Chrysler Looking for Bed Buddies: More on a FIAT Deal?

[YSSMAN]

Chrysler + Nissan, Sitting in a Tree...​

Following the announcement this past January that Nissan would be supplying Chrysler with a new car based of the Versa's platform, the two automakers announced today that more exchange is on the horizon, including a new small car for Chrysler and a Dodge-based pickup for Nissan.

The unnamed small car will be built by Nissan in Japan utilizing a Chrysler design and will be sold in North America, Europe and other markets in 2010. On the other side of the spectrum, Chrysler will build a full-size pick-up for Nissan that will share design cues with the rest of the Nissan line and be built at Chrysler's Saltillo Assembly Plant in Mexico. Sales of the pick-up will begin in North America in 2011.

The move is part of an effort by both automakers to utilize each other's global manufacturing facilities and finally gets Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's CEO, the American automaker partnership he's been looking for since last year.

We're hoping on a conference call with Nissan to see if either automaker releases more information, but in the meantime check Chrysler's press release after the jump.

UPDATE: No word on whether or not the new Nissan pick-up will use Chrysler's hybrid drivetrain. Nissan spokespeople are not calling this a partnership, rather an "OEM exchange" and nothing more.
UPDATE 2: The Nissan pick-up will be a full-size light truck.
UPDATE 3: The Chrysler small car will be on a Nissan-developed platform and will be covered in Chrysler-designed sheetmetal. The platform will not be based of the Versa. Nissan reps couldn't answer any questions about whether or not the small car will share any design cues from the Dodge Hornet concept.
UPDATE 4: We're going to hop onto the the Chrysler conference in a bit and will update this post with information as it happens. Check back in about 30 minutes for more.
UPDATE 5: Chrysler and Chery are still working together. Chery has Chrysler drivetrain people working with them now. Chery-developed B-segment model is still in the offing, but no idea when it could come to the U.S.
UPDATE 6: Chrysler's design team just wrapped up styling of the small car, so it's doubtful that it will share many cues with the Hornet concept. Too bad, since the Hornet was well received. LaSorda says, "it's a beautiful design."

Tell me, please, that this shared production capacity includes utilizing those empty factories here in Michigan... PLEASE!

 

[harrytuttle]

Methinks Ghosn would really like to merge Chrysler into the fold here. As in a buyout. It's not a bad idea. Nissan/Renault really has a lot of things going for it, and Ghosn is no stranger to turning around a company without losing it's character (see: Clio, 350Z, GT-R). I forsee a merger/takeover in the next few years with Chrysler really turning it around soon after. Good for them.

 

[Omnis]

Yeah, that is if Cerberus wants to make a buck and has another project on the horizon by then.

I would hope that, if they bastardize Chrysler and Nissan America together, Infiniti will remain unfettered.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

A stripped-out FM platform would be a great basis for future RWD Chryslers, and Nissan's engine tech is a definite step in the right direction. I could see this working out very well; I was originally terrified when Nissan was bought up by Renault, and look at how they've turned it around. Good news 👍

 

[YSSMAN]

As long as I have the possibility of getting a Clio sometime in the future, I'll be very happy indeed...

 

[Jim Prower]

Uh...

What have I been saying since Daimler and Chrysler De-Merged?

 

[Sniffs]

yeah, that's a bad omen. you'd think Goshen would be chary about Chrysler after Mercedes blew it with them.

 

[JCE]

WTF? Nissan does NOT need Chrysler's help for a pickup the Titan kicks the Ram in the nuts. FAIL.

 

[Philly]

Chrysler probably won't be sharing the Ram with Nissan. I'd guess Nissan are looking to get their hands on a Dakota.

 

[buickgnx88]

I think Mitsubishi already has its hands on the Dakota *cough**cough*Raider*cough*

What's odd is the name Raider was used by Dodge back in the 80's when they shared Mitsubishi's Montero platform!

 

[JCE]

Frontier > Dakota

I'm sorry but I do not want any Chrysler rubbish in my Nissan lineup.

 

[Philly]

I guess I didn't realize they still sold the Frontier .

I'm curious as to how Nissan will benefit form this partnership. As far as I'm aware, Chrysler doesn't have a good platform, can't make a good interior or exterior and doesn't have any cash to give. Didn't they have one engine that might be good?

 

[YSSMAN]

Which is funny, because Nissan is selling a re-badged Frontier as a Suzuki...

