'Il mio Italiano è orribile,' What I meant to say is Chrysler doesn't have any new product

Sergio Marchionne mulling his next move (courtesy: chrysler)

"Mi sento male" (Italian for I feel sick) is probably what Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne said after signing on the dotted line to acquire 20 percent of Chrysler. Marchionne told reporters at the Frankfurt Motor Show that Chrysler is worse off than expected,

“There's a whole pile of stuff that we didn't see when we came, that we were not expecting,” Marchionne is quoted as saying in The Globe and Mail. “Probably the single largest surprise to us was how little had happened in the past 24 months to get [Chrysler] competitive.”

Click this slideshow for views of future Chrysler products and the current models that will bridge the company until reinforcements can arrive.

Cerberus Capital Management basically went into a conservation mode once it became quite obvious that things were not going to get better. That means that while General Motors also declared bankruptcy, its product pipeline was not as impacted. Chrysler has very little in the way of new models with which to entice buyers. Just how many folks are going to clamor over a new 2011 Grand Cherokee or full size 2011 Chrysler 300? Until new Fiat-based product can be delivered to showrooms, Chrysler's best tactic will be to deliver a value message.

Years ago Chrysler made a push with airbags. My memory is a bit fuzzy, but the net effect was that all Chrysler cars had airbags even though it was not a government requirement yet. Chrysler could do the same thing again by committing that all vehicles would come standard with stability control, blind-spot detection and Bluetooth or similar gimmick. The bottom line is, in order to move metal you either have to have a hot product or a hot promotion.

As for Marchionne's "shock" at the condition of Chrysler, one has to have healthy amount of skepticism. It was fairly obvious to even casual observers that new product development had slowed to a trickle. There was the much ballyhooed "Project D" to replace the Avenger/Sebring sedans and the aborted partnership with Nissan, but other than the 2011 Ram heavy duty models, Grand Cherokee and 300 replacements it has been all quiet on the western front. Could Marchionne simply be setting up the company for another round of slimming cuts?

For more info: See Lee Iacocca

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Titan of a problem: Just who the heck is going to build the next Nissan Titan?

Nissan Titan might have to soldier on longer that org planned

There was a time when it all seemed like a brilliant idea. Nissan was looking for someone to partner with and Chrysler needed extra volume for its truck manufacturing plant in Mexico. The two star crossed lovers struck a pact: Nissan would build a small car for Chrysler in the USA (there was a separate pact for South America) and Nissan would place its own design on the Dodge Ram platform.

View this gallery for images of the current Nissan Titan, Dodge Ram and a few truck friends.

Well, just like my purchase of a new beer tonight, things don't always work out the way you'd hope. First Chrysler and Nissan dissolved their plan to sell small car in the USA and now Nissan may be out of luck with the Titan truck.

Not that long ago, Nissan crowed that the final design for the next generation Titan had been signed off and was still on track, but that was before the Fiat deal became final. Nothing is official, but Fiat has not signed off on the plan to make the next generation Nissan Titan.

I still think that the best case scenario for both companies is to continue with the truck deal. Truck sales are still down compared to 2008 levels and a strong rebound isn't in sight. Why would Fiat/Chrysler want to lose volume for its plants? It would be foolish to turn away Nissan's business.

However, the auto industry hasn't always made the best decisions before, so there is a chance that Nissan might be on its own once again. What are its options? Well, it could choose to refresh the Titan's design as a stopgap but that would take time and it would be doubtful that it could make a 2011 deadline. Nissan could also partner up with GM, Ford or Toyota. Although unlikely, the most logical candidate would be Toyota since it has found itself with a lot of extra capacity. It is an unfortunate position for Nissan, but hopefully Fiat and Chrysler will stand behind the original deal.

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Could Ram become a brand for Chrysler?

Fiat Doblò cargo (courtesy of fiat)

The name Ram could be attached to a lot more than a pickup if a new strategy under consideration by Chrysler management (reported by Automotive News) is adopted.

Check out all the latest cargo haulers that could be coming our way or already here in this photo gallery.

Under the Ram umbrella could fall products such as the Fiat Doblò, Ducato and Iveco Daily.

All manufacturers would love to see their commercial European and American counterparts unite. Ford is bringing over its Turkish built Transit Connect for 2010 and will eventually merge the larger Transit and Econoline platforms.

