Moments ago, President Obama announced that Chrysler will file for bankruptcy today in a New York federal court, then move toward a speedy union with Fiat. But in the rush for a shotgun marriage, there are plenty of hurdles Chrysler has to clear.
Ford has hit a home run in negotiations with the UAW, setting a precedent for GM and Chrysler and freeing up the cash it needs to stay out of the government bailout cookie jar.
Under the proposed deal, Chrysler gets its cash-starved mitts on Fiat's la bella machinas. And Fiat grabs a minority stake in Chrysler and dibs on Chrysler's distributors and dealerships.
We would get a heaping helping of la dolce automobili, but which cars would head stateside? Presuming all goes well, here's my list of the five Fiats that would save Chrysler's bacon.
Reuters is reporting that the Swedish customs authority has effectively shut down Saab's Trollhättan factory, citing a "considerable" sum of import duties that have been left unpaid.
The Gelandewagen has a long history as a world-conquering off-roader. Now in its 30th year of production, the two ton Benz-built bruiser has conquered the Sahara, straddled the Alps and set dozens of records for going places lesser trucks could not.
But now Brabus has written another record for the G-Wagen: the most powerful production off-roader ever built.
Today was the due date for GM and Chrysler to turn in their homework -- a plan defining each automaker's long-term viability. And in defining the way forward, General Motors has put the hangman's noose around Saab and Saturn.