Chrysler-Fiat quality chief out after another poor Consumer Reports showing

Tue, 28 Oct 2014

Fiat Chrysler has announced a management change following the company's woeful performance in the latest Consumer Reports Annual Auto Reliability Survey. Of the 28 brands surveyed, FCA's marques occupied the five the seven lowest scores, while Dodge, Ram, Jeep and Fiat were the four lowest scorers.

Doug Betts, FCA's 51-year-old head of quality "left the company to pursue other interests," which, considering the aforementioned paragraph, means he was sacked. According to Automotive News, Betts joined Chrysler in 2007, defecting from Nissan, and, insiders report, had a somewhat tumultuous relationship with new boss Sergio Marchionne.

His replacement is the newly promoted Matthew Lidane (shown at inset), who was formerly VP of systems and components. Lidane has been at Chrysler since 1987 and was previously chief engineer of the Jeep product team as well as the vehicle line boss for the compact US wide platform which (ironically) underpins two of FCA's lowest scoring vehicles, the Dodge Dart and Jeep Cherokee.

Scroll down for the official press release from Chrysler.

Chrysler Group Announces Management Changes
October 28, 2014 , Auburn Hills, Mich. - Chrysler Group LLC today appointed Matthew Liddane as Head of Quality in North America. Liddane previously was Vice President – Systems and Components for Chrysler Group. The appointment is effective immediately.

Liddane replaces Doug Betts who left the Company to pursue other interests.

Liddane joined the former Chrysler Corporation in 1987 and has held a series of engineering positions with increasing responsibility including Chief Engineer Jeep Product Team and Vehicle Line Executive – CUSW platform.

About Chrysler Group LLC
Chrysler Group LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (FCA), designs, engineers, manufactures, distributes and sells vehicles under the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and FIAT brands, and the SRT performance vehicle designation. The Company also distributes the Alfa Romeo 4C and Mopar products. With the resources, technology and worldwide distribution network required to compete on a global scale, FCA builds on Chrysler Group's culture of innovation, first established by Walter P. Chrysler in 1925, and Fiat's complementary technology that dates back to its founding in 1899.

FCA, the seventh-largest automaker in the world based on total vehicle sales in 2013, is an international automotive group engaged in designing, engineering, manufacturing, distributing and selling vehicles and components and production systems. FCA is listed on the New York Stock Exchange and on the Mercato Telematico Azionario under the symbol "FCAU."

By Brandon Turkus