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Marchionne's FCA-GM merger might come after Ferrari spinoff

Sergio Marchionne is continuing to rumble about working out a merger with General Motors, but don't expect anything big to happen before at least early next year. That's because Marchionne would likely wait for the Ferrari spin-off to be complete before beginning his next big deal, according to Automotive News. While the Ferrari IPO on the New York Stock Exchange is expected in the coming weeks, that only concerns 10 percent of the shares. The remaining 80 percent of stock is being distributed among shareholders in 2016. Piero Ferrari holds the final 10 percent with no intention to sell. This strategy allows FCA to claim 80 percent of the Prancing Horse's profits in the automaker's 2015 financial results. According to Automotive News, the tactic has other advantages, as well. FCA would be flush with cash by waiting for the spin-off to be complete, and it would keep Ferrari separate if a GM merger actually happens. Marchionne thinks Ferrari could be valued at over $11 billion in the IPO, and it could make FCA $3.3 billion richer when complete. Marchionne believes a combined FCA/GM could sell 17 million vehicles a year globally and rake in $30 billion in earnings. In the CEO's opinion, the two automakers are wasting money by developing components to do the same things on their vehicles. Although, so far the General's top execs are rebuffing all of his advances.

Ferrari SUV is probably happening

Just a few weeks after another report that Ferrari has some sort of SUV or crossover in the works, Bloomberg releases its own report of the same thing. The news outlet spoke with anonymous sources that said the plan is to release an SUV in 2021. The sources said that it is still in the early days of development, and it could have either two or four doors, but it will be more spacious than the most capacious Ferrari on sale now, the GTC4 Lusso. It also will likely be aimed at the Asian market, and could sell as many as 2,000 units a year, which would make it easy for the company to continue increasing its sales, possibly past the 10,000-unit mark that exempts the company from some U.S. and European emissions regulations. The previous report from Car about the Ferrari utility went a little further in its predictions. Supposedly the utility will share the GTC4 Lusso's platform, which makes sense as it's the only all-wheel-drive platform in Ferrari's lineup. It will also likely have a V8 and possibly a hybrid variant. A hybrid version would fit in with Bloomberg's report that Ferrari is also planning on more hybrids in addition to the crossover for both more sales and to help meet emissions regulations if the company exceeds 10,000 units a year. Considering that Ferrari CEO Sergio Marchionne famously said he'd have to be shot before building a Ferrari SUV, it's a little surprising that Ferrari is headed this way. But if a company wants to expand sales, there's no easier way to do so than to offer some kind of crossover. Porsche learned that a long time ago, and now Lamborghini and Aston Martin are following suit. And if this Ferrari utility launches in 2021, it will be right about the same time that Marchionne plans to retire from Ferrari, so he'll sort of be able to keep his word. Related Video: Related Gallery Ferrari GTC4Lusso T: Paris 2016 View 17 Photos News Source: Bloomberg, CarImage Credit: Lorenzo Marcinno Ferrari Crossover SUV Future Vehicles Hybrid Luxury Performance

Marchionne hints at once-'obscene' idea: a Formula E electric Ferrari

Ferrari is certainly protective of its brand image, even if it means coming off as a Luddite. A year ago, Chairman and ( now) CEO Sergio Marchionne said that an all-electric Ferrari would be " almost an obscene concept," adding, "You'd have to shoot me first." So it's surprising to see him tell Auto, the FIA's magazine, that "we need to be involved" in all-electric racing series Formula E. Earlier the interview, Marchionne talks up Ferrari's need for electrification, at least in terms of incorporating more hybrid technology. "Hybridization is crucial to Ferrari," he says, not necessarily in meeting emissions targets, but for performance. Ferrari will use new technology, electrification included, in future models, with a focus on creating an emotional experience for the driver. Late last year, Marchionne said that the brand would leverage hybrid technology to boost production figures and profits, and that every model would offer some hybrid technology by 2019. When asked about the likelihood of Formula E entry, Marchionne says, "It's difficult to say." He then adds, "We need to be involved in Formula E because electrification via hybridization is going to be part of our future." What that level of involvement would be is also uncertain, but he didn't rule out the possibility of a Ferrari Formula E racer, which would by necessity be all-electric. Of course, Ferrari could find a development role in the race series without entering its own vehicle. Regardless of the type of involvement, Ferrari's reputation could stand to gain from representation in the series, especially if it means it's not appearing to fall behind the likes of McLaren, Jaguar, BMW, and Audi, who have all played a part in Formula E. Either way, it appears that Marchionne is warming up to electrification, and that the idea of an all-electric Ferrari – even if it's confined to a single race series — isn't quite as obscene as it once seemed. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. News Source: AutoImage Credit: Getty Green Motorsports Ferrari Electric Hybrid Racing Vehicles Sergio Marchionne Formula E