# Chrysler fans-What happened to "Dr. Z"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 28, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100 "2006-11-28T18:23:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/1 "2006-11-28T18:23:21Z")
You know-that mustachioed german guy who drives jeeps into walls? then snaps “any more questions? Auf wiedersehen”! I though the ads were pretty eye catching… and a german exceutive with a sense of humor? (“it’s a joke…”)-priceless! ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/2 "2006-11-28T18:34:01Z")
He might be thinking of [selling Chrysler](http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0611270039nov27,0,7270787.story?coll=chi-business-hed). ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/3 "2006-11-28T18:39:57Z")
Maybe [these folks](http://www.drzamps.com/) or [this guy](http://www.drz.org/) or maybe even [this guy at Sports Illustrated](http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/inside_game/archives/dr._z/) told Chrysler to pretty please try to come up with a more original moniker for their flacks. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [November 28, 2006, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/4 "2006-11-28T18:47:53Z")
Well, since Dieter Zetsche has a REAL doctorate (in engineering) he probably has a bit more right to the name. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 12:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/5 "2006-11-29T12:38:10Z")
That’s a good question. Sure, he’s an actual _Dr._ Z, but does that give him, in a legal/trademark sense, the right to the name after others have trademarked it? Assuming one of those other folks has trademarked it, that is. Maybe it’s OK to have numerous Dr. Z’s as long as they’re in different fields, as all of these are. ---
**Author:** ![flurb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/51bf81/32.png) [@flurb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flurb)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/6 "2006-11-29T17:59:47Z")
[QUOTE=JohnT] He might be thinking of [selling Chrysler](http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/chi-0611270039nov27,0,7270787.story?coll=chi-business-hed). [/QUOTE] Auf Wiedersehen! ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/7 "2006-11-29T18:15:54Z")
The ads tanked. Most people thought he was a fictional character, not the real head of the company. Sales plummeted. They’ve stopped the ads and are considering a new direction. ---
**Author:** ![Smooth\_Jack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Smooth\_Jack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smooth_Jack)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2006, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/chrysler-fans-what-happened-to-dr-z/382100/8 "2006-11-29T20:04:19Z")
I don’t think the American consumer bought into the German engineering angle. It seemed like a strange way to go for Chrysler at the same time Japanese auto ads are promoting their American factories. Buy American is still a pretty strong concept.