Chrysler has been an innovator in this European wave by bringing over the Mercedes Sprinter as the Dodge Sprinter to great initial reception by the market. Since that time, Sprinter sales have slowed (off 64 percent through July) but that could be a function of the economy rather than the concept.

Of course, building Ram into a commercial brand could cause issues for the Ram pickup and its perception by personal use buyers. However, it would not seem that difficult to simply tack on a name at the end, like Ford's King Ranch F-Series pickup to denote a luxury model from a more pedestrian, commercial vehicle.

For more info: Information for this report comes from Automotive News and previous reports by this author.

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Face Off: Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger may go separate ways

Sebring and Avenger: Which one was the good guy? source: touchstone pictures

The Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger may be split off into two separate platforms according to company sources.

The Dodge Avenger would go the sporty route with a rear wheel drive platform based off the Dodge Challenger while the Chrysler Sebring would stay front wheel drive on the previously speculated Alfa Romeo Milano based D-Evo platform.

Breaking up the twins would accomplish Fiat's stated goal of no longer offering Chrysler and Dodge clones. Dodge would have a sporty RWD sedan while Chrysler would offer a luxurious FWD sedan: Attracting different customers would ease tensions between the two brands on the showroom floor.

This plan is far from final. You might recall that Chrysler has had about fifty (slight exaggeration) scenarios for the mid-sized sedans' replacements. One common theme in all of the rumored plans is that the company realizes it must do far better than the current models,which some critics complained were worse than their predecessors.

Source: This story is based on information from Automotive News

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Fiat 500: Will four versions on offer sell Americans on small car?

Fiat 500 is being cute enough?

For years, small cars have been like bran cereal for most U.S. buyers: They'll buy them when then really have to, but as soon as they get regular again, it's buh, bye!

As an example, Honda sold 53,299 Civics in May of 2008 and only 17,302 in December of 2008, that's around a 67% drop. Granted there were other factors at play, but the economic meltdown doesn't explain the entire drop, lower gas prices had a lot to do with it.

As I reported yesterday, Fiat will offer at least four versions of its 500 for American buyers to choose from. Will that kind of selection prevent a rapid rise and fall like smart has experienced? Fiat would much rather emulate MINI which has cultivated a profitable niche for its relatively expensive, small cars here in the USA.

If Fiat can position the 500 as a lower cost MINI competitor, its stand to reap tremendous benefits: Not only through direct sales, but also through dealership traffic. A small car like the 500 is never going to sell in huge numbers here in the States, but it can act like a drop of honey attracting buyers that will ultimately drive off with another Chrysler product.

If nothing else, the Fiat 500 will signal to Americans that the reinvention of Chrysler has begun. Even though the 500 won't be labeled as a Chrysler, it will be the first obvious mark of the company's new Italian overlords. For that reason alone, the importance of the Fiat 500 in America cannot be overstated.

For more info: Read the author's other posts on Fiat.

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How does Chrysler / Fiat solve the Avenger / Sebring problem?

The stunning Chrysler 200C EV concept

I remember when I first saw the Dodge Avenger: It was at the Paris auto show. I was in town to visit my mother-in-law and couldn't resist the opportunity to catch a major international exposition. After a few minutes of looking at the Avenger, it became clear that I could easily resist this mid-size sedan. Where the 300C had made waves on the show circuit, the Avenger couldn't manage a ripple. A drive in the Avenger months later would confirm things, the Avenger and Sebring were not competitive cars. One automotive scribe went so far as to say that the new Sebring was actually a step backwards from its predecessor. No manufacturer wants to hear criticism like that!

Enough about the past. So much has happened since these sedans were released that its not even worth trying to write a recap. We're at the dawn of a new era and it is time to think about the future. Fiat does have offerings in Europe, the so-called "Evo" platforms, that could spawn new Chrysler models. However, as many a manufacturer can tell you, European models don't always play well to American crowds. Just ask Ford about its Contour or Mazda about its previous generation Mazda6. Most European designs have to be pulled and stretched like taffy to enlarge them to American standards. Fiat simply isn't sure that its platforms, even if enlarged, can satisfy Americans. What to do? Well, using an Opel platform now appearing to be off the table, so the product teams must continue to rummage around the corporate cupboards to find something else.

