REPORT: Chrysler could pull out of Global Engine alliance, put Fiat diesel in Ram
As Chrysler moves forward with its post bankruptcy product plans, it's looking increasingly like consolidation with new partner Fiat is the order of the day. Following the cancellation of the platform sharing deal with Nissan, it appears as if the company's interest in the Global Engine Manufacturing Alliance could be the next victim. The agreement in question was formed early this decade between what was then DaimlerChrysler, Hyundai and Mitsubishi to produce common four-cylinder engines for the three automakers. Since then, variants of the engine design have turned up in cars as diverse as the Jeep Compass and Patriot, Hyundai Sonata and Mitsubishi Lancer.
Part of Fiat's rationale for getting involved with Chrysler was the expanding economies of scale for its own products. That means future Chryslers will almost certainly get Italian designed fours to go with the company's new Phoenix V6. It's not clear what the fate of the five-year-old Dundee, MI engine plant that supplies the Chrysler engines will be. If the alliance is dissolved, it could be taken over by Chrysler-Fiat and re-tooled to build Fiat-based engines.
Automotive News is also reporting that the Ram diesel could get a new lease on life. However, the planned Cummins 5.0-liter V8 could be replaced by – you guessed it - a Fiat diesel.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
thomas 12:03PM (8/29/2009)
Uh..... i hope they realize the blunder a non-cummins-diesel-powered Ram would be.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but i believe Ram Heavy Duty owners are rather proud of their Cummins powerplant. Denying the light duty Ram that honor would be full of fail.
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Farmboy 12:09PM (8/29/2009)
But the question is, would I want the Fiat diesel?
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Mattias 3:46PM (8/30/2009)
Please drive one of the small vans with the 3.0l SOFIM diesel and then ask again.
Bloke 11:26PM (8/30/2009)
If you've ever experienced any of Fiat's superb JTD units - several of which were later used in GM Europe products - then you wouldn't need to ask.
Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:17AM (8/31/2009)
Now, this is a legitimate question Farmboy's asking. Fiat has no presence in this light duty truck market, where brand loyalty is a huge factor and few are willing to put money on unproven machinery.
Now hold on! I know Fiat is proven but nobody in NA knows that. They have some serious marketing to do. I have no doubt that if they can successfully tell customers that Fiat is more than little 500's, they can sell plenty of diesel engines. Heck--they have to be better than the old 6.0L PowerJokes! [Ducks for cover]
Frank 12:11PM (8/29/2009)
I think this was to be expected. I would much rather see a FIAT based Multi-air 4 cylinder engine in future product than the Chrysler/Mitsu/Hyundai motor.
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ericloewe 12:31PM (8/29/2009)
In that case I really doubt you know about Fiat's reliability issues. Besides the fact that their engines suck, simply put.
Bill_fast 1:01PM (8/29/2009)
ericloewe are you really serious? Saab, Opoel, PSA use Fiat diesels. Multijet II are much better than VW TDI's. Seems you are a bit outdated.
nrb 1:38PM (8/29/2009)
Don't jump on ericloewe so quickly. Fiat isn't exactly known for reliability.
Shiftright 4:38PM (8/29/2009)
VW isn't highly lauded for its reliability either. If you really look at the what the stats say, Fiat's engines are pretty sturdy, especially the diesels, and they have been at the forefront of innovation in that arena for years. They introduced common rail technology to the market, and then made the huge mistake of licensing it to Bosch which immediatley sold it to all of Fiat's competitors, including VW, and BMW as well.
Fiat's problem has long been with lackadaisical dealers. Go to Europe and you will see scores of diesel Fiat commercial vehicles big and small going about their business with stupidly high mileages on them.
However, I don't see a Diesel in Fiat's current line-up that would work in a huge truck like the Ram.
the4thheat 5:06PM (8/29/2009)
We're not talking about diesel engines though and the global alliance 4-cylinder gas engine is a pretty good engine used in a ton of cars including ones that put out quite a lot of power.
Frankly I don't think Fiat has a better gasoline engine available.
leitplanke 12:13PM (8/29/2009)
Good thing for Chrysler is that, I think. I sure hope that means Chrysler will get the MultiAir technology. And when it comes to Dieselengines Fiat is known as a real expert.
So I think that this step is a good one.
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Swede 12:21PM (8/29/2009)
Considering Fiat is a leader in diesel development, any other course of action would be foolish.
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IRONFIST 2:26PM (8/29/2009)
Newsflash moron, leader doesn't mean the same thing as "best in the industry." Often times, the leader is the one who makes the worst product. Example, Microsoft.
Aloysius Vampa 5:06PM (8/29/2009)
IRONFIST, you don't know what you're talking about. Microsoft didn't become a huge company because their products suck. Type rm -rf /, and get out of your mother's basement.
dodgeboy 12:31PM (8/29/2009)
I believe only the 5.0 would be replaced, not the 6.7 thats in the heavy duty trucks. What happend to the 5.9?
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Jim 12:50PM (8/29/2009)
"What happend to the 5.9?"
it became the 6.7.
bwzd7p2 12:47PM (8/29/2009)
Considering that Chrysler doesn't seem to be getting as much out of the engine as the other two and that neither of the others actually get engines out of the Dundee plant, makes sense to me for Chrysler to just take it over and built Fiat designs. My understanding is that the plant is way under capacity right now anyway, so they might even build engines for some other company there too.
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Jim 12:51PM (8/29/2009)
that, and the GEMA engine sucks anyway. It seems like it was designed to fill out a checklist of features, but they forgot the other things like "refinement."
BigWill 1:05PM (8/30/2009)
"GEMA engine sucks anyway"
Really? I've never heard that comment about the Evo X's turbo powermill.