According to Automotive News and Rueters
MILAN/DETROIT (Reuters) -- Fiat S.p.A. will rush the first all-new Chrysler model to the U.S. market by the end of 2011 and create a new Ram brand for its truck line under a revival plan for Chrysler Group that will be shown to the U.S. government this week, people involved in the discussions said.
Fiat, which assumed management control of Chrysler under a reorganization funded by the Obama administration, is scheduled to brief officials with the White House autos task force on plans to revamp Chrysler's vehicle line-up.
Under the plan, Fiat will create a new Ram brand for what have been Dodge-branded trucks, two people with knowledge of the matter said.
In addition, Fiat will bring its first all-new Chrysler product out by the end of 2011, compressing the normal vehicle development plan, the sources said.
That will be in addition to the Fiat 500, a subcompact that Fiat plans to introduce to the U.S. market by late 2010. More new models will roll out in 2012, one of the sources said.
Chrysler and Fiat had no comment.
Chrysler's nine-member board was briefed last week by Fiat and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne on the strategy for reviving the U.S. automaker's vehicle line-up, according to a person with knowledge of the plans
Dodge performance focus
The separation of the Ram truck brand will allow Fiat to make Dodge more of a performance car brand, the person said. But the move could also make it easier for Chrysler to spin off its truck business down the road if a continuing slump forced Fiat or U.S. officials to consider such a step.
Marchionne, who was due to appear at Chrysler headquarters on Thursday, said earlier this week that part of his plan for Chrysler would involve more "universal" platforms that Fiat and Chrysler could use as the basis for a number of vehicles.
Could Be good and it could be bad kind of like Pontiac and Saturn...................who? Yeah that's what I mean.
