Chrysler News: Marchionne Floats Out the Idea Of Next 300 Being Front-Wheel Drive

[El Kabong]

His euro-snobbery, like that of the Germans in the DaimlerChrysler days, is both illogical and counterproductive. The Alfa platform appears to be capable of great things if the Giulia QF is anything to go by. But it needs to pay for itself, simple as that. And as nice as it would be to see Alfa come back from the brink it ain't gonna happen immediately. An additional 100k units per year stuffed with (mostly) Hemis would be a huge help.

[smk4565]

I love when Sergio goes to Formula 1 races and sits in pit garage in his sweater (even though it is hot out) and has to watch his precious Ferrari lose to Mercedes over and over again.

 

[daves87rs]

Marchionne floats an idea.

image.jpeg

 

 

Yeah, no better way to say it...

[daves87rs]

Well it sound like China may be buying the car business from FCA or at least parts of it. 

 

FCA needs money and here is a ready made dealer network for the Chinese to make a move into this country as well improve the products of their own brands. Yes even a FCA car is better than some of theirs. 

 

Might be interesting to watch to see what happens and if this is the past that is taken. 

 

 

Also would not be surprised if these companies all come together and buy FCA outright. Just getting the huge chain of dealerships to sell their cars would make it worth it the chinese car companies...tech center, tracks and factories. Short of Jeep-all FCAs brands and models could pretty much just disappear. It's the foot hole needed to get into the USA market....and with Fiat, even the Euro market...

 

Can see it happening....not too long in the future either. Wife would like a Patroit on our driveway before they're gone- and if it happens I'm sure it would be the last FCA product ever owned....

[hyperv6]

 

Well it sound like China may be buying the car business from FCA or at least parts of it. 

 

FCA needs money and here is a ready made dealer network for the Chinese to make a move into this country as well improve the products of their own brands. Yes even a FCA car is better than some of theirs. 

 

Might be interesting to watch to see what happens and if this is the past that is taken. 

 

 

Also would not be surprised if these companies all come together and buy FCA outright. Just getting the huge chain of dealerships to sell their cars would make it worth it the chinese car companies...tech center, tracks and factories. Short of Jeep-all FCAs brands and models could pretty much just disappear. It's the foot hole needed to get into the USA market....and with Fiat, even the Euro market...

 

Can see it happening....not too long in the future either. Wife would like a Patroit on our driveway before they're gone- and if it happens I'm sure it would be the last FCA product ever owned....

 

 

 

That is what I mean. 

China would get FCA  accept Jeep, Ram and Ferrari with maybe some associated brands like Maserati and Alfa. 

 

Fiat and Lancia and all the Chrysler brands would go and they would share the dealers as outlets. 

 

Jeep and Ram still could go as part of the deal seeing Sergio is making the Move to Ferrari too. 

[hyperv6]

The Chinese seem to have done great things for volvo.

The best thing they can do is fire Sergio on day Zero.

 

That is just it many under estimate China. 

Too many still think it is all slave labor and that they make nothing but junk. Well the truth is they are very capable and sure they make some junk but they also make MFG some of the most advanced products in the world. 

Their biggest issue has been perception just as Cadillac but they have been working and now appear to be fixing that with the caliber of products they are building. their biggest lacking was development and now that appears also being repaired by the companies they buy and yet some of the technology they still steal.

 

It is time for many to wake up and realize China is as able or more able to take out lunch and eat it too. the problem is no one here wants to be competitive with them. It means working and making products cheaper and that is a tough pill to swallow. 

 

The way we could gain an advantage is to continue to make better technology and protect it better but that is also tough. 

 

It is like Walmart. Everyone hates the imported items at Walmart and complains about it but no one wants to pay for them if they are made here. You just can't have both anymore. 

 

Fiat would give  a Chinese MFG a global name and full set up of dealers globally They then will flood the markets and people will buy because they are cheap and not as much junk as they used to be. People will say they hate China made products but yet when it comes to price they will often look the other way. 

[daves87rs]

 

 

Well it sound like China may be buying the car business from FCA or at least parts of it. 

 

FCA needs money and here is a ready made dealer network for the Chinese to make a move into this country as well improve the products of their own brands. Yes even a FCA car is better than some of theirs. 

 

Might be interesting to watch to see what happens and if this is the past that is taken. 

 

 

Also would not be surprised if these companies all come together and buy FCA outright. Just getting the huge chain of dealerships to sell their cars would make it worth it the chinese car companies...tech center, tracks and factories. Short of Jeep-all FCAs brands and models could pretty much just disappear. It's the foot hole needed to get into the USA market....and with Fiat, even the Euro market...

 

Can see it happening....not too long in the future either. Wife would like a Patroit on our driveway before they're gone- and if it happens I'm sure it would be the last FCA product ever owned....

 

 

 

That is what I mean. 

China would get FCA  accept Jeep, Ram and Ferrari with maybe some associated brands like Maserati and Alfa. 

 

Fiat and Lancia and all the Chrysler brands would go and they would share the dealers as outlets. 

 

Jeep and Ram still could go as part of the deal seeing Sergio is making the Move to Ferrari too. 

 

 

 

Kinda...They could live without the brands themselves....maybe keep Jeep and Ram....all the rest could be reaplaced with chinese brands...I would think they would want new and exciting, while offering say-and old Kia type warranty to get the trust for people to buy....

 

 

Let's be honest. Would missing any of FCA's brand going to really cause any uproars in this "new" market?

[hyperv6]

Well what I do not want to see is the loss of any more American Automakers more so than what we have now. Yes I know FCA is Italian but at least it could carry these brands as American. 

Also I fear the move to let China in making a shambles of out auto industry or what is left. 

As it is now it is hard to find affordable good solid products as so much has been replaced with lower cheaper items that people are willing to buy based on price only. I know China can make things as well as anyone but they know Americans want to buy cheap and that is why Sears is closing down their hardware stores with Craftsman and Harbor Freight is building more stores.

 

Also if they let these automakers in and Elon gets his way with no dealers franchises. China will have a major advantage with selling direct. This is why GM apposed to not killing dealers. They do not fear Tesla but they do fear China with no requirement to have a dealer network the government will never let GM kill.  It is all about a balances playing field and we have already tipped on so many now the Auto industry would be damaging if we lost it. 

We are becoming more like England in out industrial sector all the time. 

 

The fact is even Ford and GM could kill everything and live on the trucks alone. Not good for the future or when gas prices spike but that is where the money is. 

Edited May 25, 2016 by hyperv6