35% of Chrysler sold to FIAT

[Scooby074]

It looks like 35% of Chrysler has been sold to FIAT. I think this is a good thing for Chrysler. They were pretty much on their death bed. This will keep them alive plus give them access to Fiats products. There is a real want for compact vehicles in NA now. If FIAT shifts production to Chrysler's idled or potentially closing plants then it will definitely be a good thing.

I agree that FIAT has to overcome their past reputation, but they are making pretty good products right now ( think about Honda's and Toyota's reputation when they first came). Check out the Fiat 500 Arbath. Its a pretty amazing compact. Great reviews in Europe.

What do you guys think? I would rather a made in North America solution, but that wasnt in the cards. I'm waiting for the Ferrari powered viper

 

[SnowRidge]

Arrgh! Now I can't get the pictures of a rusted out X1/9 with a rams head hood ornament out of my head.

 

[Heywood Jannockitov]

Fix It Again Tony

 

[art]

All that I know is with the amount of pay differential of Detriot and the rest of the industry I listen to customers that were die hard american buyers that say they will buy Japanese built products!

Simple fact is they are stating from reading between the lines is how can they get a good bang for there buck when detroits employees are making so much. They feel the cars are stripped of quality to meet the helps wage demands and trying to sell at competitive prices.

Fiat has it's own problems of quality that have chased them for years in all facets of their operations. Some of the companies they have purchased has helped them with the quality of build but bad habits seem to keep trying to come back from time to time.

 

[joes_427_vette]

Dalimer Benz sucked the black ink out of Chrysler and left them on the side of the road. Now they have US Gov't. bucks and look attractive. Enter Fiat ............... I hope they don't employ the same tactics and were back to square one in five or less years. Positive thinking is required !

 

[Scooby074]

I hope the powers that be put protections in place to prevent any money that Chrysler has getting sucked out and sent overseas, like Daimler did.

 

[SnowRidge]

I hope the powers that be put protections in place to prevent any money that Chrysler has getting sucked out and sent overseas, like Daimler did.

Chrysler seems to have been a net money loser for Daimler.

 

[Scooby074]

Chrysler seems to have been a net money loser for Daimler.

Maybe so. I think some of that loss was due to the fire sale price Cebreus paid for Chrysler as they literally ran away from Chrysler when they sold it. But theres no doubt about Daimler raiding Chrysler for several billion when they purchased Chrysler. At the time of the purchase, Daimler was needing that money pretty bad. Chrysler was on track to develop some good products when they were sold. Daimler came in and found "cost savings" mostly at the cost of interior quality. I dont think anyone can say Daimler was good for Chrysler.

 

[SnowRidge]

Maybe so. I think some of that loss was due to the fire sale price Cebreus paid for Chrysler as they literally ran away from Chrysler when they sold it. But theres no doubt about Daimler raiding Chrysler for several billion when they purchased Chrysler. At the time of the purchase, Daimler was needing that money pretty bad. Chrysler was on track to develop some good products when they were sold. Daimler came in and found "cost savings" mostly at the cost of interior quality. I dont think anyone can say Daimler was good for Chrysler.

Oh no, the "merger" was a horror. I'm just pointing out that Mercedes lost their collective rear end on the deal. I can't say I'm sorry about that. I though the deal stunk from the start. Because of them, I have a truck with the wrong gearing in the rear end (or tranny, take your pick) and a whoppingly expensive to replace clutch. So much for German engineering.

 

[Renze]

I'm surprised, because it wasnt long ago that FIAT group (Iveco, Case New Holland, etcetera) was in very bad weather themself... CNH was the only division that kept the automobile division afloat...