Marchionne thinks Fiat/Chrysler can sell 6 million; Chryslers built in Italy

Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne thinks combined sales of Fiat and Chrysler can eventually reach 6 million units per year, but acknowledged the group is only selling 4.2 million vehicles per year right now. Marchionne has previously gone on record saying the group needs to sell a minimum of 5.5 million vehicles annually to survive.

Apparently the lack of progress at Chrysler over the last two years is throwing a wrench in Marchionne's plan. "It will be a slow progress in the beginning but we will see significant improvement in 2010," Marchionne told reporters at the Frankfurt auto show. Chrysler will release a five-year business plan in November that outlines specific goals.

"We have to be absolutely clear about what we want to do with Chrysler and, as a management team, where the organization is going to be in five years," Marchionne said.

In a separate report, Automotive News confirmed that Chryslers will be built in an old Bertone plant in Turin, Italy. Production will likely begin late in 2011 once tolling is set up for the Chrysler vehicles. Marchionne wouldn't confirm which vehicle(s) might be produced in Turin, but the replacement for the Chrysler 300C seems likely.

The Chrysler 300C and Jeep Grand Cherokee are currently produced by Magna Steyr in Austria. That contract ends next year.

Source: Automotive News