(Detroit, MI) The head of Fiat-Chrysler is causing quite a stir about the future of Toledo-made Jeeps.
Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne was asked by an analyst on a conference call Wednesday whether Jeep and Ram could be spun off into separate, stand-alone companies. His one-word answer: yes.
No explanation or follow-up was given during that quarterly profits call. The answer is causing quite a stir, because Marchionne is no stranger to mergers, acquisitions and spin-offs. The Italian automaker engineered a successful spin-off of the Ferrari brand about 18 months ago.
Whether or not Fiat-Chrysler is even considering such a move for the Jeep brand remains unclear. But the speculation already has begun in the auto world, because such a spin-off could generate cash for the parent company or a hefty return for shareholders.