菲亚特汽车公司意图兼并欧洲通用
世界十大汽车公司之一，菲亚特汽车公司始建于1899年7月意大利都灵市，创始人是乔瓦尼·阿涅利。它是世界上第一个生产微型车的汽车生产厂家。
继克莱斯勒之后，通用在德国的子公司——欧宝成为菲亚特的下一个目标。如果这次并购顺利完成，那么菲亚特将能和欧洲最大的汽车制造商大众公司的规模相抗衡。
With Chrysler in hand, Fiat is stepping up efforts to expand its auto empire by acquiring a majority stake in GM's German unit Opel. The merger would create a wide-ranging manufacturer that would rival Volkswagen, Europe's biggest automaker.
Italy's Fiat Group aims to take over General Motors' main European unit without running up debt, in a deal that could require billions of euros in government loan guarantees.
The German economy minister says Fiat's concept is part of a wider plan to build a global powerhouse including Chrysler. The deal foresees keeping the Opel brand and the unit's three assembly plants in Germany.
The minister made the comments in Berlin after meeting Fiat's CEO to discuss the Italian manufacturer's plans.
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, German economy minister, says, "Opel will be kept as a brand, as well as a German headquarter and the German plants where the final assembly takes place will also be kept, according to these plans."
The minister refused to rule out job cuts and made clear that the future of some plants in Germany would be in doubt. The economy minister and Fiat's CEO have not presented specific numbers for job losses or plant closures.
Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg says, "Fiat wants to get into this deal without a debt of its own and create here as well an appropriate model where this is possible, with an element that does not require incurring a debt to cover the short-term financing needs - stemming from GM's debts and pension obligations."
Fiat estimates short-term financing needs at some 5 to 7 billion euros Europe-wide, which could be covered by loan guarantees from various governments.
Guttenberg welcomed Fiat's proposal but stresses that the government would have to examine it further before reaching a verdict. He noted that Fiat's proposal is part of a Fiat plan to put together the biggest European auto maker and the world's Number 2.
Talk of a possible takeover of GM's European operations comes just a week after Fiat signed an agreement to acquire an initial 20 percent stake in US automaker Chrysler.
Fiat says it is evaluating the possible spin-off of its auto business to form a new listed company - possibly as soon as the summer.
If it does successfully conclude the two deals, Fiat would be in the driver's seat of an alliance that last year collectively made some 5 million vehicles in a contracting market.
