Mercedes terminates talks with Fiat

Officials at Fiat and Daimler have been in negotiations since the middle of the year over a possible deal to co-develop several new models for their respective Alfa Romeo and Mercedes-Benz brands. Now it seems the talks may have come to an end with neither parties interested in a further partnership.

Mercedes was expected to benefit from Fiat’s small car platforms for its next-gen A and B-Class models but according to one German official, “the Italians produce their small models more expensively than we.”
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EnnNorak - 11/26/2007 10:19:30 AM

+2 Boost

Hard to figure out Mercedes' strategy in this -- is this a prelude to eventually dumping Smart and the B-Class on Fiat? Surely Mercedes learned something from the Chrysler merger and subsequent dumping of the latter on private equity, so I do not expect this Fiat affair to lead to any sort of corporate marriage.

w209w114 - 11/26/2007 1:41:19 PM

+2 Boost

Thank god. They should build their own cars, they have the capacity and resources to do so. IF they can build em cheaper then do it!

theoptimisticpessimist - 11/26/2007 2:10:42 PM

+1 Boost

Wow, whats going on with the "B" class? Benz tries with BMW and Bails, now Fiat, I wonder if they have Daihatsu waiting in the wings.