Peugeot Says It Is Open To A Merger With Fiat/Chrysler

Wrong move for FCA. This will add to FCA's problems an overexposure to the EU market (this is why PSA wants to merge with FCA...to get some market share outside the EU). The EU market is a bloodbath because the semi premium market is controlled by VW, and everyone else has to fight the lower cost Asian imports for market share resulting in extreme pricing pressures.

#LetsRearrangeTheDeckChairsOnTheTitanic

Two wrongs do not make a right.

The stupid leading the stupid.

Hyundai + FCA = brilliant
Geely + FCA = brilliant
Ford/VW + FCA = brilliant

not any tie up with the idiots in France. look at how they raped Nissan

Actually the new CEO of Peugeot has done a reasonable job in righting the ship and might just provide the leadership FCA sorely needs, particularly in Europe.

God knows Manley is another idiot like Marchionne.

How about each brand can only make one model?
Fiat 500
Pigot medium car
Chrysler big car
Alfa little convertible
Maserati GranTurismo

Dodge Caravan
Jeep SUV

RAM trucks

Did I miss anyone?

That would be pathetically stupid marketing because you're essentially having to juggle all those brands. Having 7 brands with one car per brand would cost more in advertising dollars than one brand and 7 cars.

If Peugeot bought FCA, a better plan would be:

Market Peugeots as Chryslers in the USA.
Fold Ram back into Dodge and reinvigorate the Challenger and Charger
Jeep as is .
Kill Alfa as a brand for the USA.
Take Maserati down in price and co-platform with the Challenger/Charger as they currently do.
Kill Fiat in the USA
Forget about Citroen or DS here

Co-brand Jeep/Dodge
Co-brand Chrysler/Maserati

A slight alternative:

Market Peugeots as Chryslers in the USA. - agreed
Fold Ram back into Dodge and reinvigorate the Challenger and Charger - agreed
Jeep as is - agreed
Kill Alfa as a brand for the USA - disagree - keep development moving forward to compete with BMW, Mercedes, Audi
Take Maserati down in price and co-platform with the Challenger/Charger as they currently do. - disagree, cut it back to super cars and revisit some of that amazing heritage.
Kill Fiat in the USA - Agreed (potentially bring a new 500 here as a Dodge or Chrysler)
Forget about Citroen or DS here - agreed

Co-brand Jeep/Dodge - agreed
Co-brand Chrysler/Maserati - disagree - put Maserati with Alfa.

Alfa is NOT succeeding in the USA. It is failing miserably. Both the Giulia and Stelvio have failed to get traction in the market. Cut the losses. Maseratis are selling with 25-30% discounts, so bit the bullet and price them that way to begin with. Maseratis simply do not sell anywhere near list price. They sit on the lot for months and months and then they are given fire sale prices to move the Maserati 300s off the lot.

Get the feeling this hypothetical is a lot further along than people know. it’s all about PSA gaining access to the Chrysler dealer network in the USA, instead of building their own new network from scratch. That is one of the main things that attracted Marchionne (along with Jeep) to do the deal with the Obama Administration for Chrysler. It gave them an instant network to bring FIAT cars and later Alfa to the USA market and expand Maserati’s presence. Never mind that the Chrysler dealer network is consistently ranked at the bottom of all manufacturers.

It's not like Peugeot makes premium vehicles. Peugeots are the "Chryslers" of Europe i.e. dull, made for pensioners, dodgy reliability. :)

Other than RAM, I don’t see how any one or two of the above brands can survive on it’s own in the US market. Jeep may but we are in a SUV craze, if gas prices spike... That said, putting them all together under one roof is obviously too many for any dealership to handle.

So by having each brand bring just one model, many dealerships can still manage to offer different colors and options.

Well Peugeot did turn around Opel/Vauxall where GM seemed incapable of doing so. FCA gives them Jeep/Ram and a dealer network in the US. They would keep Alfa and Maserati, Keep Fiat in Europe, Scuttle Chrysler and Dodge.