The head of Fiat Chrysler is moving on from the week that saw both Consumer Reports readers flunk the automaker for reliability and his quality chief step down.
Sergio Marchionne spoke to reporters Wednesday, according to the Detroit Free Press, and said changes in leadership to replace Vice President of Quality Doug Betts were already underway when Consumer Reports‘ annual reliability survey came out this week and savaged the company’s models.
Four of the five Fiat-Chrysler brands were at the bottom of the survey, and the Fiat 500L had the most reported problems of any car in the survey.
“We need to go back in and fix that perception because I know that from an engagement standpoint the whole house has been driven in a completely different direction that those surveys are indicating,” Marchionne said Wednesday. “So we have an absolutely mismatch of internal evaluation and commitment.”
Chrysler has tried to integrate lots of new technologies from Fiat into new and existing models, some developed before the relationship with the Italian automaker began. But now that new Fiat and Chrysler models are on the board with the company merged, there is a chance for mismatching to end.
By Zac Estrada