FCA CEO Marchionne Meets with Tesla and Apple

We told you previously Sergio Marchionne is hoping to make a deal with another major automaker. We also told you that reports indicate there aren’t many automakers looking to work with FCA in this type of large venture. His goal is to make a large impact before he leaves Fiat Chrysler at the end of 2018. This means Marchionne has met with a lot of potential partners and industry leaders. Some say this is to discuss mergers, others that he is just drumming up hype for a deal. Marchionne refutes that notion. He claims his intention is to “pitch the problem” to certain individuals, however some analysts aren’t buying it.

Sanford Bernstein analyst Max Warburton told the Detroit Free Press, “If Marchionne wants a deal, he has no need to advertise it publicly. There are only a few people he needs to call directly. We assume he’s already called them. Then why is he now involving us and the media in the debate?” That debate will only rage on with his latest two meetings. During a recent visit to California, Marchionne met with Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk and Apple CEO Tim Cook. Nearly everything that happens involving Tesla and Apple make instant headlines, and their meeting with the Fiat Chrysler CEO is no different.

There has been speculation that with Tesla’s recent success with presales of their residential battery unit that they will become more of a battery company than an automaker. Thus, the meeting with Marchionne creates the possibility of a possible partnership between Tesla and an established automaker. However, all that Marchionne said about the meeting to Reuters was, referring to Musk, “I’m incredibly impressed with what that kid has done.” However, for the time being there is no further info on any possible collaboration between Tesla and FCA. However, Marchionne also met with Tim Cook.

Speaking about his meeting with the Apple CEO, Marchionne told Reuters, “He’s interested in Apple’s intervention in the car, that’s his role.” What the intervention in the car means is not known. Marchionne didn’t explain the meeting with Apple any more that the one sentence. However, at a time when the world is trying to decide if Apple is really building its own electric car, those comments will lead to speculation. It’s also possible that the intervention could simply mean Apple’s in-car technology called CarPlay. However, for the time being everyone is left to wonder if the meetings by Marchionne were a chance to “pitch the problem,” create hype for a deal through the media or actually talk about a partnership.

What do you make of the meetings by Marchionne? In meeting with Tesla and Apple surely he must have known that it would make headlines, is that exactly what he wants? Finally, do you see FCA collaborating with either Apple or Tesla Motors on a major project in the future?