Fearing the end, Chrysler fans flock to museum

By Soyoung Kim
AUBURN HILLS, Mich., April 26 (Reuters) - With just days to
go before Chrysler learns its fate, dozens of people flocked to
pay tribute to the once famed icon of America's auto industry
that might soon be entering the final chapter in its long
history.
From a former Chrysler salesman to an employee from another
struggling U.S. automaker, General Motors Corp , those
visiting the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in the northern suburb
of Detroit expressed sadness at the prospect of a world without
Chrysler and hoped the company would survive.
"I would be very sad if it were to go out of business, not
only for the corporation but for the Michigan community," said
Scott Morris, a 50-year-old GM employee, looking around dozens
of vehicles spanning eight decades.
Morris was visiting the museum with his wife and daughter,
days before the company faces the deadline of April 30 by which
it must cement an alliance with proposed Fiat SpA and
win sweeping costs cuts from creditors and unions.
The Obama administration has warned that without the deals,
Chrysler would face a cut-off of government funding and a
potential bankruptcy.
"We're here today because we thought the museum might close
in case Chrysler would go bankrupt, and we've never been here
before," Morris said. Walter P. Chrysler Museum sits adjacent
to the company headquarters in this Detroit suburb.
Private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP [CBS.UL]
bought the automaker from Daimler AG in 2007,
pledging to save an "American icon" that has moved from market
dominance to the 1980 federal bailout to foreign control over
the past 80 years.
Less than two years later, Chrysler is operating on $4
billion of government loans it received early this year. The
government has also directed the automaker to link up with yet
another European partner, saying Chrysler is not viable as a
stand-alone company.
"I'm very sad Chrysler has come to this point. Chrysler was
always known as the company with the best styling and
engineering. Because they were small, they had to be smart,"
said Dwayne Janke, 50, who used to work at a Chrysler Jeep
dealership in the 1970s.
"I came in the hope that nothing would happen to this
museum. I wanted to show my support," Janke said.
Luis Sordo, 44, said he wanted to see what is potentially
Chrysler's last moment as a stand-alone U.S. automaker.
"The auto industry is an icon for the country," Sordo said,
visiting with his son and brother-in-law from Venezuela.
"I hope the company will make it and get a solution.
Hopefully the joint venture with Fiat will work."
(Reporting by Soyoung Kim; Editing by Diane Craft)
((soyoung.kim@thomsonreuters.com; Reuters Messaging:
soyoung.kim.reuters.com@reuters.net; +1 313 967 1903))
Keywords: CHRYSLER/VISITORS

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