Fiat isn't Italian anymore...

Nor is it Fiat anymore- it's Fiat Chrysler Automotoive.

And FCA is incorporated in the Netherlands, and the HQ is in England...

Kinda big news, not sure how we missed it http://www.autonews.com/article/20140801/COPY01/308019978/fiat-says-ciao-to-italy-headquarters-as-chrysler-merger-is-approved

Interesting.

Fiat-Chrysler is headquartered in England. So they will make beautifully designed cars that rust out before leaving the dealer, have time-bomb transmissions, and incendiary devices masquerading as electrical systems? Sounds like we found our our new flagship GRM manufacturer!

I'm not sure how I feel about this. Do Dutch cars rust?

the article points out that one of their biggest single shareholders (2%) is the People's Bank of China.

Quite an international company.

Woody wrote: I'm not sure how I feel about this. Do Dutch cars rust?

I don't know, but I hear they build some fantastic ships. Will we see the return of the amphicar?

The article said said: Marchionne counts on the merger and the U.S. listing to help finance his ambitious 48 billion euro ($64 billion) plan to grow net profit five-fold and sales by 60 percent by 2018.

Is that even possible?

Early in the article it mentioned FIAT denied additional merger talk rumors, but unless I'm missing something, that kind of rapid growth only comes from big mergers.

In reply to HappyAndy:

China.

Diamler Chrysler. Now Fiat Chrysler. Poor Chrysler...always a bridesmaid.

Yup, always a bridesmaid. At least the Germans are gone; man Daimler was making a MESS out of things. I shiver when I see one of those era cars show up with any sort of electrical concern because it's gonna be a bitch. Unfortunately, so far the CAN-BUS systems in the newer ones are showing signs of problems too. Take it from me, avoid the big screen radio (8.4 in Chrysler speak) for at least another two years. Don't buy a used car with it! You would not believe how much goes through the telematics gateway and how many $$$ it can be to fix. Hint: if it pukes you can't even run the A/C in some cars.

ultraclyde wrote: So they will make beautifully designed cars that rust out before leaving the dealer, have time-bomb transmissions, and incendiary devices masquerading as electrical systems?

So what you're saying is there will be no change to their current quality?

I still believe they should have been allowed to die off naturally in the early 80's....

Woody wrote: I'm not sure how I feel about this. Do Dutch cars rust?

DAFs and Volvo 340s were pretty good at it.

I knew it wasn't Italian when I could test drive it in the rain and stay dry.

I owned a '76 Daf for quite a long time and loved it ! An air cooled car with fabulous heat, go figure?

alfadriver wrote: And FCA is incorporated in the Netherlands, and the HQ is in England...

And my sticker says it's made of a mixture of American and Italian parts, final assembly in Mexico. What a confused little car, no wonder it always sounds so angry.

ultraclyde wrote: Fiat-Chrysler is headquartered in England. So they will make beautifully designed cars that rust out before leaving the dealer, have time-bomb transmissions, and incendiary devices masquerading as electrical systems? Sounds like we found our our new flagship GRM manufacturer!

And what are Fiat and the UK going to add to all of that?

In reply to Jerry:

I feel that it should be renamed the Zimmerman telegram

Knurled wrote:

ultraclyde wrote: Fiat-Chrysler is headquartered in England. So they will make beautifully designed cars that rust out before leaving the dealer, have time-bomb transmissions, and incendiary devices masquerading as electrical systems? Sounds like we found our our new flagship GRM manufacturer!

And what are Fiat and the UK going to add to all of that?

Well, as the rusting issue is a pretty common ground, the brits will contribute electronics that don't work when it rains, and I hear the italians like stuff to catch on fire as well.......so, wipers that don't work when its raining, headlights that catch on fire at night, and half the body rusted away by afternoon tea? Sounds like their business plan.

The headquarters location most likely has to do with paying taxes, they probably can get a lower rate in England. Medtronic (a big medical company in Minneapolis) is merging with a European firm; while the bulk of the company will remain here, they are relocating their headquarters to Ireland which will save them millions of dollars a year.

THE DUTCH!

stuart in mn wrote: The headquarters location most likely has to do with paying taxes, they probably can get a lower rate in England. Medtronic (a big medical company in Minneapolis) is merging with a European firm; while the bulk of the company will remain here, they are relocating their headquarters to Ireland which will save them millions of dollars a year.

I bet they will be traded on the NYSE because of what happened with Daimler. IIRC, it was traded on whatever the German stock market is instead of the NYSE, and American investing firms didn't want to touch it anymore, which was no small part of Chrysler's financial issues.