Saab Automobile’s vice president – powertrain, Kjell Bergström, is to head up technical development in a new GM-Fiat powertrain joint venture company.

Bergström takes up his new position in Turin, Italy, in March where, as vice president – product engineering, he will be responsible for all new engine and transmission projects for Saab, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Opel/Vauxhall.

Go deeper with GlobalData

Data Insights

The gold standard of business intelligence.

Find out more

Discover B2B Marketing That Performs

Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.

Find out more


The new joint venture embraces all current GM and Fiat powertrain operations in Europe and Latin America, involving almost 27,000 employees at five development centres and 19 production plants in 11 countries. These units have an annual capacity of seven million engines and 6.6 million transmissions.


As head of powertrain at Saab, Bergström, 55, was responsible for the development of the ground-breaking Saab Variable Compression (SVC) engine and the Saab Combustion Control (SCC) system.


Within GM, Saab will continue to be a ‘centre of expertise’ for turbocharging and forced induction technology.

Just Auto Excellence Awards - Nominations Closed

Nominations are now closed for the Just Auto Technology Excellence Awards. A big thanks to all the organisations that entered – your response has been outstanding, showcasing exceptional innovation, leadership, and impact.

Excellence in Action
Continental has secured the Window Displays Innovation Award in the 2025 Just Auto Excellence Awards for its Window Projection solution, transforming side windows into dynamic, data-rich canvases. Discover how this compact projection technology and intelligent software are reshaping in-car UX and opening fresh revenue streams for OEMs and mobility providers.

Discover the Impact