business

Fiat is out to create automotive powerhouse

8 Comments

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2009 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

8 Comments
Login to comment

Fiat is out to create automotive powerhouse

Hahahahahaha! Hahaha!

Hahaha! Hahahahaha!

Didn't get past the headline yet, still wiping tears from mine eyes...

Hahahahah! Hahahahahaha!

Hahahahaha!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Fiat"

Fix it again, Tony! Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Question: What is Japan's market share of automobiles in Italy?

Answer: Low enough for Fiat to buy Chrysler...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

My guess is that the unions especially in Germany with Opel won't let this happen. It's still up in the air as to whether or not Saab would be included in GM Europe (GME). Apparently Fiat met with Swedish officials but the folks at Saab knew nothing about it. All very odd if you ask me. Beyond the hurtles in doing the deal you have to wonder if Fiat has enough cash to actually manage and improve GME brands. Saab maybe as it's a niche player and pretty small but Opel/Vauxhall is a pretty big beast and there are ties with Daewoo and Holden to consider as well. Let's not forget that GME as a whole is unprofittable, how will being owned by Fiat at least in the near term change that?

TokyoHustla and Sarge: If your knowledge of Fiat goes back to 70s America that's why your laughing. The Fiat of today is quite a different animal and sells a hell of a lot of cars globally. They aren't a joke but I still don't think they can manage a business this big.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yes, because the Italians build reliable cars, the British make excellent food, the French sure work hard, and the Japanese ... well, just look at the other comments on JT to learn what the Japanese are good at.

Remember the Yugo? That was the brilliant combination of Fiat engineering and Soviet-era manufacturing. With that history in mind, a Fiat/GM/Chrysler marriage sounds oddly brilliant.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

usaexpat

Yes, today's Fiats may run better than the lemons we all remember from the '70s but the new ones sure are ugly. At least the older Fiats had personality and originality and some were cool even if they weren't completely reliable. And what's with the names they're using? Qubo? Punto? Panda? They're almost as bad as Japanese car names...

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Remember the Yugo?" - 1960s Fiat technology sold to the Soviets and built in a 1980s Yugoslavian factory. You cant hold Fiat responsible for that. Just pity the fool in the West who, with all the choice available at the time, actually spent their hard earned on one.

The best meal I ever had was in London but I've never seen anyone working hard in France.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

dontpanic: Just pity the fool in the West who, with all the choice available at the time, actually spent their hard earned on one.

A bad rep but no one provides specific details always makes me suspicious. Wiki says the biggest problem with the Yugo was a failure of the owners to perform regular maintainence. Sounds reasonable. People who go for the cheapest car tend to be too tight to change the timing belt. You cannot blame either Fiat or the Yugo for that.

Then you got the types who buy such cars. They tend to be starry eyed lefties with no mechanical sense. Reminds me of the couple who realized their car was low on oil. So, disregarding the dip stick, they bought oil and topped it off, as in until the oil was filled all the way to the top of the valve covers. Car did not run too good after that. They had all sorts of excuses, but darned if they would take the blame. Would not be surprised if the Yugo got a lot of that sort of treatment, and people blaming the Yugo for their own failure to read the owner's manual.

You get what you pay for, and if its cheap, it might require more maintenance. Poor people have to be diligent. Thems the breaks.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites