Daimler Holders Want Chrysler Name Dropped

Two DaimlerChrysler shareholders say they want Chrysler dropped from the company's name by March 31, 2008, if the U.S. automaker is not sold by then.

UPI | GERMANY - - Maintaining a corporate name that evokes associations with the failure of the business combination with Chrysler is detrimental to the image of the corporation and its products," Ekkehard Wenger and Leonhard Knoll wrote in a proposal to amend the company's articles of incorporation at the annual shareholder's meeting in Berlin April 4.

"This is all the more true as unflattering nicknames such as Doting Daimler, Daimler-Crisis or even Crime-ler have long been in circulation," they wrote.

The unhappy shareholders want the name changed to Daimler-Benz AG, The Detroit Free Press reported.

The company's supervisory and management boards said they opposed the name change and several other proposals by the shareholders.

"The DaimlerChrysler name is established all over the world," the company said. "There are no grounds to change the name of the corporation."