More Chrysler/FIAT Details

[MyerShift]

Chrysler-FIAT at Allpar.com

Enjoy.

[Intrepidation]

The Chrysler-Fiat deal exchanges 35% of Chrysler’s equity for complete access to Fiat's car line (excluding non-Fiat-branded cars such as Alfa-Romeo), and access to Fiat's distribution capabilities overseas.

F-ing awesome!

[Drew Dowdell]

read it again Dodgefan

[Intrepidation]

D'oh!

My brain is just not working today.

[FAPTurbo]

Shame about not getting the Alfa's... although even getting the Fiat 500 in North America will be a great image-changer for Chrysler.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

I can't help but think that this is an excellent solution to getting Chrysler back on it's feet again.

Too bad it'll mean that the company is no longer american. And too bad that it might mean that my next car, will in fact, be an import. (If Chrysler is the only old skool Detroit manufacturer that offers volume RWD)

[§carlet §wordfish]

It'll only be 1/3 foreign

[buyacargetacheck]

This Fiat idea is absurd. All it is is a way for Cerberus to get out from underneath the Chrysler car manufacturing rock while Fiat gets a near-risk free chance at entering the US market. The US taxpayer gets to loan the money to make it happen and maybe we'll never see a dime of that cash back. Did I mention that there's already too much capacity in this market and building Fiats doesn't help the situation? The proposal amounts to the US Government financing foreign competition for Ford and GM, both on the brink. What's wrong with this picture?

Worse, these Fiats badged as Chryslers won't sell. Fiat has the worst quality of all the cars sold in Europe except the French according to the Auto Bild Quality Report. 2008 was the first year in seven that Fiat did not place dead last. Wow! Behind VW. Even behind Kia! And Fiat doesn't have a good D-segment track record where Chrysler needs the most help. Sure B and C cars are important, but Journey and Avenger class cars are absolutely the bread and butter of a mainstream car company in the US. So, Chrysler will be relying on a company for production and engineering assistance that has even worse quality and experience in a key segment than they do.

The excitement about Fiat among some Mopar fans reminds me a lot of the excitement among some GM fanboys about Holden. Truly desperate times.

[ehaase]

I agree with everything buyacargetacheck said. I am unenenthusiastic about Fiats being sold in the US.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

It'll only be 1/3 foreign

If I understood correctly, Daimler still owns 20% and Fiat would own 35% with the potential to own 20% more.

That'd make it as foreign owned as Nissan IMO.

[FUTURE_OF_GM]

This Fiat idea is absurd. All it is is a way for Cerberus to get out from underneath the Chrysler car manufacturing rock while Fiat gets a near-risk free chance at entering the US market. The US taxpayer gets to loan the money to make it happen and maybe we'll never see a dime of that cash back. Did I mention that there's already too much capacity in this market and building Fiats doesn't help the situation? The proposal amounts to the US Government financing foreign competition for Ford and GM, both on the brink. What's wrong with this picture?

The politicians are too dumb to see that, though...

As for me... Well, I choose the automakers over the government any day.

Worse, these Fiats badged as Chryslers won't sell. Fiat has the worst quality of all the cars sold in Europe except the French according to the Auto Bild Quality Report. 2008 was the first year in seven that Fiat did not place dead last. Wow! Behind VW. Even behind Kia! And Fiat doesn't have a good D-segment track record where Chrysler needs the most help. Sure B and C cars are important, but Journey and Avenger class cars are absolutely the bread and butter of a mainstream car company in the US. So, Chrysler will be relying on a company for production and engineering assistance that has even worse quality and experience in a key segment than they do.

It could be real bad...

[MyerShift]

I am not particularly excited about this especially considering that Chrysler was the first American automaker to produce a small, exciting and fun to drive, profitable small car even if it did have its own issues like headgaskets and air conditioning and general refinement which improved in second generations.

The Neon was and is in my opinion, a mile stone small American car.

[pow]

I don't care if it starts falling apart after 26 miles - the Fiat 500 is just so damn cool, and the Abarth version gives it performance as well. I want one with plates that say "LUIGI".

[ehaase]

The Neon was and is in my opinion, a mile stone small American car.

I think Chrysler's 1978 Omni/Horizon was its milestone small American car more than the Neon. It debuted several years before GM and Ford introduced their own American built modern small FWD cars (the 1981 Escort and 1982 J cars). The Omni/Horizon kept many dealers in business in those dark years of 1979 and 1980 before the K cars debuted for 1981. When they debuted, Ford still had the Pinto/Bobcat (the Fiesta came from Europe), AMC had the Gremlin, and GM still had the Chevette and Monza/Sunbird/Skyhawk/Firenza (the Vega had already been dropped).

[turbo200]

chrysler may not have access to other lines aside from fiat, whatever that means, according to the wording here, but i would bet 10000 dollars alfa will be here very very soon. this deal happened for that very reason, for the very issue of fiat's expansion. and yes, i am looking forward to italian design along with that sparklingly reputable italian reliability.

[§carlet §wordfish]

I am not particularly excited about this especially considering that Chrysler was the first American automaker to produce a small, exciting and fun to drive, profitable small car even if it did have its own issues like headgaskets and air conditioning and general refinement which improved in second generations.

The Neon was and is in my opinion, a mile stone small American car.

What about the Rambler American?

I think it's time that made a comeback.

[MyerShift]

What about the Rambler American?

I think it's time that made a comeback.

Sorry. I'm just a youngin'.

[Chicagoland]

The Omni came from Chrysler's French unit, so no it was NOT an "American milestone" in any way. It even had VW engines at first.

[cire]

I personally think the Bravo would make a nice Dodge product while the Lancia Delta (which Chrysler has no access to since it is not a Fiat product) would make a nice entry vehicle for the Chrysler brand to replace the dearly departed PT Cruiser (which should have been redesigned or replaced a long time ago).

Fiat Bravo:

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Source: NetCarShow.com

Lancia Delta:

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Source: NetCarShow.com

The 500's trek across the Atlantic is exciting (although it will need to be branded as a Fiat to retain the vehicle's mystique). I am also excited about the MiTo and 147 replacement, as well as Alfa Romeo's return to the U.S. I'm not as excited about a Dodge-branded Fiat Panda; this looks like a somewhat lame attempt to give Dodge a Soul/xB/Cube/Element competitor (except the Panda is even less attractive than those hideous Asian sourced boxes on wheels). The C-Evo based products sound exciting; hopefully they give Chrysler (or Dodge) some competitve compact and midsize products to replace the poorly executed ones that were developed under the ruthless Daimler regime.

Edited February 24, 2009 by cire

[PONTIAC06]

I agree that the FIAT Bravo would make a cool entry-level Chrysler assuming you could get a Chrysler grille on the front of it. Maybe a 100C?

[6t5frlane]

Looks like they got 30 days to work the deal out with Fiat or Mother Mopar is DOA

[Intrepidation]

That was fast: Chrysler and Fiat agree on framework of a global alliance

[cire]

That was fast: Chrysler and Fiat agree on framework of a global alliance

Thank goodness someone can make a decision and act on it faster than GM. I sincerely hope that this move helps Chrysler survive and eventually thrive.

Edited March 30, 2009 by cire