Chrysler head "confident" of next 3 billion dollars from government

Ailing US carmaker Chrysler is confident
of receiving a further 3 billion dollars in order to survive, the
firm's head said Sunday at the North American International Auto Show
in Detroit, Michigan, according to dpa.
Chief Executive Officer Robert Nardelli said he was confident the
company would receive the second part of a 7-billion-dollar bail-out
that is dependent on a restructuring of the third largest carmaker in
the United States.
Chrysler received 4 billion dollars of government aid in January,
which it used to pay employees and suppliers and to incentivize car
dealers.
Nardelli said the company was not "hibernating" while it waited
for a buy-out, Bloomberg News reported.
The company would offer 24 new car models over the next four
years, he said, adding that he was committed to Chrysler being a
"viable" standalone company.
"No one should read what we're doing as if we are trying to
position the company for sale," Nardelli told Bloomberg.
Dieter Zetsche, the head of former Chrysler partner Daimler AG,
also spoke in positive terms about the future of the car industry,
saying he expected an increase of worldwide demand for vehicles in
the second half of 2009.
During 2009, the Stuttgart, Germany-based company said turnover
dropped 2.3 per cent to 1.256 million vehicles.
Zetsche added that he saw "no need" for Daimler again unite with
another carmaker to survive the slump in demand.
Speaking in an interview at the Auto Show, Zetsche however said
the company would "keep an open eye throughout this crisis."
German automakers in general were attempting to fight back in the
important US market despite the financial malaise there.
"We go on the offensive in times of crisis," said Matthias
Wissman, president of the Association of the German Automobile
Industry (VDA), noting that "hard times have not yet come to an end."
In 2008, the total number of German cars sold in the US was down 6
per cent down to 890,000 vehicles compared to the previous year.
The North American International Auto Show runs until January 25
at the Cobo Centre in Detroit.