As Volkswagen joins the growing list of auto makers speeding away from Chrysler, buyout firms may be stepping into the show room. The German company joins Nissan Motor Co., Renault SA and Hyundai who have definitively said they have no interest in the Auburn Hills, Mich.-based unit of Daimler-Chrysler. Meanwhile, Apollo Management LP, the Blackstone Group, the Carlyle Group, and Cerberus Capital Management LP are reportedly showing early interest in the troubled auto maker, according to the Financial Times. The four buyout firms join a short, unconfirmed list of possible buyers that include General Motors and Canadian auto parts maker Magna International. All four firms have investments in the auto industry. The most notable deals include Cerberus' purchase of a 51% stake in GMAC from GM last year, and Carlyle's joint purchase of Hertz rental car from Ford Motor Co. Unlike those deals, the PE firms would have to overcome Chrysler's major hurdles: health care and pension costs. —Matthew Wurtzel
See story from The Financial Times
See Chrysler Dealwatch
Continue reading below