According to Automotive News, one idea on the table is to manufacture a variant of the 200 C EV show car from this year's Detroit show. In case you are not familiar with that design, it is a stunning sedan based on a shortened version of the Chrysler 300's RWD LX platform. I remember my first encounter with the 200 C EV. It was on the last press day of the Detroit show. I was walking around in my usual last day stupor when all of a sudden my eye caught a glimpse of a stunning sedan. I felt like Jack Nicholson's Joker in the Batman movie when he saw Vicky Vale, "Stop the presses! Who is that?"

Could a rear wheel drive mid-size sedan compete with a herd of front wheel drive competitors? With looks like the 200 C EV, priced competitively and with an AWD entry, I say absolutely! Hopefully Chrysler and Fiat product teams can see the wisdom of such a unique entry and will not be tempted to meddle with its design.

For more info: Check out my January post on the 200C EV

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Chrysler slips on some Corinthian leather Italian loafers

It’s done. Finalized. In the books. Chrysler is now in the hands of a veritable mélange of owners: Fiat, United Auto Workers and the federal government. It’s also shorn 789 dealers from its ranks and has reworked its management team. Now what? In the short term there will be few visible changes for the consumer and that could be a problem. Whereas General Motors still has a considerable arsenal of vehicles in its pipeline, Chrysler doesn’t have much to show the world in the way of new product until reinforcements can arrive. That would probably be okay if the existing lineup was performing, but of course that isn’t the case.

Minivans, full size pickup trucks, a new Grand Cherokee and a reworked 300C aren’t going be able to stake the corporate tent securely. Throwing in a few Fiat 500s late next year might bring a few folks, but the 500 will always be a niche model. What to do? While under Cerberus ownership, Chrysler would crow to the press that they had approved X number of “line item” improvements for its models. This practice must continue! Chrysler must find what is lacking and as soon as it can implement improvements, do it! To hell with waiting for model year changeovers. The 2010s are already baked, but let’s see some 2010.5 models out there. I like the direction that the Jeep Patriot/Compass took with their second stab at creating a believable interior. I presume the Caliber will see these changes as well? While they are at it, spruce up the Dodge Journey. The Journey is a decent product, but my gripe was with the use of cheap interior plastics. Start adding extra content to all models. Every vehicle should have iPod/USB, Bluetooth connectivity options to compete with Ford’s SYNC system. These might be little things, but they add up in a hurry when you start layering them. Making a silk purse out of a pig’s ear? Maybe, but it’s worth a shot.

Chrysler HAS to find innovative ways to stay relevant in the short-term so that its dealers can hang on until a product revival. Speaking of dealers, Chrysler must bend over backwards to help these small businesses in a time of extreme need. Chrysler must use innovative sales and service campaigns to attract new customers and keep existing buyers happy.

I don’t think that this is impossible, but Chrysler must act with extreme urgency. I wish them well and hope they succeed.

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Is Fiat and Chrysler merger a shotgun wedding?

shotgun drawing courtesy of webweaver.nu

Fiat ignoring requests for more information and trying to change terms at the last minute. Opposing lawyers being referred to as terrorists. The Treasury being accused of acting as if it were God. Truly awful spelling in e-mails, such as "squirely" and "gueni pigs."

What's all this drama about? Apparently the events leading up to Chrysler's bankruptcy were quite tumultuous and there was considerable ill will between all parties involved. Certainly any rushed deal of such proportions as this one is going to ruffle some feathers, but this WSJ article does raise some troubling questions. The article can be difficult to follow at times, given how many individuals are involved, but it is still worthy of your time.

PLEASE NOTE!!! The WSJ's content usually requires subscriber access. However, if you perform a Google News search for a WSJ article, you can usually gain full access because of a content sharing agreement between the two companies. Click here for a pre-formatted search that should work for the article above.

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Is the best they can come up with? Treasury's name for new Chrysler: NewCarCo Acquisition LLC

Who knew that they would take this so literally?

The Treasury Department announced on Friday it set up a new company to succeed Chrysler LLC called NewCarCo Acquisition LLC. You won't see this name at your local dealership, but still one has to wonder exactly how much thought the Treasury gave to the name "NewCarCo Acquisition LLC?"

