Chrysler and Fiat's Lancia Brands to be Teamed
By Michelle Krebs November 4, 2009Outlining a 5-year plan to move Chrysler forward, managing partner Fiat S.p.A. will couple the 
Chrysler brand with Fiat's premium Lancia cars in some international markets.
"Lancia and Chrysler have many things in common," said Michael Manley, Chrysler's president and CEO, Jeep brand and lead executive for international organization, said at Chrysler's presentation of its 5-year business plan Wednesday.
Lancia, he said, has little exposure outside Italy. And most of Chrysler's brands have marginal impact in international markets. But Lancias definitely are Fiat's largest models and also most luxury-oriented, so are most closely aligned with Chrysler.
Although providing few details, Manley said the two brands can be mutually supportive going forward and that sharing certain aspects of product development may enable expansion of both Lancia and Chrysler. For Chrysler, that means several international regions, for Lancia, the emphasis will be on Europe, Manley said - seemingly shutting down the possibility of selling Lancias in the U.S.
Lancia currently has four models.
Photo by Fiat
Lancia Delta
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Perhaps we won't see Lancias in the US, but the next Chrysler 300 platform could be used for the next Lancia Thesis and/or a Maserati model, which we \might\ see here.
Attend a s i x h o u r press conference followed by Q&A. You people deserve a hand.
Michael Manley needs to first learn what true luxury is... none, and I meant none of the Chrysler product is luxury oriented. But then like one of the VW higher executives said before, many American do not know how to appreciate luxury.
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