Chrysler, U.S. automotive company, first incorporated in 1925 as Chrysler Corp. It was founded by Walter P. Chrysler (1875–1940), who built it into the country’s second largest automobile manufacturer, noted for its Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler, and Jeep vehicles. In 1980 the corporation was rescued from the verge of bankruptcy by a government bailout organized by Lee Iacocca. Chrysler Corp. merged with the German automaker Daimler-Benz (see Daimler) in 1998 to become DaimlerChrysler AG, but the two companies separated in 2007. The reorganized Chrysler LLC retained all its brands except Plymouth, which had been retired in 2001. In the wake of the subprime mortgage crisis, the company received a government loan to avoid bankruptcy in 2008. After creditors refused to restructure the automaker’s debt, however, Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in 2009. As part of the reorganization deal, a new company, Chrysler Group LLC, was formed, and those with ownership interest included the Italian automaker Fiat, the United Automobile Workers union, and the governments of the United States and Canada. Fiat subsequently began acquiring the outstanding shares, and in 2014 it gained full ownership of Chrysler.
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