Gianni Agnelli passed away?

[MDG]

On ferrarichat.com I read signore Agnelli is no longer with us. Is this true? If so, it would be a real shame.

MDG.

[Gaffer]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/2690265.stm

[marki]

Why would it be a real shame ?

[dazren]

marki said: Why would it be a real shame ?

You may care to look upon on him as having been partly responsible for Ferrari in it's present state of great road cars and great F1 cars, by doing the deal with Enzo in the 60's (?) allowing the latter to concentrate on racing and Agnelli's company take over the production of road cars.

DAZ

[MDG]

My point exactly, Daz. I believe Agnelli played a very important part in the way Ferrari was able to grow to its current stature. He kept the company out of Ford's hands for instance.

MDG.

[castex]

He was a class act, a real gent from what i gathered.
It is very important that GM does not buy the rest of Fiat, and I hope the new capo agnelli will have the gumption not to let that happen.

[jamesc]

I have been reading Matthew Field's book about the making of the Italian Job, without Agnelli it would have never of happened. He helped in every way to help the producer Michael Deeley. Can you imagine Rover allowing Fiat Puntos to be craned on top of Longbridge for a stunt.

James

[WalterU]

yes, he's gone - he was a great, great man. A major loss. RIP.

Rdgs, WalterU

[robp]

Sad news indeed. RIP

I am wondering how long Fiat as we know it has left? I do think that it is only a matter of time before GM swallows it up. It will be interesting to see if the family maintain their shares in Fiat Auto and the Ferrari F1 team.

[clanger]

Another motoring great disappears - Ferrari apart, whatever you may say about their reliability, Fiat have always dared to be different (with a few flawed exceptions!)and were one of the few mass produced cars that gave you a sense of occasion when you drove them -I will for one will miss his genius - RIP..

[pawsmcgraw]

am i the only person who knows he sold fiat down the tube,tried everything to claw cash from the goverment in Italy,succeeded and blew it.Had more interest in football and motorsport than the welfare of the tens of thousands of staff he employed.Yes he may have been in charge when ferrari was turned around but he did nothing but pay Monti's wages and divert desperatly need funds from Fiat to the ott F1 team.Anyone who spends 60m$ on a wind tunnel,200m$ on a team when impending doom is around the corner for the golden goose is pretty bloody stupid and arrogant.From what my Italian friends tell me he was not the highly thought of person the rest of europe thought he was.

[marki]

pawsmcgraw said: am i the only person who knows he sold fiat down the tube,tried everything to claw cash from the goverment in Italy,succeeded and blew it.Had more interest in football and motorsport than the welfare of the tens of thousands of staff he employed.Yes he may have been in charge when ferrari was turned around but he did nothing but pay Monti's wages and divert desperatly need funds from Fiat to the ott F1 team.Anyone who spends 60m$ on a wind tunnel,200m$ on a team when impending doom is around the corner for the golden goose is pretty bloody stupid and arrogant.From what my Italian friends tell me he was not the highly thought of person the rest of europe thought he was.

Thanks Paws ,, my point in a nut shell ,he may have been a gent and a fine fellow to people close to him but ruthless is not a strong enough word to decribe him, not that thats a bad thing in business .

[308gt4]

what FIAT really need is Luca De Montozemolo to help move them into the black by getting the company to build cars people want as he did for Ferrari.

I think if they come up with cars like the 124Sport or the 130 coupe that are well built and have all the mod cons the tide would turn.

I think Agnelli screwed up and the political infighting at the top of FIAT has dragged it into the mire and it's going to take a hard man (Luca) to get it out of this one.