Time back to 2 years ago, at the first Viaggio rolled off line ceremony, Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Fiat &Chrysler told media about the trump card of the joint venture: JEEP China made. Time is decided in year 2014. However, it does not go like it though, or we shall find China made JEEP at JEPP stage already.
In the past 2 years, China made location of JEEP is hesitated between Changsha and Guangzhou. Fiat total merge 100% share of Chrysler almost is stopped. Profit game between GAC Group, Fiat and Chrysler has not stopped. Provinces of Guangdong and Hunan will not let the hot money goes to other part easily. Meanwhile, national automobile industry layout and plan ministry is mixed with complicated profit links. All the above makes JEEP China made progress a rough way to go.
On April 19, paper of an agreement by GAC Group, Fiat and Chryslerannounces that JEEP China made project finally decided. 3 parts have signed contact, and expects official operation starting since the end of year 2015. As reporter known from GAC- Fiat, JEEP China made project has been approved by National Development and Reform Commission, MIIT and Ministry of Commerce.It means that JEEP China made mode offline counting down.
As it known of the agreement, JEEP China made shall belong to joint venture GAC- Fiat. The company shall introduce 3 new cars into market Compass, Patriot and Renegade. Renegade, the small size SUV which is already launched Beijing Auto Exhibition, is designed for Chinese customers particularly. According to plan, Compass and Patriot will be produced by GAC Guangzhou plant, and Renegade is produced by GAC- Fiat Changsha plant. However, GAC seniormanagement says that “all the modes are planned for this moment. It is still possible for variation. It could be less or more.”
In summer of year 2012, when the first product of GAC- Fiat rolled off Changsha plant, Sergio Marchionne dressed with black T shirt and announced the timetable of JEEP China made progress. With 2 years drag Shaw, the project is finally decided. At that moment, industry believes that Sergio Marchionne speak for GAC- Fiat joint venture.
