Toledo UAW excited over Chrysler plan

DOWNTOWN TOLEDO - Toledo area UAW leaders are excited, especially now that they say, they've really got car people in charge again at Chrysler.

They've had some pretty harsh nicknames for past owners.

"As you know for Daimler, we called it the Daimler Disaster and the Cerberus Circus," said UAW Local 12 President Bruce Baumhower. "We just finished that era and they seemed to not have any interest in the products that we build here. They didn't seem to recognize the crown jewel that they had in the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep brand."

Considering that Toledo appears to be a big part in Fiat's plans for Chysler's future, you probably won't hear anything like that about the Italian automaker.

Wednesday's day-long event in Auburn Hills, Mich., included the announcement of new exteriors, interiors and engines on most of its current lineup.

Baumhower said the Jeep brand was stretched thin by its previous owners. So the vehicles offered will be the Wrangler and Liberty from right here in Toledo, as well as the Grand Cherokee.

There will be no more Compass, Commander or Patriot Jeep models.

While it might not necessarily sound like a good thing, Baumhower says it is.

One of the big talking points during Thursday afternoon's news conference about the changes was the fact that Fiat, which bought 20 percent stake in the company, is bringing something new to Chrysler people, they say, who know about cars, and really live in the automotive business and not just dabble in it.

An important note - Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said even with the potential of new jobs related to Jeep as the business plan changes, it's probably not something we'll see 'til late 2011.