Perhaps inspiration was taken from a new series of ads run by Chrysler which tout "We are building a new car company." NCCA (or whatever it will be called) is based in Wilmington, Del and already has $6.943 billion in its bank account thanks to Uncle Sam.

For more info: Read this Marketwatch article.

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Fiat 500 to be sold as a Fiat in Chrysler dealerships in about 18 months

Here come the little Italians!

The Fiat 500 will be Fiat/Chrysler's response to the MINI when it arrives in the USA in about one and half year's time. The spunky Italian will be the only car sold as a Fiat according to spokesman Richard Gadeselli.

The Polish built 500 mimics the MINI in many ways, from its retro looks, size and fantastic customization possibilities. In Europe the 500 has 549,000 possible configurations, 11 different colors, 100 accessories, and seven different interior trim choices.

With only 18 months left to wait, American buyers would do well to brush up on their Italian, enjoy a cappuccino and perhaps pickup a diecast model of the 500 on eBay. Since the Fiat/Chrysler union has not yet been fully ratified and the 500 has not officially been announced for the U.S. market, dealers are probably not accepting deposits for the car (you should be wary of any dealership that IS currently taking deposits). However, if you truly have you heart set on this model, you might want to buddy up to your local dealer over the course of the next few months.

For the curious, check out how the 500 is made in this YouTube video (there is no sound).

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Chrysler bankruptcy: Almost out of the woods?

A very quick hookup for Chrysler and Fiat

In what has been a shock, at least to me, Chrysler's bankruptcy proceedings are humming along at a remarkable pace. We where told at the outset that Chrysler would emerge from its chrysalis by the end of June, but I had as much faith in that prediction as I have in the "Your expected wait time is 5 minutes" announcements when I call customer service: not much.

Now it would appear that the new Chrysler/Fiat partnership will be a reality well before an operator takes my call. While creditors might beg to differ about the benefits of such a quick process, it is great new for the rest of us: Consumer confidence will be boosted, factories can reopen and the healing process can begin in earnest.

For more info: Read this Bloomberg article.

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Justin over an Minyanville sent me a link to this clip and I've decided (perhaps against my better judgment given the number of Detroit readers I have) to embed the video here.

Now, I want to make a couple of things clear. The Detroit of today is not the Detroit of yesterday and no I'm not talking about downtown which is sadly an entirely different story. I'm talking about American cars in general and the fact that they have immensely improved. I recommend many Ford and GM vehicles to friends and family without fear of retribution once they have placed these vehicles in their driveway.

However, every now and then we have to have fun and let's face it Chrysler and Fiat have both had quality woes. One does have to wonder at least a little bit how well these new models are going to hold together. Of course, this video highlights the worst of the worst, but it's all in good fun.

For the record, I was and still am in favor of a Chrysler/Fiat union.

Okay, enough disclaimers, let's all have a laugh.

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Chrysler and Fiat: Can a quarter plus a half equal a whole?

While much hoopla has been made about Fiat injecting fresh product into Chrysler’s depleted portfolio, the problem for Chrysler remains that small cars currently only account for 14 percent of the entire U.S. light vehicle market. The bulk of sales are larger cars and Fiat cannot provide immediate assistance in this area. That means that Chrysler will have to find other ways to stay current in the largest market segments without any Fiat cash. To date we know that a new Jeep Grand Cherokee is coming and a refreshed 300C will follow, but how will Chrysler manage updates to its minivan and Ram pickup? The answer probably lies with our own government, big surprise, as it is the only entity willing to pony up the cash.

What will work in Chrysler’s favor is that it will have few dealers to feed and subsequently greater volume in each remaining store. Also, the development and tooling costs for the minivan and pickup with be amortized out shortly, in fact I would venture that the minivan is almost all the way there already, meaning great a greater profit per unit. Still I am afraid that we the people will be on the hook in the short term until Fiat and Chrysler can sync up. In my estimation, that means the earliest we can expect relief would be 2012, unless fuel prices skyrocket again and smaller cars take a larger piece of the pie.

For more info: Visit Chrysler's website or check out Fiat's current lineup.

