Fiat Chrysler Open to Working With Apple as VW Seeks Other Partners

[bollman]

Cars older than 1996? Easy. My family alone has 4 cars older than 1996, 3 SAABs and a Volvo, at least 2 are daily drivers.
It's actually considered a "problem" that the car fleet i so old here in Sweden. Cars get tax exempt at 30 years old, and they want to remove that law since so many cars are now tax exempt that it poses a real problem to road maintenance due to loss of tax income for the goverment.
SAAB, Volvo, Mercedes, they were all built to last.

 

[sofila]

thank you. I know those brands were famous for lasting cars, but I was thinking of a replacement cycle set on 8-10 years rounds

 

[8281]

You should try one of these.

Oh I would love one of those. We needed a family car though. Of all the muscle car remakes I think the Challenger has some of the best proportions. I like the Mustang a lot and the new Camaro is pretty good. I always thought the Camaro looked the most cartoonish though.
[doublepost=1461885520][/doublepost]

Yes it was. There was many offers to buy those brands from GM but they decided to kill them off instead of letting others do it better with GM loosing face in the global market.

It's a smarter business move to kill the brands rather than risk competing with them in the future. And GM keeps all the rights to those names and all other related intellectual property I assume.

 

[Rockadile]

Oh I would love one of those. We needed a family car though. Of all the muscle car remakes I think the Challenger has some of the best proportions. I like the Mustang a lot and the new Camaro is pretty good. I always thought the Camaro looked the most cartoonish though.
[doublepost=1461885520][/doublepost]

It's a smarter business move to kill the brands rather than risk competing with them in the future. And GM keeps all the rights to those names and all other related intellectual property I assume.

 

[8281]

LOL, nice video. Don't think I can shoehorn my two dogs into the trunk though.

 

[j26]

Aren't Chrysler/Fiat vehicles ranked low for reliability?

FIAT

Fix
It
Again
Tomorrrow

 

[Swift]

In California, we can get a Fiat 500e, which is pretty slick. 100 mile range, $199 lease only. Rode in a Fiat for a 50-mile trip, and I love the way it handles.

 

[iSee]

I'll never buy a Chrysler (again).

 

[Swift]

Dalmer and the innovative entrepreneurial mindset that was the Germain Industrial Revolution was killed off by excessive order and efficiency by the Kaiser and those following his mindset a century to seventy years ago.

The best export out of Silicon Valley is economic disruption and growth that compromises vested interest that cannot compete with upstarts.

While it started with electronics and computers, the disruption is moving into other industries that have remained stagnant for decades. Medical services and medical devices has seen this for a generation. Not automotive and aerospace is getting the kick in the teeth that's been coming to them for a long time.

The establishment either fights back and looses by attrition or revises itself with the upstarts knighted and married into the court.

The car industry thinks it owns transportation because it knows about internal combustion. Kodak thought it owned pictures because it invented the box camera and developed practical film. Kodak's gone. If the automobile wants to do it their own way, such ventures almost always fail. Kodak was among the first in digital cameras, and they still flopped.
[doublepost=1461888301][/doublepost]

Aren't Chrysler/Fiat vehicles ranked low for reliability?

A friend had one that I loved to ride in, but she had to use the lemon law to get them to take it back after its electrical system went haywire, so... maybe. I'm sure an Apple Fiat would have its electrical system down pat.

 

[Rigby]

Yes, but so is every other European brand...and people still buy their vehicles.

According to Consumer Reports, Audi actually has improved a lot and ranks very high now, directly behind Toyota/Lexus. BMW and VW are about average, Mercedes reliability is low (about the same level as Chrysler):

http://www.consumerreports.org/cars/how-car-brands-compare-for-reliability/

 

[SusanK]

Indeed. It's an unlikely association.

Unlikely for Steve's Apple. Perfect for Cook's.

 

[Toltepeceno]

Man. Two of the worse manufacturers. I have long sworn I will never buy another chrysler product, and fiat is the pits. Lots of fiats here and they are junk.

Nothing scientific, just over 60 years of experience. OK, probably 50 of driving experience.

 

[Soccertess]

I think a lot of you guys are missing the point.



TL;DR
This is going to be an Apple car, not a Fiat car with an Apple sticker on the hood.

I respectfully disagree with you. There is a reason that BMW, FIAT, and Land rover and don't have the greatest reliability. Yes it's true they don't have the greatest engineering, but it's also because they haven't perfected manufacturing. Toyota famously implemented systems like Kiazen, and are constantly improving there cars, involving their manufacturing staff, their mechanics, everyone to perfect there reliability. That's why I really hope Apple doesn't partner with BMWs, Chryslers (although Chrysler has been improving), or other brands that aren't committed to quality.

Personally, I'm really hoping Tesla turns things around with there Model X to not damage there image. I really hope it's just a rocky start!

 

[manu chao]

Besides Tesla, which is gaining traction in Europe due to unfair tax laws, the other companies are on the bottom of the list of I wonder if that is because Apple don't want to work with them or the other way around... My guess is that the Germans are not interested in partnering with an obnoxious Yank with no experience in the car industry.

More likely that they had no interest to be turned into a car-Foxconn. They want to market what they produce under the own brands.
[doublepost=1461904370][/doublepost]

I think there is more to it than that. If Apple just wanted someone to build an Apple car to Apple's specs, there are companies out there that do just that (example). The fact that instead Apple is talking to companies like BMW and Mercedes is IMO indicative of the fact they need someone to partner with who knows a little about engineering cars.

