![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
Ah, what a tangled web
Jan. 20th, 2009 09:53 amFIAT are buying a stake in Chrysler. 33%.
FIAT currently have joint ventures with Suzuki (which was linked to GM, and indeed, FIAT and GM have discussed mergers), Ford (Panda/500/Ka) and I believe are also linked to Toyota via early hybrid projects. They also have the joint-venture Eurovan (807/C8/Lancia version).
Given FIAT's history, it seems more like a suicide pact than a merger. The Italian manufacturer has stumbled from bankruptcy and shared technology deals over and over again, sometimes throwing out a damn fine car (Bravo/Brava/Marea trio, new Panda), sometimes throwing out utter dogs (the only car rarer in the UK than the C6; the Opel Signum-based FIAT Croma - a vehicle which I know was offered here, but have never even heard a rumour of someone's batty uncle having bought).
What will come of this deal? Well, logically I'd like to see:
European plants making Chrysler models under FIAT control. The Challenger would be a good start as a halo model.
American plants making cars like the Fiat 500 and Barchetta (do they still make that? It was always a bit odd in the UK being LHD only) for the US market.
What we'll probably get:
European plants making Sebrings, and possibly a FIAT instead of Mitsubishi-based Sebring replacement. Think Alfa 159, but ugly.
American plans making those little Suzuki-derived SUVs and perhaps the new FIAT Bravo in an attempt to compete with Korean-market products like the Kia Rio.
1: I know that the previous Sebring was made in Europe; Chrysler also make Jeeps in Austria and the final assembly for the European-market 300C Touring is there too.
2: FIAT is an acronym, I'm not shouting. It's like SAAB. Another firm FIAT has flirted with, resulting in the surprisingly good 9000-series which shared body engineering with the original Croma and Thema, yet somehow managed not to suck, and the utterly pointless SAAB 600, a rebadged Lancia Delta but without the Integrale bits (otherwise when SAAB launched the horrid, SAABuru thing, when they said "our first 4x4!" some nerd like me could have gone "Actually, you sold a SAAB 600 with the Lancia Delta's AWD system in 1982". FWIW, I don't think the AWD Deltas appeared that early anyway).
FIAT currently have joint ventures with Suzuki (which was linked to GM, and indeed, FIAT and GM have discussed mergers), Ford (Panda/500/Ka) and I believe are also linked to Toyota via early hybrid projects. They also have the joint-venture Eurovan (807/C8/Lancia version).
Given FIAT's history, it seems more like a suicide pact than a merger. The Italian manufacturer has stumbled from bankruptcy and shared technology deals over and over again, sometimes throwing out a damn fine car (Bravo/Brava/Marea trio, new Panda), sometimes throwing out utter dogs (the only car rarer in the UK than the C6; the Opel Signum-based FIAT Croma - a vehicle which I know was offered here, but have never even heard a rumour of someone's batty uncle having bought).
What will come of this deal? Well, logically I'd like to see:
European plants making Chrysler models under FIAT control. The Challenger would be a good start as a halo model.
American plants making cars like the Fiat 500 and Barchetta (do they still make that? It was always a bit odd in the UK being LHD only) for the US market.
What we'll probably get:
European plants making Sebrings, and possibly a FIAT instead of Mitsubishi-based Sebring replacement. Think Alfa 159, but ugly.
American plans making those little Suzuki-derived SUVs and perhaps the new FIAT Bravo in an attempt to compete with Korean-market products like the Kia Rio.
1: I know that the previous Sebring was made in Europe; Chrysler also make Jeeps in Austria and the final assembly for the European-market 300C Touring is there too.
2: FIAT is an acronym, I'm not shouting. It's like SAAB. Another firm FIAT has flirted with, resulting in the surprisingly good 9000-series which shared body engineering with the original Croma and Thema, yet somehow managed not to suck, and the utterly pointless SAAB 600, a rebadged Lancia Delta but without the Integrale bits (otherwise when SAAB launched the horrid, SAABuru thing, when they said "our first 4x4!" some nerd like me could have gone "Actually, you sold a SAAB 600 with the Lancia Delta's AWD system in 1982". FWIW, I don't think the AWD Deltas appeared that early anyway).
