In response to the Supreme court’s delay of Chrysler’s planned sale to Fiat, Fiat’s CEO Sergio Marchionne said, in an interview with Bloomberg, that the Italian automaker will “never” walk away from its deal with Chrysler LLC.
“We should just be patient and let the system work,” Marchionne said by telephone moments after Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg ordered the delay. Many government officials were concerned that such a delay could see Fiat walking away from a possible partnership.
Fortunately for these concerned individuals, the Supreme Court approved the sale between the two automakers yesterday. Most importantly, though, was Marchionne’s attitude towards the ‘minor’ setback. In response to a question about whether Fiat would pull out of the deal if it isn’t completed by the June 15 deadline, he answered “We would never walk away.”
“Never” is a very bold word and strongly suggests that the Italian automaker will see to it that the deal goes through. It also suggests that it will be committed to Chrysler for the long-run. Without Fiat, Chrysler will undoubtedly be liquidated. Marchionne’s bold statements brings much needed assurance to the thousands of people who would otherwise lose their jobs.