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Pay Limits? We Don't Need No Stinking Pay Limits

And for every obstacle, there is a work around. In this particular case, management of the newly minted Chrysler / Fiat alliance will sidestep the Treasury's $500,000 pay cap by simply becoming Fiat employees who are "seconded" to Chrysler.

I suppose that this is only to be expected and I'm not up in arms about the run around. I do, however, find the $500K cap to be laughable and mostly for show. Certainly execs at other companies who could potentially be impacted by such a clause are finding similar loopholes.

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When Can I Buy My Fiat?

Okay, probably not a question that most Americans are asking, but when can we logically expect to see some Italian jobs running around on our streets? The answer is, probably pretty quickly (at least in limited quantities). Fiat is likely to do is to bring over something like the sporty 500, modified minimally for U.S. standards as early as next year. There won’t be many brought over and they really won’t make any money on them, but it will get traffic into Chrysler dealerships by members of the curious public. As dealers well know, curiosity only lasts so long. So the real meat and potatoes will be when Chrysler can convert its existing facilities to produce new models based on Fiat platforms. That won’t happen overnight. At best you are looking at 2011-12 time frame. That’s a heck of a wait with only a smattering of refreshed product to tide the company over. That’s the part that worries me. If Chrysler was struggling before bankruptcy, how the heck is it going to survive until fresh product can arrive?

Fiat really was the only life line for Chrysler with the other option being to shut the company down, chop it up and feed it to the highest bidders. Talk about an unpopular notion! I wish the new management team all the best and hope that bankruptcy will be swift.

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Suzuki SX4 In Hot Demand, Fiat Future Foretold?

Whenever I see a Suzuki SX4 in traffic it catches my eye. Is it the chic European styling? Maybe. In any case, it seems to have caught the fancy of U.S. buyers, sales are up 49.8 percent March over March. That's great news in a market like the one we have now.

Why the spike? Well, firstly I'd attribute it to the sedan. Launched after the hatch, the sedan now accounts for about 75 percent of all SX4s sold. Oh America, what is your fascination with a trunk? You can also get the sedan and hatch in FWD, when the hatch launched it was AWD only. Suzuki also sweetened the pot with a Garmin GPS unit. Factor in sales incentives and you have a lot of reasons for a sales boost.

One thing to keep in mind, Suzuki shared development with Fiat which sells this car as the Fiat Sedici. Guess what we've been talking about lately? Fiat! So in a way, if you'd like to get a feel for what Fiat/Chrysler might offer, head on down to you Suzuki dealer today. Just don't plan on seeing a lot of SX4s, there will be s shortage until mid to late May.

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Fiat / Chrysler: What's the Latest?

One of my favorite soap operas these days happens to be the proposed marriage between Chrysler/Fiat. I'm not sure how many miles Fiat Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne has racked up over the past few months shuttling between Italy and the U.S. but it has to be considerable.

Given the short time frame (the end of April) the Obama administration has given Fiat and Chrysler, things must be moving at an amazing pace. There certainly have been publicity stunts. For example, Chrysler Exec Jim Press (who must be rethinking his decision to leave Toyota) driving onstage in a Fiat 500 when he introduced the next generation Jeep Grand Cherokee. Nice one.

Cerberus has basically said that it will give away its stake in Chrysler simply to be rid of it. Daimler, which still holds a small piece of Chrysler, is throwing a fit and saying that Cerberus is making unreasonable demands in its quest to acquire that final piece of Chrysler from the Germans. Nobody outside of those two organizations is quite sure what the unreasonable piece might be. Maybe an exec's head on platter stuffed with stock certificates?

While the deal would give Marchionne's company and instant presence in the U.S., one has to wonder if the management headaches would be worth it. Sure he'd get a ready made North American car company, but he'd also get a ton of ready made problems: bloated labor contracts and pension deficits, some less than desirable dealerships, irked suppliers, etc. In this climate, Fiat certainly does have options. For example, if they back out of the deal, Chrysler would almost certainly slip quickly from Chapter 11 to 7, where Fiat could pick off whatever delectable morsels it finds while leaving the unpalatable behind. Or, Fiat could pass on Chrysler and buy GM's Saturn brand. There are so many options that it makes your head spin.

