2012 Fiat 500 Pop Cabrio 5-spd on 2040-cars

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Marchionne's pay as Fiat CEO falls to $5M

Sergio Marchionne will be buying fewer of his iconic sweaters, as his 2013 pay from Fiat took a dip from $6.24 million to an even $5 million. Marchionne, who was also CEO of Chrysler, made $307,989 thanks to some stocks and benefits from the American company, although he didn't take a salary. Of that $5 million paid by Fiat, $3.19 million came from Marchionne's fixed salary while the remaining $1.8 million was paid for hitting unspecified performance targets.
The news comes from Fiat's compensation reports, which also showed that the 61-year-old, who already owned three million shares in Fiat at the end of 2013, was able to receive an additional 2.3 million shares through a stock incentive program. According to Automotive News Europe, the additional shares would be worth about $25 million at today's prices, although so far, Marchionne has declined to claim the extra shares.
According to ANE, Fiat reported a 2013 trading profit of $4.7 billion.

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

The Fiat 500 Cult celebrates the little car's success with a new top model

The Fiat 500 has proved to be a huge success since first being introduced in 2007. In that time, Fiat claims that it has sold over 1.2 million units worldwide. For the 2014 model, the Italians are celebrating with a new top-spec version called the 500 Cult at the Geneva Motor Show, but it likely will be limited to the European market.
The Cult is available as both a hatchback and convertible and each receive their own, unique color. The coupe is available in a light mint green called Lattementa Green that recalls the 500s from the 1960s, and the convertible is offered in Three-layer White. Both models get gloss black trim around the taillights, and the bumperettes and tailgate handles are finished in chrome. Buyers can choose between black or chrome trim for the door mirrors, both presenting a very retro look.
Inside, the Cult gets standard leather and a dashboard painted the same color as the body. A new 7-inch TFT display sits in the middle of the instrument cluster, which manages the media player, telephone, trip computer and displays warning messages. Automatic climate control and rear parking sensors are standard, and coupes get a sunroof.