Genesis Demon

[Sal Collaziano]

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) chairman and chief executive Sergio Marchionne is setting his sights on a merger with South Korean automotive giant Hyundai Motor Group (HMG) while at the same time seemingly using China’s Great Wall Motor Co as a stalking horse, sources close to the situation say.

"However, the rumors of a potential Chinese buyer served in part to soften White House and congressional opposition of a merger between FCA and Korea’s Hyundai. Hyundai, unlike its Japanese rival Toyota, is a relative latecomer to the US market and has the most to benefit from taking over the Chrysler distribution network and iconic Jeep brand."

"Unlike with Volkswagen and GM, Hyundai and FCA would face significantly fewer manufacturing-plant and product overlaps both in the United States and Europe. The US-South Korean Free Trade Agreement (KORUS FTA) – on top of closer political-military ties between the United States and South Korea over North Korea’s nuclear proliferation – would also make a Hyundai-FCA merger more palatable to the Trump administration."

http://www.atimes.com/fiat-chryslers-marchionne-eyes-merger-koreas-hyundai/

 

[Lord Humunculous]

I hope nothing comes of this, FCA is a scary prospect.

 

[Aquineas]

Sergio, everyone knows your company is screwed and has to make some massive engineering investments going forward to bring your product line up-to-date. Jeep is your most desirable sub-brand and even that has suffered some dings as of late. Your LX based sedans are based on a 13 year-old platform that heavily borrows bits from even older Mercedes models. Nobody wanted your small or midsize car models, and now you need new platforms for your large sedans along with new hybrid or electric drive trains. Do you honestly think Hyundai, who's facing a double-whammied sales slump due to a softening market as well as shortage of crossovers and SUVs and has their own long-term material challenges to work out (Hyundai is a steel company, but steel is heavy. Future vehicles need to get lighter, by a lot) has a desire to blow a few billion bailing FCA out? Solve your own problems. Get some loans, invest in or buy some engineering , and design your way out of it. Over-engineer now, over-price later.

 

[Lord Humunculous]

.... he was drunk, someone was explaining neopanamax to him he fully agreed that the trunks in fiats are too small, the next morning, things weren't as clear...