Fiat SpA Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne and Volkswagen CEO Martin Winterkorn aren't what you would call good friends, i would say that they are precisely the opposite of that but seemed to have made peace at the Paris Motor Show on September, 28.
This all started when Marchionne started criticizing the VW Group for creating a "bloodbath" in Europe thanks to the prices and discounts they were giving to their clients, thus remaining the number one and aggravating the situation of other companies.
Both brands threatened to leave the ACEA, and VW even called for the resignation of Marchione but in September peace was made, or it seemed that way. The Italian company, which owns Chrysler, has a market share of 11,4% in the U.S.A., almost 8% more than Volkswagens' 4%, and they will take advantage of that by giving $1,000 rebates to current VW owners in the U.S.A..
Still Sergio Marchionne was re-elected yesterday as the president of the Europe's main carmaking lobby group, European Automobile Manufacturers Association. In great difficulties, French companies continue to remain without a word to say about the domain of VW and the problems with falling car sales in the European market, so it seems it's up to Fiat to do something about that.
Volkswagen had a market share rise to 24,8%, while Fiat dropped to 6,4% in the old continent, so this fight is still not over.
Source: DetroitNews