[tryphon]

I truly understand why some US Mopar fans may resent (even sub-consciously) the fact that their favorite car company has fallen under foreign owners. I feel exactly the same way when I buy Italian products from century-old Italian Brands that are no longer in Italian hands. These are names I remember from my childhood, bastions of Italian manufacturing, the pride and joy of Italy. And there are many, including just about every pharmaceutical manufacturer and many heavy industries.
In consumer Brands, some that may be familiar even to US buyers are (Country of ownership in brackets):

High Fashion Brands like:

Valentino (Qatar)
Bulgari and Fendi (France)
Gucci, Brioni and Bottega Veneta (France)
Ferré (Dubai)
Mandarina Duck and Coccinelle (S. Korea)

Shipbuilders like:

Ferretti Yacht (China)

Car and motorbike manufacturers like:

Lamborghini and Ducati (Germany)

Food products giants like:

Buitoni, Perugina, San Pellegrino (all owned by Nestle of Switzerland),
Locatelli Cheese , Parmalat, Invernizzi (France)
Peroni Beer (South Africa)
Olio Sasso, Olio Carapelli, Bertolli (Spain)
Galbani (France)

What can be done about it? Nothing: it’s called globalization. It's today's world, we can't fight reality; we can only accept it. As long as manufacturing is retained in the Countries of origin at the same level as at the time of the acquisition and as long as the new owners invest in expanding the available markets, then there is little harm done, other than to one’s national pride and often there are many positive aspects as far as investments and growth.
In the FIAT-Chrysler instance, it is not a true takeover, but rather a real, solid, mutually advantageous partnership, where both Groups gain synergies, know how and market presence. Nothing is free and some giving is necessary by both partners: it is often the price of survival!
You have to give a little on both sides and open your mind to new ways of doing things, new products for new markets and the presence of foreign accents in your plants. I know: that is what happened to me when my company moved me to the US, 21 years ago. I never looked back and it helped my career. I was accepted by my peers and made to feel part of the team.
Let’s keep a positive outlook as this may be the best chance both companies have ever had to really make inroads in the world markets!

 

[RVC]

Unless Daimler is a US company, people should be used to it by now. Only difference is that now, unlike in the bad old DCX days, Chrysler is being managed by competent people.

And yes, this is a takeover (unlike "the merger of equals"). But the fact that (again unlike the "merger of equals") this one also IS and FEELS like a great partnership, speaks volumes about FIAT in my book.

 

[guyverfanboy]

Unless Daimler is a US company, people should be used to it by now. Only difference is that now, unlike in the bad old DCX days, Chrysler is being managed by competent people.

And yes, this is a takeover (unlike "the merger of equals"). But the fact that (again unlike the "merger of equals") this one also IS and FEELS like a great partnership, speaks volumes about FIAT in my book.

Exactly. Chrysler is being treated like a partner in an advantageous partnership which works out well for both.

 

[tazdevil]

Have to agree. The great wisdom of our captain in recognizing the top talents of the Chrysler management, design and manufacturing types, and turning them loose has already proven itself to be good for our company. We just might be the most well run car company, today. The future looks very promising, and we should all be proud.

 

[TripleT]

Foreign Ownership is far preferable than nationalization or extinction.

Really depends on the people running it. Land Rover and Jaguar were managed by less than competent people but under TaTa have thrived.

Jeep and AMC by the French with bad results, and Chrysler thriving until the German merger of equals nearly left the company for dead.

The present management team is one of the best in my lifetime.

 

[MoparNorm]

Jeep and AMC by the French with bad results, .

???
Renault provided the seed money for XJ, and as such, created the rebirth of the SUV segment, which before that was only Jeep and a handful of International Harvesters.
The Alliance started the entire move by AMC and later Chrysler to smaller, fuel efficient cars. Several Renault managers stayed at AMC, when Renault left. Far from bad results.

 

[LXbuilder]

???
Renault provided the seed money for XJ, and as such, created the rebirth of the SUV segment, which before that was only Jeep and a handful of International Harvesters.
The Alliance started the entire move by AMC and later Chrysler to smaller, fuel efficient cars. Several Renault managers stayed at AMC, when Renault left. Far from bad results.

Didn't some of that "seed money" come from AMC it self? I remember when I first started at the old Brampton plant reading something in a newsletter about AM General being sold off for that purpose. This would have been early 80's sometime.

And I would take any small Chrysler of the mid late 80's over those Alliance and Encore Renaults, many a co-worker regretted buying into those.

Even as a young guy I kinda had a feeling that the whole Renault thing was not really working. I can't tell you how overwhelmingly happy I was to see Chrysler buy AMC, from that day on I figured there was a chance that the whole autoworker thing might last a few years for me. :thumbsup:

 

[Seagondollar]

And (snicker) I see where Mercedes is getting Renault to make them an entry level car. Fitting, huh?

 

[MoparNorm]

Didn't some of that "seed money" come from AMC it self? I remember when I first started at the old Brampton plant reading something in a newsletter about AM General being sold off for that purpose. This would have been early 80's sometime.
:

AM General was sold to LTV in order to comply with the Dept. of Defense requirement that no defense contractor be foreign owned. The DoD would not allow the sale to Renault to move forward until AM General was spun off, so technically one could claim either, as AM General would not have been sold if Renault had not come on board and the sale did generate funds, after the fact.
Had Renault not infused AMC with cash, AM General would not have been sold and there would have been no funding for expansion. Sort of a catch 22.

