DaimlerChrysler timeline

Jan. 12, 1998: While in Detroit for the auto show, 
Daimler-Benz AG Chairman Juergen Schrempp meets
with Chrysler Corp. Chairman Robert Eaton and 
suggests a merger. In late January, Eaton calls Schrempp
and suggests an early February meeting. 

Feb. 5: Chrysler board of directors briefed on meeting 
between Eaton and Schrempp. 

Feb. 12: Eaton and Gary Valade, Chrysler's chief 
financial officer, meet with Schrempp and Eckhard
Cordes, Daimler-Benz management board member. 
Both sides believe industry consolidation is inevitable. 

Feb. 17-18: Cordes and Rudiger Grube, director of 
corporate strategy for Daimler-Benz, and advisers from
Goldman Sachs meet with Valade, Thomas Capo, Chrysler 
treasurer, and William O'Brien, general counsel,
and advisers from CS First Boston to discuss 
transaction structures. In meetings over the next two weeks,
Chrysler says a deal must be tax-free to its shareholders 
and that management of new company must be a
"merger of equals." Daimler-Benz says a deal has to 
be tax free and that the new entity must be a German
corporation to enhance acceptance of shareholders. 

March 2: Schrempp and Cordes meet with Eaton and Valade 
in Lausanne, Switzerland. The discuss best
way to create the merged company -- a new U.S. company, 
a company incorporated in the Netherlands, or
newly organized German Aktiengesellschaft. A simple 
merger is not possible under German law. They
choose Aktiengesellschaft because it is tax-free 
to both parties. 

March 5: Chrysler board updated on talks; Chrysler's 
and Daimler's legal and investment advisers meet in
New York to discuss transaction structure. They meet 
again on March 17. 

March 6: Valade and Cordes meet to review progress 
of working teams. Valade asks for Daimler's
thoughts on valuation of the company. 

March 19: Companies and their investment advisers 
meet to discuss valuation. 

March 23: Chrysler board updated on talks. 

March 26: Chrysler and Daimler officials meet at 
offices of CS First Boston to discuss progress. 

April 7: Chrysler and Daimler-Benz boards updated on talks. 

April 9: Schrempp and Eaton meet in London and agree to 
recommend merger to their boards. They
discuss management structure of new company. 

April 16: Schrempp and Cordes meet with Hilmar Kopper, 
chairman of Daimler-Benz Supervisory Board, to discuss merger. 

April 19: Schrempp and Cordes give detailed presentation 
on merger to management board. 

April 21: Eaton and Valade meet with Schrempp, Cordes 
and Grube. They agree to try and complete work to 
announce the merger on May 7. 

May 3: Daimler management board unanimously approves 
combination agreement and transactions. 

May 5-6: Chrysler board reviews and approves combination 
agreement and transactions. 

May 6: Newspapers report Chrysler, Daimler considering 
merger; combination agreement signed late at night in London. 

May 7: Merger publicly announced. 

May 14: Daimler supervisory board approves merger. 

July 30-31: Chrysler and Daimler boards agree to amend 
combination agreement to give Daimler
shareholders 1.005 shares of DaimlerChrysler AG if more 
than 90 percent approve the merger so it can be
considered a pooling of interests under German law. 

Aug. 6: Chrysler merger proxy released. 

Sept. 18: Chrysler, Daimler shareholders to vote on merger.