1962 Chrysler Imperial on 2040-cars

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Marchionne urges industry consolidation, again

Sergio Marchionne isn't just an instigator of mergers – he's also a staunch advocate for their need in the industry. And he seems convinced another big one will happen in the next few years. "I am absolutely certain that before 2018 there will be a merger," said Marchionne. "It's my personal opinion, based on a gut feeling." Though the terms "absolutely certain" and "gut feeling" would seem to convey vastly different degrees of certainty, his chief's statement would seem to suggest some inside knowledge of an impending deal. Marchionne, of course, brokered the consolidation of the Fiat Chrysler Automobiles empire over which he now presides, and has been actively seeking another merger to help reduce redundancy and overhead between major automakers in the industry. With which automaker he might be seeking such a merger, however, remains a big question. He was recently reported to have approached Mary Barra regarding a potential merger with General Motors, but was said to have been rebuffed. The Italian-Canadian executive may not be alone in his advocacy for industry consolidation, though. Opel chief Karl-Thomas Neumann said that "In principle, Marchionne is right – the auto industry develops the same things ten times over." Bringing major automakers together would ostensibly reduce that redundancy. Marchionne had been linked to a potential takeover of Opel when GM was shedding brands post-bankruptcy, but in the end the Detroit giant opted to keep its European division in-house.

Toyota, Ford not interested in FCA merger

Sergio Marchionne will preach the benefits of mergers to anyone who'll listen, but his calls for industry consolidation may be falling on deaf ears. At least, that is, the ears of those who the Fiat Chrysler chief would most like to bend. Not only is General Motors uninterested, but according to The Detroit News, neither are Toyota or Ford. "It's something we would not be interested in," said Toyota's North American chief Jim Lentz, at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new Toyota Technical Center. "At 10 million (vehicles) we have enough scale right now to do what we need to do. There really would be no advantage for us." Toyota isn't the only one unenthused by the prospect of merging with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. The Detroit News also reports that Ford, though it may yet to have been approached by Marchionne, wouldn't be interested either. "We're not a suitor for FCA," said Ford CFO Bob Shanks. "We don't see that type of opportunity as one that applies to us." With GM, Toyota, and Ford expressing disinterest in Marchionne's merger idea, the FCA chief will likely start looking elsewhere – or look for other ways to compel his primary candidate to reconsider. He may eventually find a partner – more likely in the Far East or within Europe – but it may not take the form of the major player Sergio has hoped for. News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Bill Pugliano/Getty Chrysler Fiat Ford Toyota Sergio Marchionne FCA merger fiat chrysler automobiles

Auto industry insider previews tell-all book, What Did Jesus Drive?

"It's about some of the biggest crises in history. It's about who did it right and who did it wrong." - Jason Vines
Jason Vines, the former head of public relations at Chrysler, Ford and Nissan, has seen a lot during his more than 30-year career, and now he's offering a behind-the-scenes look at the auto industry in his tell-all book What Did Jesus Drive? that went on sale this month.