One also wonders have Marchionne would keep Chrysler afloat until reinforcements can arrive. It's a joke how little Chrysler currently has in the way of future product. In good or bad times, you always need three things in the auto industry: product, product and product. How can Chrysler continue to function with such a hobbled lineup? My best guess would be massive incentives and some rushed Italian built vehicles to bolster the ranks until North American production can crank up. You know that the first people through the door to buy a Fiat 500 or going to pay whatever you ask. Sure, you'll only sell a minuscule amount, but it will be good PR. Perhaps while these folks are at the dealership looking for a 500 you can slip them a roofie and get them to sign paperwork on a Caliber?

In the end, I think the deal will go through because the alternative is simply too politically distasteful. Either way, we won't have to wait long to find out!

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Obama Team: Approval of Fiat/Chrysler Deal Still Being Mulled

In my opinion, Fiat is Chrysler's "Great Italian Hope" for a semi-independent future. Starved of any real, competitive smaller cars, Chrysler simply doesn't stand a chance on its own. While the terms of the Italian deal aren't ideal, there aren't any other serious offers out there.

If the Obama team nixes support for the Fiat deal, there is a chance that the Italians might come back with a juicier offer or they could just wait until Chrysler keels over and the proceed to pick at its bones. Let's face it, there are other ways to crack the U.S. market. For example, Saturn presents a nearly turnkey operation for a company looking to setup shop here. Need manufacturing capacity in North America? You can easily acquire that from any number of sources.

Given that Chrysler has such a weak bargaining position and really no chance to stand on its own, Obama's team would be well-advised to think long and hard about Fiat.


source: Obama auto team still undecided on Chrysler-Fiat deal detnews.com The Detroit News

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Fiat/Chrysler Link Could Yield 7 New Cars for US!

Industry sources are reporting that the Chrysler/Fiat alliance could give the US a total of seven new cars: four of those vehicles would be Chrysler, one would be a Fiat and two would carry the Alfa badge. How does it all break down?

Fiat would market the 500. That's a no-brainer, why would you want to dilute the brand equity of the cinquecento? Chrysler would get a 5-door variant based off the Fiat Panda.

Next up, Alfa would sell the sexy MiTo while Chrysler got another variation (maybe a crossover?). Think next generation Grande Punto platform, which in its current form is a child of the failed Fiat/GM partnership. That platform also underpins the Opel Corsa. Sadly it is not up to U.S. safety regs as it stands.

Moving up the ladder, Alfa would offer a vehicle slated to replaced the current 147 (called c-evo) and Chrysler could replace the Caliber with some variant of this platform.

The same goes for a Sebring/Avenger replacement, it would be a stretched 147 replacement platform (c-evo).

It all sounds good to me, but can they sell the alliance to U.S. lawmakers?

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Deal or No Deal?

I was all set to talk Fiat/Chrysler and everybody was watching the inauguration. History was made, to be sure, but what about the history of these two storied brands? They are both divorced, we know that much. Fiat and GM broke up with Fiat getting a nice payout to stop calling and asking what went wrong. Chrysler wasn't as fortunate, with its German masters, in my opinion, wrecking the company and then absconding back to Deutschland. Chrysler was not the same, perky self after it was all said and done. I really can't fault Cerberus for much other than cockiness that they were going to teach everybody in the auto industry how business is done.

Anyway, now that there is change on the horizon for the Pentastar brand and I for one couldn't be happier. Sure there are risks, just like anytime you start a relationship you could end up with your heart broken and your finances ruined. In Chrysler's case, it doesn't have that much to lose. It really is on death's door and this Fiat link could be a shot of B-12.

As I stated before, I look forward to the return of Alfa and some nifty Fiats. Chrysler is showing some promise with the likes of the 200C Concept. The Ram is a credible entry in the pickup market. Chrysler's minivans have segment leading sales and keep the competition honest. I also adore the Jeep brand (well, most of it). When I look over Fiat's portfolio, my mind races with what possibilities lurk. To be sure, most of the cars currently on offer from Fiat would not meet U.S. safety standards, but that will be remedied as new models are rolled out. My concern is how fast can any of this new technology help Chrysler? That is a big question and right now I haven't found an answer. Fiat isn't forking over any cash right now and any fruits of the relationship will take time to ripen.

Deal or no deal? I say: Deal!

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