Peugeot Citroen (PSA) merge with Fiat Chrysler

[Zak33]

Not content with buying Opel Vauxhall, PSA group has now chosen to jump into bed witjh Fiat Chrysler.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-fi...-idUKKBN1YM0NA
That's an ENORMOUS lump of car brands now, all stuck together, and they intend on chasing down the VW AUDI SKODA SEAT group.

How on earth they intend of saving money while not closing any factories is a nonsense though!

"The companies sold a combined 8.7 million vehicles last year, but have potential manufacturing capacity of 14 million vehicles, according to forecasters LMC Automotive."

thats lot of spare capacity

[kalniel]

It's about the need for common electric components/architecture. Too expensive to develop your own after so many years refining IC.

[Ttaskmaster]

Aren't Toyota the biggest brand in and across the world, now, with Honda in 2nd place?

[spacein_vader]

Not content with buying Opel Vauxhall, PSA group has now chosen to jump into bed witjh Fiat Chrysler.
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-fi...-idUKKBN1YM0NA
That's an ENORMOUS lump of car brands now, all stuck together, and they intend on chasing down the VW AUDI SKODA SEAT group.

How on earth they intend of saving money while not closing any factories is a nonsense though!

"The companies sold a combined 8.7 million vehicles last year, but have potential manufacturing capacity of 14 million vehicles, according to forecasters LMC Automotive."

thats lot of spare capacity

They'll close factories, but only when production runs on current models end. No point retooling other plants mid cycle, but expect a lot of announcements that $NewModel is to be built in a different factory to $OldModel.

[Zak33]

I'd say VW group are likely to be equal largest by the end of the year with Toyota

then Nissan/Renault would be my guess

then maybe GM

Hyundai Kia are one lump together so they will be enormous

Suzuki are normalyl top 10 globally...

but with PSA owning Opel and now blending Fiat Chrys... they'll be huuuuuuge

[DanceswithUnix]

but with PSA owning Opel and now blending Fiat Chrys... they'll be huuuuuuge

I do worry that some of the common components will be seen as contamination of brand rather than just parts bin economies, depends how they go about it.

The Alfa 159 suffered badly from the GM designed engines that were used from when it looked like GM and Fiat were merging. It didn't rev like an Italian car so the usual Alfisti didn't want to buy it, yet it didn't seem to attract new customers. Being bought out by the French isn't going to do any favours for the reliability image of Italian cars. So there is an opportunity here for the brands to lose customers.

Plenty on the Alfa forums seem to be taking this as a "last buy" warning before the brand disappears.

[Zak33]

Plenty on the Alfa forums seem to be taking this as a "last buy" warning before the brand disappears.

happened to Saab...might happen to them too