Here is the book that exposed the Daimler-Chrysler "merger of equals" as a bold German takeover of an industrial icon. Taken for a Ride reveals the shock waves felt around the world when Daimler-Benz bought Chrysler for $36 billion in 1998. In a gripping narrative, Bill Vlasic and Bradley A. Stertz go behind the scenes of the defining corporate drama of the decade -- and in a new epilogue chart its chaotic aftermath.
Taken for a Ride: Cars, Crisis, And A Company Once Called
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From Amazon
It all started with a misunderstanding. Kirk Kerkorian, the Las Vegas wheeler-dealer, thought Chrysler's management would back him up if he tried to take the company private. Chrysler's management thought they'd made it clear they had no interest in such a deal. As the two sides faced off--Kerkorian and legendary Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca on one side, current Chrysler boss Bob Eaton and his top executives on the other--Mercedes-Benz CEO Helmut Werner stepped in. The result is the company now known as DaimlerChrysler. But Vlasic and Stertz make clear no one really knows the result of the deal. It's far too early to tell if blending the manufacturer of sleek German luxury sedans with the Detroit-based progenitor of the minivan will succeed in the global marketplace. Instead, they show in riveting detail how the deal came to be, and the immediate aftermath. They give us private moments with the major players and show us the multilayered considerations that crop up when two gigantic companies merge. Another book will have to judge the ultimate success of the merger, but the immediate results aren't exactly promising. By late 1999, a share of the original Chrysler was worth a few pennies less than it had been before the merger was announced, and only about a dollar more than before Kerkorian made his move back in April 1995. --Lou Schuler
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Publishers Weekly
"We are in German merger hell," moaned a Chrysler lawyer during the negotiations that would create a new global mega-entity, Daimler-Chrysler, out of the union of Daimler-Benz, the standard-bearer of luxury sedans and Germany's largest company, and Chrysler Corp., the quintessentially American maker of Jeeps and minivans. Yet Daimler-Benz's $36-billion buyout of Chrysler in 1998 was widely hailed as a paradigm-busting leap forward in the cost-efficient manufacture and development of cars and trucks. Now, Detroit News reporter Vlasic and Stertz, the paper's Washington bureau chief, draw on more than 200 interviews conducted in Detroit, Stuttgart and elsewhere for a riveting, behind-the-scenes account of the transformation of an American icon. Even though newly acquired Chrysler racked up record sales and profits in 1999, the authors find that the dynamism of the erstwhile Big Three automaker is being smothered under German control. They record the growing pains of a marriage of opposites, pairing a German conglomerate that embraces formality and hierarchy with scrappy, patriotic Chrysler, whose informal cross-functional teams favored open collars and free-form discussions. The first third of the book details the abortive 1995-1996 takeover attempt of Chrysler by Lee Iacocca, its former chairman and one-time savior, and his partner, casino tycoon Kirk Kerkorian; the portraits of both men are etched in acid. The rest of the book is a fast-paced ride through oversize egos, raw tempers, secret meetings, titanic clashes and power plays of the cross-cultural corporate merger of two automotive behemoths. (July)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
The two men faced off in a drearv hotel room at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, emissaries from dif worlds at a dangerous intersection on the morning of April 10, 1995. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
The two men faced off in a drearv hotel room at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport, emissaries from dif worlds at a dangerous intersection on the morning of April 10, 1995. Read the first page
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Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
By Luke Shepard
Format:Paperback
I don't know how Vlasic was able to get the information in this book. The conversations ring true to me and this story feels as if it really could have occurred the way Vlasic describes it. This is one of the best books I have read in the past year. He is able to take a somewhat chaotic true story and assemble a story that flows smoothly yet also seems accurate. His ability to draw a picture of the characters is outstanding and they have proven quite prescient as time has passed.
By J. Flesher
Format:Paperback
If you are looking to find out exactly how the Germans came in and stole Chrysler out from under its American leadership, this is the book for you. Superbly written and researched, the book is a page turner that kept me up till the early morning hours. I highly recommend it and hope that nothing like this ever happens again in corporate America. "Taken for a Ride" couldn't be a more fitting title.
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
This book clearly shows the complicated way in which Large corporations do Business. They have a huge job when it comes to competing with other companies. They can very easily be swallowed up by other companies through mergers. deals are not always as good as they seem.
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4.5 out of 5 stars
Most recent customer reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great writing, but definitely get the paperback
A corporate merger between car companies. Who wouldda thunk that a seemingly prosaic, esoteric topic like that would result in such a fascinating story? Read more
Published on Feb 8 2003 by Andy Orrock
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredibly Interesting
I would reccomend this book to anyone who enjoys following the automobile industry in general or Chrysler fanatics. Read more
Published on Oct 17 2002 by Rich
5.0 out of 5 stars
Whoa
Taken for a Ride is a great book about the Daimler Chrysler merger. It starts out by explaining who all of the big - time players in the merger are, such as Kirk Kerkorian, Tom... Read more
Published on Jun 6 2002 by Matt
5.0 out of 5 stars
And what a spellbinding ride!
This book is excellent reading more like a thriller than a business book about a megamerger (oops sorry, a megatakeover). Read more
Published on May 16 2002 by K. Hannon
5.0 out of 5 stars
the insider
Vlasic and Sterz give an excellent view of the inner workings of the automobile industry. From executive bios to soap opera plot lines this book is excellent.
Published on April 16 2002
5.0 out of 5 stars
Piercing the Corporate Veil
You know the old saying, you don't want to know how frankfurters and laws are made because it would make you nauseous. This fascinating book adds corporate mergers to the list. Read more
Published on Jan 22 2002 by Andrew
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent business analysis similar to the RJR takeover
An excellent in-depth analysis of the takeover of Chrysler by Mercedes. As in so many other business stories, it seems to boil down to egos and personalities. Read more
Published on Oct 11 2001 by R. Spell
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stuttgart Is A Long Way From Detroit
I found this book fascinating. The authors were able to piece together the events which were unfolding behind secretive, closed doors. Read more
Published on Sep 1 2001
4.0 out of 5 stars
Well Written and Researched
Not only a history lesson about two of the greatest automobile companies the world has ever known, "Taken for a Ride" is an enjoyable exercise in junior psychology. Read more
Published on July 1 2001 by L. Bruce
3.0 out of 5 stars
Good guys and bad guys all over again
This story is one of the best thrillers in the modern corporate world. However, the authors (er journalists) cannot seem to be able to shake off that eternal of vices among the... Read more
Published on Jun 28 2001 by Alex Lukic
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