Fiat agrees to buy up rest of Chrysler

[GASWAGON]

Originally Posted by jpd80

Chrysler and GM were 50/50 partners in VM Motori until recently when GM sold it half last year for around $40 million.

In the US, the 3.0 V6 diesel is in Jeep Cherokee and going into Chrysler 300 (8-speed auto) and later this year Ram 1500 gets a version..

V6 in 300C AND Ram 1500....Geesus it must be a great engine then!

But not as good as the V6 TT Ecoboost of course lol!

[Bossxr8]

Originally Posted by MethodX

That why their sales didn't meet expectations last quarter.
Ok but not great.
And why do you care, its just ford America, ford aus is dead.

I'm sorry, I thought this was Ford Forums, not Fiat Forums.

[Wretched]

US share listing lined up for Fiat-Chrysler group
Chief executive Sergio Marchionne's merger of carmakers Fiat and Chrysler will probably entail a US share listing that cements North America as the group's new centre of gravity and further sidelines Italy.

Two sources close to Fiat said it was likely to move its primary listing to New York as early as 2015 after a merger with Chrysler, the third-largest US automaker, heralding a politically delicate shift of focus that reflects the operating facts.

Chrysler already made more than half the group's first-half revenue, turning what would have been a €501m (£415m) loss for Fiat alone into a €435m profit, while Fiat plants in Italy tick along at just 41% capacity, according to 2013 estimates from the industry analysts IHS Automotive.

A listing move would help 61-year-old Marchionne distance himself from troubles in Europe, where thousands of Fiat's Italian workers are on state-backed temporary lay-off schemes, highlight its gains in the US and convince a larger pool of investors that the merged company can take the fight to rivals General Motors and Ford.

"With a US listing, the whole investment story and the way in which people think about this company may change," said international strategy and investment analyst George Galliers.

"Today people think of Fiat as a weak European player with a good exposure to South America and exposure to North America through Chrysler," he added.

"Once you have a US listing, people are more likely to think of the entity in the same context as they do Ford and GM."

While the northern Italian city of Turin has been Fiat's seat for the past 115 years, "the brain and muscles are in the United States; the centre of gravity has moved to the other side of the ocean," said Luciano Gallino, a sociologist who specialises in labour market changes.

The listing and the likely establishment of a group headquarters outside Italy will alarm some in that country's government and unions who want to protect jobs, but it will delight investors who want cost cuts and closures, observers said.

Fresh from negotiating a landmark buyout deal to take full control of Chrysler, Marchionne can now draw on his earlier experience combining the spun-off Fiat Industrial with CNH to create a US-listed manufacturer of agricultural vehicles.

CNH has a primary listing in New York and a secondary one in Milan, is registered in the Netherlands, and has its fiscal domicile in Britain. Fiat declined to comment on what will happen to Fiat-Chrysler after the merger.

A shift away from Italy would not be popular with a fragile coalition government desperately trying to protect jobs, but analysts said Rome's hands are tied, with few tools at hand to help revive car sales in Europe.

"They will again bark once the news of a listing move to New York is cemented, but ultimately there is little they can do," a Milan-based analyst said.

"We are dealing with a difficult market in Europe, especially in Italy, while growth is elsewhere. The government is well aware of that."

Fiat and Rome last year pledged to work together to relaunch Italy's recession-hit car market following the government's insistence that Fiat stay in Italy, even after a merger with Chrysler.

Since last week's news politicians and most union leaders have hailed the merger as a boost for Italy, careful not to antagonise the country's largest private sector employer.

They expect the deal to channel investment into Italian factories that will allow Fiat to launch new models into a market analysts expect to be steadying from 2014.

In an interview published in Il Sole 24 Ore on Sunday, industry minister Flavio Zanonato said Marchionne had already assured Rome about Fiat's presence in Italy.

"In a phone conversation on Thursday, [Marchionne] expressed his intention to keep strong roots in Italy," the minister said.

"He confirmed he has in mind a strengthening in our country. Fiat already has a plan to increase the effort put in to new models produced in Italian factories."

Zanonato said the merger, which would combine the technology, dealer networks and cash of the two companies, could only be positive for Italy.

"How can a country not be satisfied by a deal .…which opens new perspectives in foreign markets? The development of the foreign network is a smart choice," he said.

Zanonato said Rome was considering moves to revive Italy's car market, including incentives for alternative-fuel vehicles and fiscal measures to boost exports, but did not elaborate.

But some unions and politicians asked for more binding commitments that Fiat would indeed put in the money it has promised to revamp underutilised plants.

"Our worry is not that Fiat will stop producing cars in Italy, because they cannot ignore the Italian market," said Federico Bellono, general secretary of Fiom union's Turin branch.

"But we fear that the investments made in Italy will be much lower than one could have expected."

Some are sceptical after Fiat scrapped a 2010 plan to invest up to €20bn (£17bn) to more than double output in Italy after market conditions deteriorated, worrying the same could happen as Fiat's attention drifts elsewhere.

The carmaker has repeatedly reassured it does not intend to close factories, unlike mass-market competitors Ford, General Motors and Peugeot.

It has also confirmed its intention to build Jeeps and a new line of Alfa Romeos in Italy for export to markets in Asia, Latin America and the US. Detailed investment plans will be outlined at the end of April, it has said.

But analysts say the investments that come through are likely to be in single-digit billion euros, not enough to preserve all jobs.

They estimate Fiat would need to triple production of cars in Italy to re-employ all the thousands of workers still temporarily laid off.

Ultimately, the merger will merely emphasise the diminishing stature of the Italian car industry, which in recent years has shrunk to levels last seen in the 1970s, they said.

