Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is open to alliance and merger opportunities, chief executive Mike Manley revealed last week at the Geneva Motor Show.
“We have a strong independent future, but if there is a partnership, a relationship or a merger which strengthens that future I will look at that,” Manley told Reuters.
While it seems unlikely FCA will merge with another car manufacturer in the near future, PSA Group has been cited as a potential candidate. The French conglomerate primarily operates throughout Europe and merging with FCA would give it exposure to the U.S. as well as FCA’s hugely popular Jeep brand.
Manley’s predecessor, the late Sergio Marchionne, pursued a number of mergers over the years but none of them came to fruition.
FCA’s boss also said that there are no plans to sell the Maserati luxury brand. This comes despite recent media reports that China’s Geely Automobile Holdings has expressed interest in buying the Italian marque. For the time being, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is focused on complying with European emissions regulations.
“There are three options. You can sell enough electrified vehicles to balance your fleet. Two: You can be part of a pooling scheme. Three is to pay the fines. I don’t see a scenario when (carmakers) continue to subsidize technologies … indefinitely,” Manley said.
Current FCA plans call for $10.19 billion in investments over the next five years to introduce a range of hybrid and electric cars to be sold worldwide.
