[Jchan11hk]

I read a few news about FCA wanting to merge with GM. Apparently, GM is not interested. So which car brand should FCA target now?

I would think the best is Mazda. Still a relatively small manufacturer, great capability in chassis. They should be the perfect fit for the FCA portfolio.

 

[radosuaf]

I'd say they should get to managing their own brands. They killed Lancia, they're close to killing Alfa, Fiat's condition is not the best either. Maserati should be much, much more. Autobianchi is no more... Abarth could do better as well.

Anything I forgot to mention?

 

[alastpa]

I'd say they should get to managing their own brands. They killed Lancia, they're close to killing Alfa, Fiat's condition is not the best either. Maserati should be much, much more. Autobianchi is no more... Abarth could do better as well.

Anything I forgot to mention?

I'd tend to agree. Lancia should be a Mercedes alternative oozing Italian style not a rebadged Chrysler. Autobianchi could be resurrected to compete with the Dacia/Renault's and Datsun Go's of this world.

 

[corriedw]

I'd say they should get to managing their own brands. They killed Lancia, they're close to killing Alfa, Fiat's condition is not the best either. Maserati should be much, much more. Autobianchi is no more... Abarth could do better as well.

Anything I forgot to mention?

They are not interested in the cars, they need the agency network and US market.

 

[Jchan11hk]

Yes, they need to look after their own brands. Just that M&A is the quickest way to increase revenue and gain expertise in the business world.

 

[Ian Lusso]

It may be true about M&A but beyond that they should recreate old Italian style motoring with Fiat. Don't try to compete with Alfa. Don't let Alfa compete with Maserati. Don't let Lancia compete with Alfa. And with the Chrysler brand: Send it back to the USA. It just cost Fiat money in terms of longstanding lawsuits. Jeep/Chrysler wasn't an ideal partnership as they do not have a worldwide footprint.

I tend to agree on the Mazda deal but Mazda is celebrating their independance from Ford at the moment and expanding rapidly. I would suggest Subaru. They are seeking partnerships. Use their turbo tech and provide them with fpt development to improve their brand. And cancel the Q2/Q4 deal with Audi and use their 4x4 drivetrains on real 4x4 vehicles for performance and suv development.

 

[cue2]

I usually have my tickets booked for Geneva show from London but the decline of Fiat group, Lancia in particular , makes me think it's too sad this year to do it. Last year Lancia had three Ypsilons on a small stand having given their traditional space to Chrysler who showed some naive Jeep junk.

 

[Ian Lusso]

Subaru. Seriously... They are known worldwide and are looking for expansion avenues...

 

[ArthurB]

Subaru. Seriously... They are known worldwide and are looking for expansion avenues...

so long as they leave their clutches in Japan that's fine.

 

[corriedw]

so long as they leave their clutches in Japan that's fine.

Clutches on Audi and Alfa 4wds are no beter when a wa**er loanch them

 

[Jchan11hk]

I tend to agree that Chrysler is not up to the luxury level with the German. However Jeep is doing well at the moment, the GC is flying off the showroom. Subaru do have great tech but I think the we don't need engine tech, but rather the chassis technology.

 

[Ian Lusso]

I tend to agree that Chrysler is not up to the luxury level with the German. However Jeep is doing well at the moment, the GC is flying off the showroom. Subaru do have great tech but I think the we don't need engine tech, but rather the chassis technology.

I meant sharing technology. We give them some multi air and they give Alfa some reliability. How to make sure cambelts don't snap, turbos don't pop on the wrong oil and so forth...

They give Alfa high powered 4x4 drivetrain tech.

By the way, I would rather fry my clutch then explode a gearbox, diff or other driveline component.

 

[Jchan11hk]

Sort of agreed. Obviously, I don't want my gearbox to explode too:furious:

 

[Alfa Klassik]

I'd say they should get to managing their own brands. They killed Lancia, they're close to killing Alfa, Fiat's condition is not the best either. Maserati should be much, much more. Autobianchi is no more... Abarth could do better as well.

Anything I forgot to mention?

I agree. They should rather raise their game with Alfa Romeo and Lancia. Feed the greed?

 

[Ian Lusso]

I'd say they should get to managing their own brands. They killed Lancia, they're close to killing Alfa, Fiat's condition is not the best either. Maserati should be much, much more. Autobianchi is no more... Abarth could do better as well.

Anything I forgot to mention?

They need the money to invest in their own brands so they are buying other brands which are making money for them. Lancia isn't bringing anything in and hasn't been profitable since the 70's so how do you spend money on reviving it? They have none to invest.

they even went as far as unbundling 10% of Ferrari to help pay for Alfa Romeo's roll-out after China's growth rate collapsed bit..

 

[Fanie]

They need the money to invest in their own brands so they are buying other brands which are making money for them. Lancia isn't bringing anything in and hasn't been profitable since the 70's so how do you spend money on reviving it? They have none to invest.

they even went as far as unbundling 10% of Ferrari to help pay for Alfa Romeo's roll-out after China's growth rate collapsed bit..

if Alfa's revival is a flop, surely Fiat can kiss itself goodbye.............they would only have Jeep as a seller.

 

[Giorget2]

Why would Fiat need to kiss itself goodbye if Alfa's revival is a flop? Fiat itself is doing pretty well as a brand. The 500 series of cars is surely a great success. I don't know about financially, but it seems so, anyway.

 

[radosuaf]

They need the money to invest in their own brands so they are buying other brands which are making money for them. Lancia isn't bringing anything in and hasn't been profitable since the 70's so how do you spend money on reviving it? They have none to invest.

Ypsilon is the best selling B-segment car in Italy. By far margin. Sergio didn't think he'll get away with selling rebranded Chryslers as Lancia, did he? AFAIR Lancia sells more or less the same number of cars as Alfa in Europe and last year (2014) it sold more than Alfa.
Look what PSA did with DS - they sold over twice as many cars as Alfa in 2015. It's not about buying (especially if you don't have enough cash for it), but managing what you already have.

 

[Fanie]

Why would Fiat need to kiss itself goodbye if Alfa's revival is a flop? Fiat itself is doing pretty well as a brand. The 500 series of cars is surely a great success. I don't know about financially, but it seems so, anyway.

Two year ago Fiat made a nice $250m loss while Maserati with much less cars sold made a profit of $250m, hence the move to more luxury type cars at Alfa, much more margin there than trying to compete with the Japs, Koreans and Chinese building little run arounds.

 

[Giorget2]

Does FCA report profit (which measure of profit?) by brand? I know they report Maserati (EBIT 275 Euro in 2014) and Ferrari (EBIT 389 Euro in 2014) separately, but as far as I know not the other brands?