Guys, its all about cost sharing, development partnerships, etc. As long as Nissan stays away from Chrysler's transmission department and is selective and what other things to share, we should be fine. My guess is that it will be Nissan who will be giving more to Chrysler than Chrysler to Nissan...

 

[buickgnx88]

I like the look of the Suzuki version better...

 

[JCE]

My guess is that it will be Nissan who will be giving more to Chrysler than Chrysler to Nissan...

This is why it was epic fail with MB. Chrysler just needs to hurry up and go the way of Rover. Away.

 

[Tornado]

No, it was epic fail with Mercedes because Mercedes backcharged Chrysler for the development help they gave them, after taking away all of the money Chrysler had put away from the early 90s. Chrysler did nothing wrong other than let themselves be bought by Mercedes in the first place, who then proceeded to run Chrysler like Micheal Douglas.
I also don't understand your negativity towards Chrysler to defend Nissan, when Nissan suffers from hilariously similar problems to Chrysler. So similar, in fact, that I fail to see what parts sharing would accomplish, other than to perhaps lower costs. You make it sound as if Chrysler working with Nissan would somehow make Nissan worse in something they are already pretty bad at.

Back to potential benefits, I still don't see any. Nissan has better V6s, Chrysler has better V8s (the only potential trading block, I think). Transmissions are more or less a wash, and neither of them are any good at I4s. Nissan has crappy interiors that fall apart, Chrysler has crappy interiors that fall apart (though Nissan's are better designed, I guess). Nissan has a better mid size FWD chassis' than Dodge, but I doubt whole platforms would be on the table, and Dodge has a perfectly competent mid size platform that they are just failing to utilize well. And I'm sure FM won't be on the table.

 

[Sniffs]

This is why it was epic fail with MB. Chrysler just needs to hurry up and go the way of Rover. Away.

are you stupid or something? saying that will have every MOPAR guy on your butt in 5 seconds flat! Dodge is still attached to Chrysler!

 

[The Vanishing Boy]

WTF? Nissan does NOT need Chrysler's help for a pickup the Titan kicks the Ram in the nuts. FAIL.

^ I agree, the Titan is one big mutha of a truck. I definitely like the Pro-4X Crew Cab LWB model.

-> Nissan doesn't need to help out Ceberus, Nissan is on a right track right now as it is. I should say Ceberus/Chrysler should sink if they don't do something by themselves, they need to depend on something (MBZ for their Sprinter, Chery for small cars, and now Nissan with their pickups). 👎

~> Ceberus/Chrysler trying to get involved with Nissan? 86% FAIL.

 

[JCE]

Back to potential benefits, I still don't see any. Nissan has better V6s, Chrysler has better V8s (the only potential trading block, I think). Transmissions are more or less a wash, and neither of them are any good at I4s. Nissan has crappy interiors that fall apart, Chrysler has crappy interiors that fall apart (though Nissan's are better designed, I guess). Nissan has a better mid size FWD chassis' than Dodge, but I doubt whole platforms would be on the table, and Dodge has a perfectly competent mid size platform that they are just failing to utilize well. And I'm sure FM won't be on the table.

I politely disagree with the bolded statements.

are you stupid or something? saying that will have every MOPAR guy on your butt in 5 seconds flat! Dodge is still attached to Chrysler!

I don't care. I will go down hating Chrysler forever. And so we're clear, I'm talking about modern Chrysler--not the classic car era. You simply CANNOT group them together. Mopar is fine, pre-1974.

 

[Tornado]

I politely disagree with the bolded statements.

To Clarify:
Every Nissan made since Ghosn took charge has been bitched out by every magazine that has touched them for being cheap feeling inside, and long term tests have confirmed fears of frailness of components when they frequently come apart and need to be replaced. The only difference that Infiniti has is that they don't come apart over time, and instead just always feel cheap.

The small bore V8 that Nissan puts in Infinitis has no competitors from Dodge, and the only one that is similar is the 4.7 HO truck engine. So that is a wash. The big 5.6 from Nissan is a decent enough engine that produces good torque and doesn't detonate like the Toyota 5.7, but it totally outclassed by the Hemi. And I'm talking before the Hemi was redone so it had an 80 BHP advantage to the Nissan.

Nissan's MR range of I4 engines are remarkable only in how substandard they are, producing far less power than their competition in addition to being less frugal, despite more gears in the tranny. The QR range of engines are remarkable only in how thrashy and unrefined they are if you work them and that they amazingly produce no more power than the I4 engines Nissan made 15 years ago.

