“In fiat, they make the body”

The problem is idealism. When two major automobile groups come together, while we hope that one will not dominate the other, we also hope that the best technologies of each will be pooled to offer better cars to consumers. Except that’s not always the case. When Renault and Nissan came together, it happened: Japanese engines slipped under the hood of the French, which saw a significant improvement in their reliability, while the Japanese benefited from the excellent French platform. On the other hand, when Daimler tied up with Chrysler, the former tried to crush the latter. failure.

But let’s go further back. When Peugeot took over Citroen in 1974, this led to a combination of the two brands’ advantages, such as the BX, Xantia or even the 205, whose rear suspension comes from a double chevron study. Also, when PSA and FCA came together, we could hope for the best.

The first was going to recover the excellent engine of the second, efficient and reliable, while the latter was sorely lacking: to be equipped with new platforms. But that doesn’t happen. Far from being abandoned, the French 3-cylinder Puretec, with its reliability among the lowest of the competition, not only continued its career, but would be used in future Fiats and Lancias to replace the more solid, classy Italian Firefly blocks.

Certainly, the engine powering the Citroen, DS, Peugeot and other Opels has been significantly modified, swapping its problematic timing belt splashed in oil for a chain that is apparently more reliable. Apart from that we will remember the endless problems with its distribution chain, from PSA-BMW through the THP block. Hope this is a lesson learned! Additionally, a significant 1.6 JTDm from the Fiat is simply dropping by the roadside, while the French part of Stellantis continues with its 1.5 HDi DV5 causing a series of problems.

Some will answer that installing Fiat blocks in the PSA platform makes no sense from an industrial point of view. However, this is happening in Brazil, where the Peugeot 208 is equipped with a 3-cylinder Firefly. It is true that in the land of Samba (not Talbot), the former Italian giant is the market leader, relying on a much larger range and factories than PSA.

In Europe, on the other hand, the latest Italian innovations are just dressed-up Peugeots: like the Fiat 600e, an E-2008 designed like a giant 500, and the Lancia Ypsilon, an E-208 with exotic looks. The future Panda will be an e-C3 with Italian design, while future Alfa Romeos will either reprise the base from 2008 (the Milano) or be based on the new STLA large base, the next Maserati, Dodge and Chrysler.

In fact, PSA is petitioning FCA to do what it did at Opel. If it was crucial for the German brand, its technology was emptied by GM, it is more difficult for the Italian brands, especially Fiat. The latter holds a primordial place in automotive history due to its technology and innovations.

which one It was he who produced the first popular small car, the Topolino, in 1936, the first minivan, the 600 Multipla in 1956, and who developed the architecture used by 99% of current traction vehicles: the transverse engine overhead camshaft with a box. Suspension using bolts in crankshaft, struts. The group announced at 128 in 1969, then repeated at 127 in 1971, forming the B segment before serving as the de facto benchmark for the latter VW (Polo) and Ford (Fiesta). Fiat, years later, produced the first turbo-diesel sedan with direct injection (the Croma TDD in 1988), and most notably the Alfa Romeo 156, which introduced common-rail in late 1997. Since then, innovations have continued. Rare, mainly limited to Multiair orders, taken only by Jaguar Land Rover, and on Sly.

This is where we touch on what was the fortune and downfall of Fiat: the Agnelis. Giovanni built and brilliantly developed the brand until the 1940s, with grandson Gianni more or less managing the coat of arms from 1967, after which the family was more concerned with building a financial empire than investing. Because it should be in the products. . This led to declining sales and a volatile contract with GM in 1999, which laid off a good number of Italian engineers.

PokerMove signed Marchionne in 2009, who acquired Chrysler (and its excessive debt) for $1, leading to the formation of FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) in 2014. But the merger of two ailing giants (even if one is far less ailing than the other) rarely produces good results, and Fiat lacks the resources to provide the bloodless, new models American brands lack.

As a result, we sold the family jewels (Magneti-Marelli), we listed Iveco and Ferrari on the stock market (mostly owned by Exor, the Agnelli holding company whose boss, John Elkann, also belongs to Stellantis), and many resource men went to Detroit. Clearly, before the merger with PSA, Fiat’s flamboyant design office had slowly dwindled to nothing, at least in Italy.

It is not surprising that later engineers and senior executives, in great form, have literally taken over the Italian brands, ignoring their rich past. However, it seems that in Italy this is facing French control, which is not very encouraging but is largely dictated by financial imperatives. Carlos Tavares tried to compromise with Renault to dilute the power of Elcon, who was fiercely opposed to the maneuver. But both talk very little about products and innovation… Technical uniformity is still gaining ground: we wish Fiat would do something other than a caricature on the PSA base.