Poor, Poor Fiat... literally

[ErnestM]

Interesting Reading...
http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/ticker/article.asp?Feed=RTR&Date=20021211&ID=2171844&Symbol=US:F

Fancy a vauxhall engine in your next Modena?

ErnestM

[McNab]

Ernest,

I thought the plot was to keep the performance car division as an entity, and sell the 'cooking' Fiat empire. However, the article implies that GM might veto any such proposition and you can hardly blame them in the circumstances.

If there are no takers, as seems to be the case, Fiat Auto will just have to upgrade their range or 'shut up shop'. A rethink of the model lineup would cost them a fortune at a time when they appear to have run out of cash.

They've built themselves a lousy image in recent years to the extent that they can't even persuade Italians to buy their cars, and it has to be said that their export potential has been damaged by an often inept choice of dealers in other countries.

A shame, because they used to make great drivers' cars...

[ErnestM]

McNab...
I like the "non comment" comment made by Ford:

"We have a position of not commenting on any speculation about either acquisitions or divestitures," a Ford spokesman said

Although Ford have always wanted Ferrari, I can't see them doing this either due to current financial circumstances.

The whole thing is a shame. IMHO, this is what happens when you start letting bankers and lawyers run car companies. In fact, the general concensus around the "board room" at Fiat is probably that Ferrari, Alfa and Maser are a "drain on resources".

I am so happy to see, however, that there are still young passionate companies emerging worldwide to produce driver's cars (the UK being at the top of the list with Noble and the like). Even if we do lose the auld marques (Ferrari, Maser, maybe even Lotus) we will have a batch of new ones en route (Noble, Ascari, Saleen, Koenigsegg). My son is only 1 year old this year and I don't want him to grow up without a supercar to drool over

ErnestM

[JSG]

ErnestM said: The whole thing is a shame. IMHO, this is what happens when you start letting bankers and lawyers run car companies. In fact, the general concensus around the "board room" at Fiat is probably that Ferrari, Alfa and Maser are a "drain on resources".

Very true, It's a shame that so many great marques have disappeared over the years after being swallowed up by larger companies. As a kid I grew up with Triumphs, Rileys, Standard and Austin just to name a few of the British names.

I always lusted after the 'exotic' Italian marques and it would be a great shame if Alfa, Ferrari and the like disappeared as well.

JSG.