 

[YSSMAN]

Its a sub-par Japanese company teaming up with a sub-par American company to likely create many slightly-average cars and trucks together. Sure, Nissan has stepped up it's game, but it is still well short of where Toyota, Honda and Mazda are. By a long shot. Sure, the GT-R is a technological wonder, but one car cannot save an entire company.

Don't get me wrong, there are worse choices out there, and Nissans are better than what they were even five years ago (trust me, we had an 03 Altima), but it still feels "short" compared to the others on occasion. Personal preferences place them above Toyota and Mitsubishi, but thats not saying much in my book.

Its much the same with Dodge and Chrysler. Mechanically speaking, they're nearly-there. They just fail in every other conceivable measure.

 

[YSSMAN]

WUT? CHRYSLER + ALFA AGAINZ?

Chrysler now has a partnership with China-based automaker Chery to rebadge a small car for the South American market, a partnership with Volkswagen to build VW-badged minivans, and a brand new deal with Nissan in which it will supply the Japanese automaker a full-size truck in exchange for a new small car. Rumor has it that the Cerberus-owned automaker isn't done shaking hands quite yet.

The latest partnership may involve Italian automaker Fiat, as reported by the German newspaper Handelsblatt. According to the paper, the deal with Fiat would involve freeing up some of Chrysler's production capacity in the U.S. for Fiat to build Alfa Romeos here. We're not sure what Chrysler would get out of the deal besides money, but Fiat would accomplish a step that makes reintroducing Alfa Romeo cars in the U.S. that much easier. Chrysler-built Alfa Romeos, though? We've seen Chrysler-built Maseratis in the past (Maserati TC ring a bell?), which didn't work out too well. Hopefully this time, things will be different.

Well, looks like Chrysler is whoring themselves out just a bit all in the name of money. But hey, I'm not complaining. Again, if its brining money to the US and possibly more jobs to Michigan, I'm all for it.

 

[Tornado]

That is the best win win I've ever seen. So long as Alfa runs the plant.

 

[YSSMAN]

I'd love to hear the details as to how much money this is going to net Cerberus, but given that it is a private company now, they don't have to disclose the performance at all. Not cool...

 

[Sniffs]

this "whoring out" may be Cerberus's way of making Chrysler Holdings pay off. isn't that what Cerberus is famous for? making things work?

 

[YSSMAN]

MORE CHRYSLER AND FIAT???

According to Automotive News, Cerberus is engaged in behind-the-scenes talks with both Tata Motors and Fiat regarding sales and manufacturing linkups. Chrysler wants to use Tata to gain a foothold for its Jeep Wrangler in Indian and Asian markets. More intriguingly, the company is reportedly talking to Fiat about the Italian automaker leasing excess Chrysler production capacity in the U.S. and "cooperating in retail distribution in the U.S. market." Will this mark the return of Fiat to our shores, via Chrysler?

Jalopnik Snap Judgment: With America's newfound thirst for small cars, combined with its memories of the godawful Fiats foisted upon its fair citizens in the 1970s and '80s nearly forgotten, the time may be ripe for a Fiat return. If Chrysler can make a few bucks by utilizing idled plants, and C-J-D dealerships can add a new, albeit low-volume, brand to their showrooms to replace the loss of lease business, this could be a win-win situation. Unless you encounter an Audi Q7 while driving your new Fiat 500 home, anyway.

Interesting. Very interesting indeed. So Alfa goes to MINI, and FIAT goes to Chrysler? Its an odd partnership that could work, but that being said, I'd care to know more about what products they're going to sell here before they decide to sell anything at all. I demand a Panda and 500, but other than that, I'm open.

 

[Jim Prower]

I'd like the Grande Punto myself. I dont' know much about what Chrysler could collaborate with them on product-wise, though, but I'd like to see what happens.

 

[Tornado]

I've read that Fiat wants to build the Nuova 500 in America and sell it as a different brand (much like Chevrolet does with the Corvette in Europe) to test the waters. Assuming it is a success (and I can't comprehend why it wouldn't be), I'm guessing we will get the superb Panda, Grande Punto and Bravo afterwards.

 

[YSSMAN]

It makes sense. A whole brand of 500s (ala MINI) would presumably do quite well, assuming they price it right. Otherwise, I demand a FIAT Panda 100 or a Panda 4X4. Those, I assume, would sell like Canadian Flapjacks.