Right... because Marchione would never say anything different?
Jeep Mulls Moving Manufacturing to China | AutoGuide.com News
Weakness in the European auto market lead to slow sales for Chrysler but strong demand in China buoyed the brand. In fact, business in China is good enough that Chrysler might transplant its manufacturing operations. Should brand execs pull the trigger, it would mark the first time Chrysler built Jeeps in China since before 2009 when Fiat took a stake in the company.
That contradicts what Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said almost a year ago amid concerns that Wrangler production might move from its current plant in Toledo, Ohio.
“This plant has been at the heart of what we’ve done. I’ve said publicly that I would never build the Wrangler outside the U.S. and outside of Toledo. These are things that are unthinkable — to assemble a Wrangler somewhere else,” Marchionne said in November, 2011.
But what was unthinkable a year ago might not seem so foreign. Manufacturing Jeep products in China could help the company save money while feeding a growing market with reduced expenses.
Mike Manley, Fiat Chrysler’s COO in Asia, seems bullish of the possibility. “The volume opportunity for us is very significant,” he, said to Bloomberg. “We’re reviewing the opportunities within existing capacity.”
Jeep’s sales in China more than doubled this year to 33,463 units through September, which could encourage the move further.
Despite that, moving all of the brand’s production to China wouldn’t sit well with American consumers.
Fiat Says Jeep Output May Return to China as Demand Rises - Bloomberg
Fiat SpA (F), majority owner of Chrysler Group LLC, plans to return Jeep output to China and may eventually make all of its models in that country, according to the head of both automakers’ operations in the region.
Fiat is in “very detailed conversations” with its Chinese partner, Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. (2238), about making Jeeps in the world’s largest auto market, said Mike Manley, chief operating officer of Fiat and Chrysler in Asia. Chrysler hasn’t built Jeeps there since before Fiat took control in 2009.
Marchionne Seen Missing Fiat Sales Target by $19 Billion - Businessweek
To counter the severe slump in European sales, Marchionne is considering building Chrysler models in Italy, including Jeeps, for export to North America. The Italian government is evaluating tax rebates on export goods to help Fiat. Marchionne may announce details of his plan as soon as Oct. 30, the people said.
“This makes sense on multiple levels” as it will boost plant utilization and would cap “Chrysler’s own potential, limiting the likely cost to Fiat shareholders of buying out the Chrysler minorities,” Stuart Pearson, an analyst at Morgan Stanley in London, said in a note to investors today. “However we see no quick answers, and fear debt could surprise negatively first,” said Pearson, who rates the stock underweight with a target price at 3.90 euros.
AUTO BAILOUT BOMBSHELL: Fiat Says Chrysler, Jeep Production May Move to Italy | National Legal and Policy Center
AUTO BAILOUT BOMBSHELL: Fiat Says Chrysler, Jeep Production May Move to Italy
Submitted by Mark Modica on Tue, 10/29/2012 - 10:53
Coming hot on the heels of speculation that some Jeep production may be moved to China comes a bombshell from a Bloomberg report. Fiat is now considering moving Chrysler and Jeep production to Italy.
According to the piece, "To counter the severe slump in European sales, (Fiat CEO Sergio) Marchionne is considering building Chrysler models in Italy, including Jeeps, for export to North America. The Italian government is evaluating tax rebates on export goods to help Fiat. Marchionne may announce details of his plan as soon as Oct. 30, the people said."
So, let's be real clear here, we are talking about vehicles that will be built in Italy and exported to America. The evidence is clear that Fiat is looking at ways to move production of vehicles from the US to elsewhere, whether it be China or Italy, costing American jobs. This is becoming indisputable, despite outcries from certain parties to the contrary.
Mitt Romney has rightfully criticized the Obama Administration for handing over Chrysler to the Italians and now leaving the fate of American workers in the hands of Fiat management. Fiat is not a healthy company and the auto industry is in as great a risk as ever. The insistence that all is well by those with political motivations does not mask the danger. More jobs are at risk of being lost and more taxpayer money may be lost as well.
So... Chronologically what happened is...
After abysmal sales reports from Q1, Q2, and Q3... Chrysler starts looking into ways to cut costs...
They mull around ideas of moving production to China and/or Italy...
It becomes leaked to the press that they are doing so...
Romney sees this and puts it in an ad... taken from legitimate sources... and told as "may move production to China"...
The UAW gets word of it gets pissy about the potential of losing their jobs, and protests at plants...
The CEO at Chrysler now faced with potential riots at his plants says it's not true, to appease the UAW...
The liberal media jump on the opportunity to call Mitt Romney a liar... when in fact the ad he made was based off actual reports of Chrysler's own words...
And now you're calling Romney a liar? LMFAO!!!
Romney is right; Chrysler is considering it... there are several stories reporting it...
Marchionne has motivation to deny that it's going to happen... but he can't cover up the fact that these stories are in print out there that show they've been looking into it... Marchionne is the lying Italian in all of this... That's even been his reputation in Italy...
So tell me... Are these reporters who have been covering the Chrysler persistent finance problems and negotations with Chinese manufacturers and the Italian government lying? Or is it that they have been going on in Chrysler's attempts to solve it's financial problems, and Marchionne trying to cover up for an unpopular move?
