Chrysler Helps Rebuild Detroit

Chrysler is keeping it real. Looks like the folks over at Cereberus are doing the good people of Detroit a solid. Chrysler Vice Chairman Tom LaSorda announced Wednesday that his company is going to drop $1.8 billion with a “B” into a Detroit assembly plant.

The plant currently spits out Jeep Grand Cherokees and will keep 400 or so jobs in Michigan. The plan is to make a car-based SUV because the world is running short of these types of vehicles.

Kidding aside, it’s a great move for Chrysler, the people of Detroit, and the local economy. The only two issues I have are the cost, and the timeline. Why it will cost $1.8 billion just to re-tool is beyond me. And the plant isn’t going to be ready to produce cars until early 2010, which really means summer of 2010. Why is it going to take two years to retrofit and existing building?

In any event, I promised I wasn’t going to make this a negative story. Chrysler, you guys get a solid from me on this deal, good work!