Chrysler wants to revive merger talks with GM: report

WASHINGTON: Chrysler hopes to reboot merger talks with General Motors if Congress approves a 25-billion-dollar bailout for ailing US automakers, the Financial Times reported Thursday.

Talks between the two continue "at a very low level" but would be stepped up "immediately" if the bailout is approved, the paper said, citing an unnamed "person familiar with recent discussions."

According to reports last month, the two automakers were exploring GM's possible acquisition of Chrysler, but in November, GM suspended the talks to focus on "immediate liquidity challenges," the FT said.

Executives of the "Big Three" US automakers - GM, Ford and Chrysler - pleaded with lawmakers this week for a fresh 25-billion-dollar government loan to help them weather the financial crisis.

Chrysler chairman and chief executive Robert Nardelli told lawmakers Tuesday that Chrysler could run out of cash without "immediate" help from the government and may fail to emerge successfully from bankruptcy protection.

"Without immediate bridge financing support, Chrysler's liquidity could fall below the level necessary to sustain operations," Nardelli said Tuesday.

The Democrat-backed bailout remained stalled in the US Congress Thursday as Republican lawmakers said the sector should use funds from a previous bill.