Fiat Chrysler Boss dies

road_high

Well known Fiat Chrysler CEO has died- heard he was taken ill a few days ago, didn't realize it was so serious.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44949996
He had a lot of success turning Fiat and associated brands around but also some failures like Lancia and the sluggish renewal of Alfa.

Arthur Daley

Big player in their recent fortunes, and at Ferrari.

The business is struggling outside the Panda and 500, which have been huge successes over 14 years now. They obviously dominate the Italian market, but this is a critical tme for the business if they are to remain a big volume European player, they need strong new products.

road_high

Arthur Daley wrote: »

Big player in their recent fortunes, and at Ferrari.

The business is struggling outside the Panda and 500, which have been huge successes over 14 years now. They obviously dominate the Italian market, but this is a critical tme for the business if they are to remain a big volume European player, they need strong new products.

I think in ways regarding product he was very risk averse and led Fiat into very conservative space as regards products and styling- he said he didn't believe in launching new product in the middle of recession but Fiat market share has suffered big time from lack of desirable cars to sell. Jeep, Maserati on the other hand have done well.

Tabnabs

road_high wrote: »

I think in ways regarding product he was very risk averse and led Fiat into very conservative space as regards products and styling- he said he didn't believe in launching new product in the middle of recession but Fiat market share has suffered big time from lack of desirable cars to sell. Jeep, Maserati on the other hand have done well.

So well they had an extended holiday shutdown on the production line...

https://www.motortrend.com/news/maserati-extends-holiday-production-stoppages/

and again:

https://www.motor1.com/news/229812/maserati-levante-production-reduced/

quadrifoglio verde

Don't judge marchionne on what he has done with fiat. You've to look at what he has done to Exor to truly understand the genius of the man. Spin off spin off spin off and maximise as much value for the Agnelli family as possible.

You need to look at where fiat group was when he took over in 2004. On the verge of bankruptcy. It had failed to make a profit for four years. Yes they were shifting volume, but were losing money hand over fist.
He got GM to buy them out of their joint venture which was loss making.

He bought the Chrysler group with Chrysler's own money. All it cost him was giving them the use of Fiats technology. That then gifted him the Ram and Jeep brands, highly profitable brands. Jeep alone is potentially worth more than FCA as a whole. Which was the same reason as to why he spun out CNH and Ferrari. There value on their own was worth more than within the Fiat group. Fiat cars is in the doldrums. Likewise Chrysler. But some of there other brands, not so much.

Since taking charge of fiat group, the value of Fiat and it's spun off companies has increased tenfold. He has left them in a position where theyre now in net cash territory.
There isn't that many car manufacturers in that position.
Any tenfold increase in value over 14 years? Not bad.

Arthur Daley

He did a good job alright. But they are not out of the woods. I'd like to see them survive outside their core market of small, cheap cars. to some extent at least, even as a niche player. But he is gone now and things will be uncertain for the various brands in the group.

mickdw

Tough man to work for by all accounts and was a workaholic himself.