Meanwhile, Fiat Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne told me that “VW has the most to lose.” This came a day after the Volkswagen boss, Matthias Mueller played down any risks coming from the competition.
Mueller told CNBC on the eve of the motor show that this competition for market share in Europe didn’t concern him. However, Marchionne countered in characteristically candid fashion: “He would say that … Matthias putting on a brave face.”
The Italian chief reserved plenty of praise for PSA’s Carlos Tavares, meanwhile, predicting the notorious cost-cutter would reach his profitability targets under the combined entity even earlier than the 2026 target.
He was less convinced by the other side of the deal. Marchionne, who has made no secret of courting GM in the past, questioned CEO Mary Barra’s logic. At the risk of sounding like a scorned lover, Marchionne said “I understand that they (GM) want to get out just to get rid of the problem, but you may have thrown out the baby with the bathwater.”
But when I pressed the Fiat Chrysler boss to name the most desirable merger partner in a dwindling pool, he said affirmatively: “Still GM.”