Which makes it even less palatable to those companies if the end result is an Apple-branded car.

 

[JoeG4]

An apple-chrysler car? I'd.. actually rather dig that. The part I hate most about buying/owning Chrysler cars (now that I'm on my 3rd) is the dealer network stinks. Especially the service side. Chrysler has pretty adept engineering that can turn a design around really fast, and they're one of the most liberal in designs.

Apple could straighten them up!

Also it means the possibility of a rear drive car.. .

 

[bollman]

thank you. I know those brands were famous for lasting cars, but I was thinking of a replacement cycle set on 8-10 years rounds

My newest car is a 2007 SAAB 9-3

 

[gngan]

It would be a better bet for Apple to seriously step up its iPhone game instead of working on something that they have had no experience at....

Seriously, They're trying to leave that which is in their hands to catch hold of something that which is flying high above their heads.

If what you say is true then there would never be iPhone nor iDevices. In fact, Apple would have gone bankrupt without any new products.

 

[bergert]

That would be the same like Samsung assembling the iPhone for Apple. Not going to see this happen. Apple needs a Foxconn for cars and I guess it wil be Korean, Chinese or Japanese.

Your right, both Chrysler and VW are out (that's like Apple partnering with Blackberry). Magna, on the other hand - is much like Foxconn. They already produce parts for all major manufacturers, so they have facilities (America and Europe) and staff ready. All you need is a checkbook to write an order ...

The remaining problem is the dealer network, including service. And I'm just learning that there are territorial restrictions (in the US!): http://www.usnews.com/opinion/econo...anchises-are-bad-for-consumers-and-innovation

 

[Larry-K]

Aren't Chrysler/Fiat vehicles ranked low for reliability?

No, but if they work really hard for the next decade or so, they may make it to "low" reliability, it's a step up from "abysmal".

 

[RogueWarrior65]

What this tells me is that Apple didn't like BMW's styling whereas a Fiat 500 fits with the hipster demographic.
This also reinforce my opinion that style is what prompted Tesla to pre-sell a year in advance like crazy while the Smartcar and the Leaf are also-rans. When it comes to cars, style is everything. Take a look at the TV ad for the new Chevy Malibu. They tell the subjects that they removed all the logos and ask people to guess what make of car it is. All that tells me is that most cars all look alike.

 

[npmacuser5]

Apple prides itself on being top of the line. Coming down to Fiat seems like a very Samsung thing to do.

 

[dan98]

More likely that BMW are one of the most arrogant/stubborn/proud Bavarian corporations to deal with.
I could never see them striking deals or making compromises with another arrogant/stubborn/proud company such as Apple.

 

[Wowereit]

More likely that BMW are one of the most arrogant/stubborn/proud Bavarian corporations to deal with.
I could never see them striking deals or making compromises with another arrogant/stubborn/proud company such as Apple.

Exactly.
BMW squeezes it's suppliers like a lemon and so does Apple.
Probably they would both see each other as a supplier, so...

 

[Adithya007]

If what you say is true then there would never be iPhone nor iDevices. In fact, Apple would have gone bankrupt without any new products.

They had no experience with music players or phones at one point. New ideas often come from new players.

You mean like cellphones in 2007?

I appreciate the fact that Apple's venturing on something new that which is not of their field of expertise. But at this present scenario, their iconic product is losing its edge over the other compelling devices in the market which wasn't the case when they launched their first iPhone as the iPod's and Mac's sales figures were not going down as bad as the iPhone's sales figures are right now. They need to equally concentrate on both, What's the use of bringing a super-cool product(The Apple Car) in 2020 when people have had already lost their confidence in Apple in 2016?

 

[ActionableMango]

I respectfully disagree with you. There is a reason that BMW, FIAT, and Land rover and don't have the greatest reliability. Yes it's true they don't have the greatest engineering, but it's also because they haven't perfected manufacturing. Toyota famously implemented systems like Kiazen, and are constantly improving there cars, involving their manufacturing staff, their mechanics, everyone to perfect there reliability. That's why I really hope Apple doesn't partner with BMWs, Chryslers (although Chrysler has been improving), or other brands that aren't committed to quality.

I understand what you're saying. Basically that no matter how much supervision Apple provides, that a manufacturer may simply be incapable of manufacturing a quality product. I agree with you that this is a possibility.

However, I have a counterpoint to it. In addition to my original point that Apple takes close control of the process and applies their own QC which would help to prevent problems in the first place, Apple has also shown a willingness to completely walk away when the results are not to their satisfaction.

For example their partnership with GT Advanced Technologies where they had big plans for sapphire screens, a partnership with the Governor, announcement of US jobs, worked a deal with the Federal government for special customs zoning, powering the plant with 100% renewable energy, and on and on. But after all that, when GT couldn't deliver to their specs, Apple dropped it and moved on.

That's the most famous and dramatic example, but fellow long-time MR readers know this has happened on numerous occasions.

I guess my point here is that history shows that Apple is aware of the possibility of being let down, works that into their contracts and plans, and has shown the willingness to dump partners that can't deliver on their promises.

I think Apple would rather walk away during the initial testing process and move to another candidate, rather than to green light mass production for piles of crap.

In any case, time will tell. This is all conjecture of course because we don't even know who they'll pick. Anything could happen. Heck, they could pick a truly world class manufacturer but then completely fail on the design/engineering side.