Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV is in advanced talks to forge ties with Renault SA and may eventually join the French carmaker’s alliance with its Japanese partners, the Financial Times reported, citing sources it didn’t identify.
Adding Fiat Chrysler to the alliance with Nissan Motor Co. may be complex as it would involve winning over the Japanese company, the FT said, citing some of the sources who were informed of the talks. Joining the alliance, which also includes Mitsubishi Motors Corp., comes as the auto companies are seeking to tackle structural challenges in their industry.
The partnership was thrust into the spotlight in November with the arrest of Carlos Ghosn, the chairman and architect of the global car-making alliance between the three companies. The arrest also triggered speculation that Renault was seeking to merge with Nissan, a move the Japanese company resisted.
The discussions with Fiat Chrysler, which are focused on extensive cooperation between the two carmakers, are still ongoing and could still fall apart, the newspaper said. Nissan’s role in the talks isn’t clear, the FT reported.
Renault and FCA declined to comment to the FT, while a Nissan spokesman didn’t reply to a request for comment, the newspaper said.