 

[TWX]

I am glad that the takeover now by FIAT is actually seemingly the merger of equals that DBAG promised. I just wish that they weren't making some basic, albeit small, mistakes with some of the products. Things like the aesthetic issues that we've seen with Cherokee and the Van, and also with the van, pricing issues. It would also be good if they got some of the more special options like the fanciest Dart into production at launch time rather than the delays that we're seeing.

On the other hand, if the Pentastar engines prove as capable as they seem to be now, we could be looking at an engine with a legacy like the LA small block enjoyed, which was original equipment in some form or another for 40 model years. Granted, 40 years is probably a stretch in this era of increasing emissions and fuel economy standards, but I can see engines in this family surviving through a couple of generations of car and several generations of truck or van.

 

[jerseyjoe]

The way I see it is the Fiat deal was set up to use US tax dollars to provide US jobs and profit on the Government loan that would benefit US citizens, As long as US jobs keep growing from this venture and there is more than 60% us content in the cars than those are the ones I will buy if I can afford it. To me the Chrysler name is historically a US corporation and just about the same as Lucent (formerly Bell Labs), now owned by the French and why are all those made in China labels showing up on the GE stuff. I guess that's the way its now here. Not sure where its going but I do know one thing a person needs to adjust to the present conditions or all is lost.The mom and pop candy stores have been replaced by convenience stores that sell 5 cent candy for a buck and a half, now that's real efficiency. I am learning at that at a $1.50 is way too much candy, you can see it on a lot of us.,All I know is its gonna get very interesting.

 

[JTE]

Not only that, but Renault infused AMC with Francois Castaing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Castaing

 

[MoparNorm]

Not only that, but Renault infused AMC with Francois Castaing.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/François_Castaing

Yes. He was foremost in my mind. Another JTE Conquest.

 

[MoparNorm]

This is from the link and worth repeating:

"After AMC's buyout in 1987, Chrysler insiders speculated that AMC would take over the larger firm from within.[6] Part of the reason was that AMC's Jeep Cherokee product line alone soon accounted for more than a third of Chrysler's profits. Several AMC leaders became stars at Chrysler, including product development boss Castaing who took over Chrysler operations and engineering.[7] He was quickly named Chrysler Motors' new Vice President for Vehicle Engineering. The acquiring company was in desperate need to replicate the culture at AMC and Renault where work was conducted in an atmosphere "of constant change".

 

[LXbuilder]

AM General was sold to LTV in order to comply with the Dept. of Defense requirement that no defense contractor be foreign owned. The DoD would not allow the sale to Renault to move forward until AM General was spun off, so technically one could claim either, as AM General would not have been sold if Renault had not come on board and the sale did generate funds, after the fact.
Had Renault not infused AMC with cash, AM General would not have been sold and there would have been no funding for expansion. Sort of a catch 22.

Thanks Norm, I was young and may not have paid attention to the details. :blush:

 

[MoparNorm]

Thanks Norm, I was young and may not have paid attention to the details. :blush:

You're welcome.
I was young too and a bit apprehensive, but the overall results (see JTE's link) were good.osing AM General was a blow, but overall it was a positive...however I can not erase the missed opportunity of an H1 with a Cummins from my mind, instead of those turkey GMC diesels they got stuck with.

 

[KyleCoffey]

The reality is, companies of this size are typically multinational corporations anyways. It's something that we're gonna have to get used to, as brands strive to have a better global identity.

 

[con383]

The only problem i have with this whole Merger or buy out is will the Italians understand the whole American Icon thing such as the Name DODGE or are we going to see another Plymouth situation like we did with Dimler?
Things are rosy now on the Chrysler side but as we all know so well it wont last forever, then and only then we will see the real Fiat,
Sorry Guys but that's the apprehension on my side I'm trying to be positive about the whole thing and probably will some day but i just can't get rid of the idea of were would Chrysler be if Daimler didn't buy into the deal in the first place.
Being a Mopar Motor sport Fan for most of my life it scares the hell out of me to think that Fiat will call the shots with where and when a mopar product will race in your Country, After all look at the traditions that Alfa Romeo has given away to Ferrari.

 

[tryphon]

The only problem i have with this whole Merger or buy out is will the Italians understand the whole American Icon thing such as the Name DODGE or are we going to see another Plymouth situation like we did with Dimler?
Things are rosy now on the Chrysler side but as we all know so well it wont last forever, then and only then we will see the real Fiat,
Sorry Guys but that's the apprehension on my side I'm trying to be positive about the whole thing and probably will some day but i just can't get rid of the idea of were would Chrysler be if Daimler didn't buy into the deal in the first place.
Being a Mopar Motor sport Fan for most of my life it scares the hell out of me to think that Fiat will call the shots with where and when a mopar product will race in your Country, After all look at the traditions that Alfa Romeo has given away to Ferrari.

Well, the two top guys at FIAT are an American (John Elkann) and a Canadian (Sergio Marchionne), both of Italian or mixed Italian-American descent. I believe they understand American values and traditions. In addition, there are a lot of Italian managers who have spent time in America and elsewhere and are quite world-wise. Let's get rid of the stereotypes, especially when dealing with world-class companies and executives. There is a side of Italy that is very active in advanced technologies: I am involved in a Fulbright Scholarship program and I can tell you, speaking with the Fulbright scholars, that they believe that there are institutions of research in new technologies in Italy that are world leading. I remember a specific instance that dealt with a new therapy to cure throat cancer, as well as areas in space technology such as the design of attitude sensors for spacecraft, where Italian industry is at the state of the art. In its own niche, I think Ferrari also qualifies as a world leader.

 

[JRS200x]

I don't really remember to be honest, but how long did it take before the "merger of equals" started to show it was something quite different? I can't imagine from day 1, at least to the public, that there was all angst and a ohmigodwhatdidwedo feeling...