009 after the end of the Bush Administration. Chrysler Group LLC is an American company organized under the laws of the State of Delaware.
Hmm… wonder about he figures Fiat into the equation.
naworb2 May 23, 2013, 11:41 AM
Chrysler did repay everything that was asked of it, but they’re really opening a can of worms here. Of the $12.5 billion loan, Chrysler repaid $11.2 billion. That left $1.3 billion that will probably never be repaid to the government. So the loan to Tesla: $12 million profit. The loan to Chrysler: $1.3 billion loss.
Oh snap – LOL!
To recap, the next time you wonder why you car price is going up, consider all the investments companies make in PR/Marketing departments to defend their brand. This extra expense is really worthy, don’t you think?
What do you think? Is this nonsense comical or what?
Filed Under: TundraHeadquarters.com
To the Chrysler Sebring owner who made the first comment; it was actually pretty obvious Tesla was refering to the recent bailout. Also Tesla is right, Chrysler doesn’t “really count” as an American company anymore; Fiat, Chrysler’s parent company who makes all the financial decisions of Chrysler: choosing which car models Chrysler will manufacture, which engines they will use, all their PR including the Frenchman who runs Chrysler’s entire advertising and marketing campaign such as their TV commercials and their slogans (“Guts Glory, The Best of What We’re Made Of” etc), and Fiat chooses their board of directers. It was Fiat’s decision to separate Ram and Srt into separate brands.
Ohh well Chrysler. Get over yourself, and make a product that is dependable.
“Also, you don’t really count as an “American” company anymore.” Ok, now that is pretty funny and unfortunately pretty true.