Don’t panic just yet as no official announcement has been made. However Fiat is contemplating shifting its corporate headquarters from Italy to North America, as the automaker now owns US based Chrysler. Fiat will merge itself with the Chrysler Group as soon as it takes over the remaining stake in the American company, for which it is already under discussion with shareholders. Fiat has clarified that shifting of headquarters is not currently on the agenda, which can be taken as neither a yes nor a no. So in the future, it is certain to happen.
So why do Fiat fans have to worry? Well Americanization of a brand is never a good thing. The passion possessed by Italians can’t be matched by Americans, at least not in the automobile world. That is why a Ferrari is a Ferrari and not a Dodge, Chevrolet or SSC, all of whom make extremely fast cars like the Viper, Corvette and Ultimate Aero respectively. Expect Fiat to take a final call on this by early next year, by which it would have successfully acquired Chrysler completely.
Fiat’s ownership of Chrysler has come under quite a lot of criticism lately. Fiat owned brands like Lancia and Alfa Romeo haven’t been churning out great cars of late, which has made fans very disappointed. Some say that Fiat has Chrsylerized its popular brands, specially Lancia and they want them to stop sharing platforms. However when you look at the balance sheet, Fiat’s purchase of Chrysler has been a blessing in disguise for the Italian automobile giant. Fiat has been in losses while Chrysler has been getting them in the green. The acquisition of Chrysler opens the gates for Fiat in the USA, one of the biggest automobile markets in the world.
