Fiat & Chrysler
Apr. 1st, 2009 07:51 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
annissamazingI have a really hard time getting out of bed when my alarm goes off at 5:00 in the morning, so I usually listen to NPR for 15 - 20 minutes before hitting the shower. This morning there was a fairly long segment regarding an agreement between Fiat and Chrysler. I was only half conscious when I was listening to it so I looked it up on Wikipedia just now.
From Wikipedia, "On 20 January 2009, Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler LLC announced that they are going to form a global alliance. Under the terms of the agreement, Fiat takes a 35% stake in Chrysler and gains access to its North American dealer network in exchange for providing Chrysler with the platform to build smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles in the US and reciprocal access to Fiat's global distribution network.[23][24]
"The new equity holder would have the option of increasing that to as much as 55%. Fiat, the stronger of the two, wouldn't immediately put cash into Chrysler. Instead it would obtain its stake mainly in exchange for covering the cost of retooling a Chrysler plant to produce one or more Fiat models to be sold in the U.S. Fiat would also provide engine and transmission technology to help Chrysler introduce new, fuel-efficient small cars."
I find this news very exciting for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, they would retool at least one Chrysler plant here in the U.S. to produce Fiat models. This is good news for blue collar auto workers.
Secondly, this is good news for car dealerships that would sell vehicles people might actually buy.
Justin's dealership deals mainly in Chrysler products and also sells used cars. I'm a little nervous about his job since Chrysler is the weakest of the Big 3. Fiat may not be highly regarded in the world market, but I hope they can inject enough life into Chrysler to keep it going.
I'm totally test driving the Fiat 500 if it ever comes to the U.S. It is, perhaps, not the most attractive car with it's beady little headlights and rear bumper that juts out from the lines of the sloping tailgate like an underbite. But everyone seems to rave about this little car and I can't wait to try it for myself.
From Wikipedia, "On 20 January 2009, Fiat S.p.A. and Chrysler LLC announced that they are going to form a global alliance. Under the terms of the agreement, Fiat takes a 35% stake in Chrysler and gains access to its North American dealer network in exchange for providing Chrysler with the platform to build smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles in the US and reciprocal access to Fiat's global distribution network.[23][24]
"The new equity holder would have the option of increasing that to as much as 55%. Fiat, the stronger of the two, wouldn't immediately put cash into Chrysler. Instead it would obtain its stake mainly in exchange for covering the cost of retooling a Chrysler plant to produce one or more Fiat models to be sold in the U.S. Fiat would also provide engine and transmission technology to help Chrysler introduce new, fuel-efficient small cars."
I find this news very exciting for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, they would retool at least one Chrysler plant here in the U.S. to produce Fiat models. This is good news for blue collar auto workers.
Secondly, this is good news for car dealerships that would sell vehicles people might actually buy.
Justin's dealership deals mainly in Chrysler products and also sells used cars. I'm a little nervous about his job since Chrysler is the weakest of the Big 3. Fiat may not be highly regarded in the world market, but I hope they can inject enough life into Chrysler to keep it going.
I'm totally test driving the Fiat 500 if it ever comes to the U.S. It is, perhaps, not the most attractive car with it's beady little headlights and rear bumper that juts out from the lines of the sloping tailgate like an underbite. But everyone seems to rave about this little car and I can't wait to try it for myself.
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no subject
Date: 2009-04-01 04:00 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2009-04-02 11:55 am (UTC)Another thing to note is that even though this car is tiny (smaller than a MINI), Jeremy Clarkston fits in it nicely. And he's 6'5" and not exactly skinny.