In an interview with Detroit News, the Chrysler head honcho said: "My role is to be the voice of the consumer and to represent the needs of the dealers in the marketplace. That s my passion."
It can be recalled that the exec s departure from Toyota, which he has served for 37 years, was one of the most shocking news in the auto industry lately. As Toyota s top North American exec, Press enjoyed a stellar status as perhaps one of the most clever sales and marketing exec in the industry.
Currently, the 60-year-old Chrysler head is using his know-how in reviving the product lineup and boosting sales at his new employment. These goals are acquired in August by private-equity firm Cerberus Capital Management.
Press said he sees great opportunities and some challenges in the automaker s product portfolio. "There are some products that may go away, and there are probably some products that we need to add," he said. "We need a more strategic product portfolio going forward that is customer-driven."
While he declined to give specifics, Press said some of Chrysler s cars and light trucks "are sort of overlapping the same segments" and need to be differentiated. "Some products seem to satisfy the same customers," he said. "If we can separate those, we can get a lot more traction in the marketplace."
The veteran exec is expected to have considerable power over company s product lines. He will take a hard look at Chrysler s place in the harshly competitive American auto market. In the United States, Chrysler slipped to fourth in sales and has struggled with overproduction of slow-selling product lines. Additionally, the Auburn Hills-based automaker was hardly injured by escalating gas prices and shift of shoppers interest.
After a short time on the job, Press sees a company with a tough legacy, competent people and an opportunity for quick recovery. "I think the product is undervalued and underappreciated and under-recognized," he said.
While he commended Chrysler s engineering and design, the "bones of the product," Press suggested that the organization needs to listen more closely to the needs and desires of its customer base. Press painstakingly critiqued the design of the sport utility, all the way down to the placement of its cup holders.
Chrysler dealers have welcomed Press into the fold, but are realistic about his ability to improve sales in the short term. "Jim is a great listener and knows the business," said Martin "Hoot" McInerney, a longtime Chrysler and Toyota dealer. "But all the Jim Presses in the world won t help if you don t have great product."
Not only is Press easy to do business with, but also he has better instincts about vehicles than most sales chiefs, said George Peterson, president of consulting firm AutoPacific Inc. in Tustin, Calif. "The dealers loved him. He is very approachable, very smart," Peterson said. "He asks excellent questions and he s very engaged with the product."
Press said he expects Cerberus to invest heavily in new Chrysler products and technology, particularly in alternative-fuel vehicles. "Absolutely every car we make will be impacted by advances in powertrain," he said. "Plug-in hybrid, diesel hybrid, fuel-cell hybrid, petrol hybrid they re all in the mix."
"I brought no Toyota secrets along with me," he concluded. "But the company I came from definitely proves the strength of bottom-up management."
Chrysler isn t the only automaker wanting modifications and product revolutions. As the competition heightens, shoppers can now expect enhanced Acura antenna, improved auto lineup and lots of surprises in the industry.
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