Public authorities are clearly on the second line

Sergio Marchionne has the will to build a global giant in a crisis without precedent in the automotive industry Already in negotiations with the American Chrysler, Fiat boss has also expressed interest for Opel, the German subsidiary of General Motors, in great difficulty. The President of the Land of Hesse, Roland Koch, Minister confirmed yesterday, information of the weekly "Der Spiegel": Fiat is among the potential buyers of Opel, alongside the Canadian supplier Magna. According to the Wall Street Journal, the Italian group would however resume Opel success across the Atlantic.

Sergio Marchionne said early this year that a manufacturer would produce over 5 million vehicles a year to clear a profit in the new competitive environment. But Fiat is to 2.2 million. He believes that only 6 companies at the global level would survive the current crisis. And obviously has to be.

The deadline of April 30

There is not is gained, however. The Italian group is still in discussion with creditors and trade unionists of Chrysler, which it wants to take in a first time 20 of the capital, and must reach an agreement before the April 30 deadline set by Washington. The major disagreement is far on the capital supply of Fiat. The American company remains the record priority, to Opel, Sergio Marchionne said yesterday in response to a question from analyst.

In Germany, the news of a possible arrival of Fiat immediately sparked a reaction of rejection of some unionists. "We know the bride," said yesterday bluntly Klaus Franz, head of the Committee of company Opel. According to him, Italian and Opel manufacturer being present on the same market segments, the operation would result in massive layoffs, probably after the legislative elections of 27 September. Fiat, heavily in debt, would only after the public security promised by Chancellor Merkel to a private investor who would present a viable concept for Opel.

German elections

Ferdinand Dudenhöffer, an expert of the Institute because, reasoned: "both companies build similar cars for similar contracts." Opel may not only lose. "What Willi Diez, Director of the Institute for the automotive industry, replied that he" better an Opel truncated over Opel at all ". Public authorities are clearly on the second line. Michael Fuchs, expert of the CDU, has estimated that "IG Metall could only rejoice if it is an industrial investor as Fiat".

The German Government did not comment, but we can imagine that it would be relieved, in Berlin, for recovery by Fiat. Opel employs more than 25,000 people in Germany directly, and it to work indirectly perhaps twice more additional people. The great coalition wants to avoid a social bloodbath before the elections. The social democratic candidate for the Chancellery, in September, Frank - Walter Steinmeier, even delivered to a rise in the State capital, if no private buyer was satisfactory offer. Roland Koch has welcomed that there is a competition between investors, "a good thing for the future of Opel. And good for GM, which will implement technical unemployment thirteen factories for several weeks, and whose survival is through a disengagement of its German subsidiary.

Fiat, heavily in debt, has its specialization in medium-sized cars. Opel, for its part, has benefited greatly from the generous bonus in the case of the German Government (2,500 euros) and place great hopes in its new model, Insignia, which he has already received 80,000 orders.