Chrysler Group sold 1.6m new cars and trucks worldwide in 2010 as refreshed vehicles in the US and the start of sales through Fiat’s international dealers increased consumer purchases, its CEO has said.
The Wall Street Journal said this was the first time CEO Sergio Marchionne had confirmed the global sales figure ahead of an expected full year results announcement on 31 January.
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Sales were 17% higher than in 2009 when Chrysler filed for bankruptcy protection and Marchionne took over daily operations after Fiat was given a then 20% stake in the company, recently raised to 25%.
“The contribution from international markets will increase over the next few years as the distribution of Chrysler vehicles through the Fiat network increases in momentum,” Marchionne said during a meeting with automotive analysts in Detroit.
Marchionne also said that due to better-than-expected performance, Chrysler can break even on an operational basis if the auto maker sells 1.5m vehicles globally, down from 1.6m previously.
Separately, Marchionne, embroiled in a row with Italian workers, said he will ask the United Auto Workers to consider linking union worker pay with the performance of the company.
“I think the discussion that needs to be had with the UAW is one that recognises we need to avoid all those pitfalls that made this industry unviable in the past,” Marchionne said. “We need to somehow link the performance of the business to the workers. I am quite willing to start working with the UAW to try to get this done. I think it is important for all of us, not just the UAW.”
Marchionne said he originally discussed the issue with former UAW president Ron Gettelfinger during Chrysler’s bankruptcy process but the issue was tabled.
New president Bob King has begun a drive to ‘organise’ non-union US ‘transplants’ operated primarily by foreign automakers in so-called ‘right to work’ states in the south.
