Ford not interested in tie-up with Fiat Chrysler: CEO Fields

[Primalzer]

Ford Motor Co (F.N) is not interested in a tie-up with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCHA.MI), Chief Executive Mark Fields said on Saturday, when asked about FCA head Sergio Marchionne's remark that Ford could be a potential merger candidate.

"I can't speak to what Sergio or others wake up and want to say," Fields told reporters ahead of next week's Beijing motor show.

After being rebuffed by General Motors (GM.N) last year, Marchionne said last week that Ford, Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) and Volkswagen AG VOWG_P.DE are the only remaining merger candidates for FCA.

Marchionne has long called for mergers among large automakers to help diffuse development costs for advanced cars that pollute less.

Fields largely reiterated a written statement Ford issued last week, saying: "I can just say we have no interest other than executing our plan, delivering product excellence and driving innovation in every part of our business. That is our sole focus."

Speaking in Beijing, Fields said the company sees 23.5 million to 25.5 million vehicle sales for the overall Chinese market this year, representing flat to slight growth over 2015.

Fields declined to give a target for Ford China sales for this year. However, Ford's China sales gained 14 percent in the first three months of the year to 314,454 units, outpacing 6 percent growth for the overall market.

The U.S. automaker has been locked in a dead heat for fifth-largest in passenger car sales with Toyota and Nissan in China, according to China Association of Automobile Manufacturers statistics. It overtook the Japanese automakers in sales for the first quarter this year after finishing behind for 2015.

Ford makes cars in China through joint ventures with Chongqing Changan Automobile (000625.SZ) and Jiangling Motors Corp (JMC) (000550.SZ).

"We have a lot of confidence in the medium- and long-term over the continued growth in the China market," Fields said.

Good.

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[nytebyte]

Ford merge with Fiat?

Please no.....

 

[wolfe]

Stay far away from that train wreck!

 

[Mike K]

Fiat/ Chrysler has been desperately trying to marry itself to any major brand that would have it for a couple years now. I don't know what's worse: the fact that they don't seem to be picky at all, the fact that they're basically advertising that they blow on their own or the fact that their are so inept at marketing that they have these conversations in the public forum where they know they're going to get publicly rejected which is just going to make them look worse.

At this point I don't see Chrysler having any pride in it's own brand which would make it hard as an owner for me to have any pride in a Chrysler or even look at buying one.

 

[Anonymous]

Fiat like a 35+ year old single woman just looking for any man to take care of her......and it gets worse the older they get. I love you after one week!!!

 

[Mr_Roboto]

I think they may be going about this the wrong way quite frankly. If you look at GM/Ford's relationship for instance they announced they were going to have a co developed transmission program. GM has historically sold transmissions to Volvo (regrettably the 4T60E) among a lot of other people (4L80Es and TH-400s are in a ton of very interesting vehicles, go look the applications up on wikipedia.) Considering that it can cost BILLIONS to develop an automatic transmission or engine it's not a bad idea to try and co-op to save money.

One of the nice things about electric cars is you don't have to develop around a pollution figure like everyone else does. It's a HUGE benefit and one of the reasons why a company like Tesla can succeed at it where as a gasoline engine would have to be bought or be virtually assured as a failure due to development and certification costs.

Regardless though, Chrysler is that pretty good looking girl that no one will date in HS because there is "just something off" about her.

 

[Primalzer]

I think they may be going about this the wrong way quite frankly. If you look at GM/Ford's relationship for instance they announced they were going to have a co developed transmission program. GM has historically sold transmissions to Volvo (regrettably the 4T60E) among a lot of other people (4L80Es and TH-400s are in a ton of very interesting vehicles, go look the applications up on wikipedia.) Considering that it can cost BILLIONS to develop an automatic transmission or engine it's not a bad idea to try and co-op to save money.

One of the nice things about electric cars is you don't have to develop around a pollution figure like everyone else does. It's a HUGE benefit and one of the reasons why a company like Tesla can succeed at it where as a gasoline engine would have to be bought or be virtually assured as a failure due to development and certification costs.

Regardless though, Chrysler is that pretty good looking girl that no one will date in HS because there is "just something off" about her.

Volvo changed hands a lot...lots of chassis, engine, and transmission similarities between Ford and Volvo too

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Volvo changed hands a lot...lots of chassis, engine, and transmission similarities between Ford and Volvo too

Agreed, but it is a suitable example of a car company who develops some of their own platforms but uses other people's tech to save development costs.

 

[Mike K]

Other than batteries, I don't think there's much development costs in an electric car. Tesla is using regular AC induction motors with a reduction gear box. Not only that but they've opened their books to anyone that wants to see, Chrysler included.

Not only that but they also will make a powertrain for you. The EV RAV4 is a Toyota body with a Tesla powertrain.

 

[Mr_Roboto]

Other than batteries, I don't think there's much development costs in an electric car. Tesla is using regular AC induction motors with a reduction gear box. Not only that but they've opened their books to anyone that wants to see, Chrysler included.

Not only that but they also will make a powertrain for you. The EV RAV4 is a Toyota body with a Tesla powertrain.

I thought initially Tesla was having huge hold ups initially because they kept shredding their gear boxes. The other things that come to mind are safety and crash testing plus all the gizmos and quality of life stuff (heat, A/C) people expect in a car these days. I would actually consider the early Beetles to be decent examples, they were considered decent commuter cars but A/C and heat in them were seriously sketch due to the air cooled engine and power concerns.