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Marchionne now considering 'Plan B' partners for FCA merger

Okay Sergio, just stop. With the sting of rejection from General Motors CEO Mary Barra still fresh, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne is moving on and trying to find another automaker to merge with. FCA may not be giving up hope on a merger with GM, but that doesn't mean it isn't at least considering alternatives. Sergio's so-called "Plan Bs" include the Volkswagen Group, as well as smaller Asian outfits, like Mazda, Honda, Suzuki, and Hyundai. Bloomberg reports that France's beleaguered PSA Peugeot Citroen could as a sort of "fallback" option due to its relative lack of volume, an unidentified source claimed. There are, of course, problems with each option. According to Bloomberg, Volkswagen expects complete control of a company, but the Agnelli family, which holds a large portion of FCA stock, is loathe to relinquish its stake in the company. On top of that, VAG just isn't looking to make a deal right now. Mazda, meanwhile, is enjoying a new partnership with Toyota and Suzuki is partially owned by VW. Honda and Hyundai have never expressed any interest in a partnership with a western automaker. That kind of just leaves the French then, but even that remains a long shot. As Bloomberg tells it, PSA boss Carlos Tavares is still working on a turn-around plan, and would want at least another six months to execute before even considering a deal with FCA. And even then, Tavares hasn't given any indication that he's considering a pairing. News Source: BloombergImage Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Chrysler Fiat GM Honda Hyundai Mazda Suzuki Citroen Peugeot Sergio Marchionne FCA Mary Barra psa peugeot citroen

Mazda returning to top-tier racing with diesel-powered prototype in USCC

Mazda has unveiled its latest challenger in the top flight of endurance racing, a diesel-powered prototype that will campaign the inaugural, 2014 Tudor United SportsCar Championship. The new Skyactiv-D-powered car will make its race debut at January's Rolex 24 at Daytona.
"This is the most significant step Mazda has taken towards returning to the global racing stage since our overall victory at Le Mans in 1991," said the director of Mazda Motorsports, John Doonan. That historic racecar, the rotary-powered 787B, has grown to become one of Mazda's many, well-known racers.
More recently, the Japanese brand has been making waves in the Grand-Am series, campaigning RX-8s and, most recently, running diesel-powered Mazda6 sedans in the GX-class. Mazda will campaign two factory-backed prototypes at Daytona. Driver lineups will be announced closer to race day.

2014 Mazda6: July/August 2013

Our newest long-termer - the Soul Red 2014 Mazda6 seen here - arrived in my driveway at the end of June. Without hesitation, I immediately put it to work as a daily driver, carpool bus and family vacation sled, and it accomplished all of those tasks with aplomb. Now, more than 4,000 miles down the road, I am left convinced that Mazda's latest midsize sedan is one of the best in its segment.
During the past 60 days, I have subjected the Mazda6 to scorching travel across Southwestern deserts, wheezing climbs over 8,000-foot-high Sierra Nevada mountain passes and basking in the cool ocean breezes of Malibu. It traveled with four passengers and a full load of luggage from Los Angeles to Lake Tahoe, and it braved the bumper-to-bumper freeway congestion on a weekday trip down to San Diego. It accomplished everything that was asked of while hardly skipping a beat - it has only required a regular sip of unleaded fuel to keep it moving forward.