• The New York Times, Thursday, March 13, 2008 11:15 AM

Chrysler's new vice chairman, James E. Press, is a veteran of 37 years with Toyota who distinguished himself as a serious salesman of sensible Camrys and Corollas. Steeped in Toyota's customer-driven culture of continuous improvement, Press had been the steady hand behind Toyota's methodical expansion in the U.S. Now he's trying to bring stability to a company known for stomach-churning roller-coaster rides through boom and bust cycles.

"I view it as mission impossible," says Jack Trout, president of Trout & Partners. Chrysler is shrinking, with a 13% share of the American market. But Press says that Chrysler's size can be an advantage if it can quickly respond to changing consumer tastes.

Chrysler has begun adding expensive options to its bread-and-butter vehicles without raising sticker prices. Dealers, who chafed at being force-fed unwanted inventory in the past, have welcomed the new customer-first mantra. But to be successful, Chrysler must improve its quality and strike a chord in the market with new products like the Ram pickup and its Dodge Journey crossover.

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