Merger between FCA and Renault.

[Wayne M.]

Caught this on my news feed this morning. Very good article laying out what is brewing right now, and the strengths and weaknesses of all involved.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/chrysler/2019/05/26/fca-renault-deal/1245908001/

 

[Wiredawg]

I remember in the 80s Renault had a short lived presence in the US. Their cars competed well for ugly awards with Yugo, as I recall. Collaboration with AMC before they went bankrupt.

I think Fiat cars are currently in strong competition for ugly AND poor reliability.

I could be slanted against this, but anything that assures production of Ram.

Cheers, Ram

 

[TFucili]

Renault owned AMC/Jeep pre-Chrysler already, and it did not go well. My buddy was an engineer there(now retired from Chrysler)and the French kept sending parts/cars over here for durability testing, and they were flabbergasted that their euro-market stuff could not even begin to pass US durability testing. Same thing at Mack Truck. My cousin was a draftsman there during the Renault mess. Their cash was needed, but, again, they had zero understanding of the US market. I was never a big Nissan fan, but they have seemingly ruined Nissan, as well.

This is NOT a good thing, IMHO.

 

[TFucili]

I'll add that Peugot and Citroen also made a resounding "thud" in this market. See a pattern???

 

[Wayne M.]

Wow Tom, that’s some good insight!
If I read it right, Peugeot is in with Renault now, and if that stuff is as good as i was told it was a few years ago, I’d really like to see a 205 Diesel over here as a FCA booster. That might be good.

 

[Wayne M.]

I thought Peugeot and especially Citroen were really misunderstood back when the American car was still king. Today’s market might be quite different.
Hey, I’ve seen photos and videos of the old Peugeot 504 in incredible situations over in Africa and India. An Indian friend once defended Peugeot to the end in a debate. Lol.

 

[TFucili]

People defended the 6.0, too...

 

[TFucili]

I thought Peugeot and especially Citroen were really misunderstood back when the American car was still king. Today’s market might be quite different.
Hey, I’ve seen photos and videos of the old Peugeot 504 in incredible situations over in Africa and India. An Indian friend once defended Peugeot to the end in a debate. Lol.

How about a Renault Alliance with a 3.0 EcoDiesel?!

 

[Wayne M.]

How about a Renault Alliance with a 3.0 EcoDiesel?!

Okay. ONLY if I can fit my feet under the front seats!

 

[TFucili]

Okay. ONLY if I can fit my feet under the front seats!

#ad

 

[ofelas]

I bet those French vehicles run great in reverse gear.

 

[Regcabguy]

I thought Peugeot and especially Citroen were really misunderstood back when the American car was still king. Today’s market might be quite different.
Hey, I’ve seen photos and videos of the old Peugeot 504 in incredible situations over in Africa and India. An Indian friend once defended Peugeot to the end in a debate. Lol.

My father in law owned a four door Renault sedan. This was a diesel that was loud and smoky(no turbo). It delivered super fuel economy and was one of the best riding and comfortable cars I've ridden in.

 

[Ozymandias]

To be honest, today isn't much difference in quality between all first world car manufacturers.
They use the same supplier's of parts, the same body welding machines, the same ISO certification for manufacturing and so on.
There is NOTHING the same on this vehicles from 30 years back. Nothing.
Don't compare that old stuff from the 70th with 2020 Cars.
Please.

 

[TFucili]

I saw my retired engineer friend this morning at coffee, and brought this up. To say he is unhappy at the prospect is a gross understatement. He had unkind things to say about Mr. Manley.

 

[Wayne M.]

I just read a blurb on twitter likening walking into a FCA to walking into a Blockbuster store.

 

[JR]

I just read a blurb on twitter likening walking into a FCA to walking into a Blockbuster store.

Well, the Charger/Challenger platform IS nearly from that era....
And still selling like a new release during the Blockbuster hayday.

 

[BIGNASTY]

When we retired and went to France to follow the Bicycle tour we rented a Renault for a nice day in the vineyards & picnic. I couldn't fit behind the wheel so I was the passenger HANGING ON FOR DEAR LIFE AS PENNY DROVE. The care was actually pretty nice for France WHERE EVERYONE IS SNOOTY. I couldn't speak French like Penny but she suprisied me by yelling back in French and giving others the FINGER & a Good-old American F-YOU-A-HOLE I never laughed so hard in my life

 

[ofelas]

I still have a couple t-shirts with the following prints -
Front - “so you’re from Europe, huh?”
Back - “the part whose a$$ we kicked or the part we saved?”

 

[TFucili]

Interesting stuff today. First, news pops up that Reid Bigland is suing FCA, saying they are fudging their sales numbers, then soon after FCA apparently withdrew their merger offer. Wacky stuff.