The great-grandson of Chrysler founder Walter P. Chrysler has reached out to the Stellantis Corporation with a proposal to buy back the iconic American auto brands of Chrysler and its related MOPAR brands. Great–grandson Frank B. Rhodes, Jr., who owns a small percentage of Stellantis sent a proposal to CEO Carlos Tavares, saying he wants to acquire the Chrysler, Dodge, Plymouth and MOPAR brands.
His offer coincides with the upcoming 100th anniversary of the founding of the company. Next year a “CHRYSLER 100 Event” will be held in conjunction with The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals July 11-13, 2025 of Carlisle, Pennsylvania. This event is hosted by The Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, Frank B. Rhodes, and the Walter P. Chrysler Club.
Rhodes wrote “A Letter to the People: Saving Chrysler – A Call to Action”:
“I am writing to you today not just as a concerned citizen but as someone with a deep, personal connection to one of our nation’s most iconic brands. My great-grandfather, Walter P. Chrysler, founded the Chrysler Corporation in 1925, a company that has since become a cornerstone of American automotive history. As we approach the 100th anniversary of Chrysler, with plans for what could be the largest gathering of Chrysler products ever seen in North America at next year’s Chrysler Carlisle event, I believe the time for change is now. And I am ready to lead that change.
For the past 45 years, I have proudly served as a Brand Ambassador for Chrysler. I’ve seen the highs and lows, the triumphs and challenges. But today, I believe we are at a critical juncture. The Chrysler brand, once a symbol of innovation and American ingenuity, is now at risk of fading into obscurity due to what I believe are poor decisions and mismanagement by its current owners, Stellantis.
Stellantis, a company that seems out of touch with the American market, has allowed sales to decline, delayed new product launches, and put the livelihoods of our dealers and workers in jeopardy. Prices are soaring, layoffs are looming, and the future of the brand hangs in the balance. Meanwhile, Stellantis’ CEO, Carlos Tavares, earns a staggering $39.5 million salary, a figure that seems grossly out of proportion given the struggles facing the company.
My great-grandfather was hired by General Motors (GM) in 1911 to save the failing Buick brand. Within a few years, he turned Buick into GM’s most profitable division. But even back then, poor management decisions, like investing in impractical projects, threatened to derail his efforts. This mirrors the situation today, where Stellantis’s investments in ventures like Archer Aviation seem to distract from the core business of building great cars. These funds would be better spent on revitalizing the Chrysler brand.
The current management at Stellantis, overseeing more than 15 different brands, cannot give Chrysler the necessary attention. The result? Mediocrity at best. And now, with the potential entry of Chinese automaker BYD into the U.S. market, our industry faces an even greater threat. The influx of cheap cars could devastate our manufacturing base, and this is not just a possibility—it is a fact.
I was hopeful when Christine Feuell was appointed to lead the Chrysler brand. But year after year, we see Chrysler’s products being pushed further down the priority list while slow-selling brands like Fiat, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati receive more attention. Chrysler has deep roots in the American market, serving as a reliable and accessible option for the middle class. Does Stellantis understand this? Chrysler needs new products now, not tomorrow, not next year—now.
Recently, United Auto Workers (UAW) President Shawn Fain criticized Stellantis and Carlos Tavares for failing to honor contracts. I stand with our workers, but it’s clear that the current approach is not working. Stellantis and GM are pricing themselves out of the market, and layoffs seem inevitable. This is a situation that cannot continue.
But I am not without hope. I am confident that investors will see the potential in resurrecting this historic brand. My vision is to bring Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram back as an American-owned company that focuses not only on profits but also on the people who build these cars. I propose creating a new Chrysler Corporation, with workers as part-owners of the company. This would give them a stake in the success of the company and ensure that their jobs are secure.
This plan would also allow Stellantis to save face by exploring all options while offloading Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, and Ram to a company that truly cares about their future. This is not just a business opportunity but a chance to restore pride in an American icon and secure the future for thousands of workers.
The situation is dire, but with the right leadership and a clear vision, I believe we can turn things around. The time for action is now, and I am ready to step up and save the brand that my great-grandfather built. With the support of investors and the commitment of our workers, we can ensure that the Chrysler name lives on for another 100 years.
Sincerely,
Frank B. Rhodes, Jr.”
CONCLUSION:
In 1998 the German company Daimler bought Chrysler and its related MOPAR brands. Daimler cut it loose in 2007 where it went through several changes of ownership until 2021 when it wound up under the newly formed Dutch company of Stellantis.
What Mr. Rhodes is trying to do is very personal to me. In 1988 I bought my first Jeep right after American Motors Corporation had been purchased by Chrysler. Since then I have owned and driven a total of 7 Jeeps over a half a million miles, 2 of them going up to 185k each before I traded them.
While I am a big fan of Jeeps, I am not a fan of either UAW president Shawn Fain or US president Joe Biden. I find them both to be incompetent.
“Biden visits Belvidere plant touting UAW agreement that will close Milwaukee Stellantis plant” – WISN 12 News
So here is the idiocy of Fain and Biden in bed together. The two make a big deal that Biden is pro-union and labor but he is requiring electric vehicles (EVs) be made that are not as efficient or desirable as internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. AMERICAS DO NOT WANT ELECTRIC VEHICLES AND DO NOT BELIEVE THE HOAX OF CLIMATE CHANGE!
Former President Donald Trump may not be a cheerleader for union labor but he does more to help them by imposing tariffs on foreign imports of products that have been outsourced off shore and NOT imposing electric vehicles on Americans they do not want.
As we recently reported, both Harley Davidson is sending American jobs to Thailand and John Deere is giving up jobs to Mexico (both Wisconsin and Illinois companies like those of this Stellantis story). Shawn Fain did nothing to stop this!
Biden and Fain promised the Belvidere plant would be open in less than 3 years to make electric trucks just 9 months ago. I laughed at them and said, “My money bets that will never happen.”
In October of 2022, Stellantis agreed to build a $3.2 billion battery plant in Belvidere and invest $1.5 billion to retool the factory for an all-new mid-sized truck, as part of a new union contract.
This August Stellantis confirmed it has delayed the reopening of the Belvidere Assembly Plant, citing “market conditions.”
Turns out, just like Trump, I am right more often than I am wrong because we are both not stupid like Fain and Biden!
Some 1,200 Stellantis jobs were lost in Belvidere and another 330 in Milwaukee in 2023.
The initial response from Stellantis to Rhodes is they do not wish to sell Chrysler or its MOPAR brands at this time.
Copyright © 2024 by Mark S. Schwendau
