With the Fiat - Chrysler alliance negotiations making the headlines every day, Sergio Marchionne, chief executive of the Italian automaker, insisted that some automakers must indeed bite the dust because the automotive industry has slowly turned into a crowded sector with way too many players. “We need to go back to making cars and making money making cars,” he was quoted as saying by the New York Times on Thursday.
Speaking of the current status of Chrysler negotiations, Marchionne denied all rumors claiming the Italian car manufacturer plans to step out of the deal. Furthermore, he promptly denied that Fiat might after all purchase a different automaker, saying that Chrysler remains the main target for the time being.
“Chrysler is my first and foremost objective," he added, explaining that he had no direct talks with Opel. “The obligation is on all of us not to do stupid things,” Marchionne stated, pointing that he has absolutely no intention to "build a new empire", as the aforementioned source wrote.
In a statement published in mid-April, Fiat Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo denied negotiations with Opel. "They've written about it in the newspapers? No, no," the Italian official said. Nevertheless, after only a few days, a statement issued by Klaus Franz, chairman of Opel, hinted that Fiat might be indeed interested in purchasing the German unit but refused to provide more details regarding the current status of the talks.
Otherwise, a media report that came out a few days ago claimed that Fiat - Chrysler alliance is "90 percent done", with Bruno Vitali, head of the automotive sector of the Fim-Cisl Italian union, revealing that the two sides almost reached an agreement.
Fiat continued to deny the speculation in the same manner we already get used to: "No agreement has been concluded between Chrysler and trade unions in the U.S. and Canada and the assertion that the overall agreement has been 90% defined is untrue. The talks remain completely open and it is not currently possible to predict the timing or the outcome," the Italian automaker said according to Autonews.
Speaking of the current status of Chrysler negotiations, Marchionne denied all rumors claiming the Italian car manufacturer plans to step out of the deal. Furthermore, he promptly denied that Fiat might after all purchase a different automaker, saying that Chrysler remains the main target for the time being.
“Chrysler is my first and foremost objective," he added, explaining that he had no direct talks with Opel. “The obligation is on all of us not to do stupid things,” Marchionne stated, pointing that he has absolutely no intention to "build a new empire", as the aforementioned source wrote.
In a statement published in mid-April, Fiat Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo denied negotiations with Opel. "They've written about it in the newspapers? No, no," the Italian official said. Nevertheless, after only a few days, a statement issued by Klaus Franz, chairman of Opel, hinted that Fiat might be indeed interested in purchasing the German unit but refused to provide more details regarding the current status of the talks.
Otherwise, a media report that came out a few days ago claimed that Fiat - Chrysler alliance is "90 percent done", with Bruno Vitali, head of the automotive sector of the Fim-Cisl Italian union, revealing that the two sides almost reached an agreement.
Fiat continued to deny the speculation in the same manner we already get used to: "No agreement has been concluded between Chrysler and trade unions in the U.S. and Canada and the assertion that the overall agreement has been 90% defined is untrue. The talks remain completely open and it is not currently possible to predict the timing or the outcome," the Italian automaker said according to Autonews.