DaimlerChrysler's supervisory board members are expected on Wednesday to approve the appointment of Wolfgang Bernhard, the chief operating officer of Chrysler in the United States, as the new head of DaimlerChrysler's Mercedes luxury car division. He will take over for Jürgen Hubbert, who is retiring. Bernhard, who previously ran Mercedes performance division AMG, was sent to the United States in 2000 to turn things around at the ailing Chrysler division. The supervisory board is also expected to approve promoting Tom LaSorda, the head of manufacturing at Chrysler, to take over for Bernhard. There is also speculation that the board will extend DaimlerChrysler CEO Jürgen Schrempp's contract until 2005.