"Italy is already a province in the Fiat empire," Bellono said.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/...chrysler-group

[Bossxr8]

Using Chrysler as a crutch it would seem.

[MethodX]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I'm sorry, I thought this was Ford Forums, not Fiat Forums.

And so you should be.
Fiat has just has much history and is just as western as Ford, they aren't Japanese.

Great to see, Americans wanted globalisation, now they can sook.

[Bossxr8]

News flash, no one on here cares about Fiat. Is there even a single person on this forum who owns one?

[FG50T]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

News flash, no one on here cares about Fiat. Is there even a single person on this forum who owns one?

I've got two (classic 500 and a new Abarth 500) Another forum member I know on here just bought 2x new Fiat 500's for him and his mum...

I've had a lot of cars, Bmw M3 to a VK Brock and my Fiat Abarth is by a mile the most exciting car I've driven. Just putting that out there. It's the brand I care about most.

[Bossxr8]

Well i'll be jiggered. Never ever heard anyone mention anything about Fiats here, but when you look at the sales figures for them that makes sense.

[JG66ME]

Originally Posted by FG50T

I've got two (classic 500 and a new Abarth 500) Another forum member I know on here just bought 2x new Fiat 500's for him and his mum...

I've had a lot of cars, Bmw M3 to a VK Brock and my Fiat Abarth is by a mile the most exciting car I've driven. Just putting that out there. It's the brand I care about most.

I had a 1971 Fiat 125S 5 speed twin cam back in the 1980s. Ir was an exciting car to drive and I would own another.

[CSV_LS1]

I've got an Alfa GT. So it it seems the Fiat empire stretches far lol

[GASWAGON]

"Zanonato said Rome was considering moves to revive Italy's car market, including incentives for alternative-fuel vehicles"

If anyone hasn't noticed countries around the world are now looking to LPG/LNG/CNG vehicles to clean up the emissions......Trains, buses, trucks, AND cars.

I believe in a few years time we may see a REVOLUTION???

And the 'JTG' liquid LPG injection system is made in..............Italy!

[MethodX]

Why have threads on other brands if they cant be discussed?

Only if every post has a strong ford bias built in?

[Bossxr8]

When you post things like "it's only Ford America, who cares", then yes people will respond.

Funny that you were the one who bought Ford into it. Well done.

[MethodX]

Funny how the rules change...

[Syndrome]

http://finance.ninemsn.com.au/newsbu...ysler-complete

[f6speedster]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

News flash, no one on here cares about Fiat. Is there even a single person on this forum who owns one?

Yes, 3 Alfas, 2 Fords,1 VW.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

News flash, no one on here cares about Fiat. Is there even a single person on this forum who owns one?

I own a 96 Coupe turbo.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by Bossxr8

I'm sorry, I thought this was Ford Forums, not Fiat Forums.

"The Pub, for GENERAL automotive related talk."

[MercurySilver]

not me but id certainly own a a dodge challenger in RHD if the price was right
it'd be bye bye turbo for sure

[CSV_LS1]

I can only hope this will mean more money will be spent on advanced platform's to be shared around like the VW group.

[Ben73]

Maybe Fiat can use their European touch to improve Chrysler quality, because they are absolute junk. I hear the new models are ok, but id never touch another one.

[Nikked]

Originally Posted by MethodX

Least the Fiat group is surviving, unlike ford aus.

Ford Australia not surviving?

So the Design, development and engineering facilities are closing now? All the Dealers closing?

[Franco Cozzo]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Maybe Fiat can use their European touch to improve Chrysler quality, because they are absolute junk. I hear the new models are ok, but id never touch another one.

The very latest models are quite good, but the others are a bit:

[Ben73]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

The very latest models are quite good, but the others are a bit:

image

I used to defend them saying they are no worse than other cars, but truth be told they are.
My 06 is absolute junk. It was good for the first 2 years I had it, but over the past 6 months it has cost me so much money.
Was told last week 3 pistons are screwed and a engine rebuild will cost $10,000 or over $11,000 for a second hand engine. **** itself at 92,000kms.
Absolute POS. Looked it up online and found hundreds of people saying their 5.7 had had major engine failure at low mileage. 99% of them due to valve seats dropping. Chrysler never issued a recall because they had "never heard of it happening"
Yeah bullshit.

[mrghia]

So does that mean the Italian will screw over the yanks like the yanks did to us?

[Vesper Martini]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Maybe Fiat can use their European touch to improve Chrysler quality, because they are absolute junk. I hear the new models are ok, but id never touch another one.

The Fiat influence is already there take a look at the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Anybody that dismisses it on the bases of previous Jeeps has their head in the sand

[Wretched]

Originally Posted by Bevsta007

The Fiat influence is already there take a look at the Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Anybody that dismisses it on the bases of previous Jeeps has their head in the sand

Agreed, the improvements in quality within the Jeeps range over such a short period is welcomed. Still a way to go but really has come a long way and has been a factor in many moving to the Jeep GC over other SUVs.

At the same time the quality improvement of the current 300(c) make the old one seem decades old.
I had a 300c for long period of time, it was a great car and the only issue i encountered was an annoying squeak from the front suspension.

[Nikked]

I hopped in a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and was blown away by the up-spec feel through out it...hard to think it was an American car...


Ford could do very well for them selves to rebuild ties with some Euro manufactures, now that profits are showing through...

[Syndrome]

Originally Posted by Ben73

Maybe Fiat can use their European touch to improve Chrysler quality, because they are absolute junk. I hear the new models are ok, but id never touch another one.

Or maybe Fiat can teach Chrysler a thing or two about corrosion protection.

[Ben73]

They might of improved build quality. But we will have to wait a few years to see how the reliability goes.