Alfa sharing or not platforms and dealerships with Jaguar

Filed under:Alfa-Romeo, Fiat, Jaguar, Tata Motors,
Now that sale of Jaguar to Tata Motors is quite good, almost a done deal, and it has been unveiled that Fiat could now team with Jaguar for producing premium rear-wheel drive autos for its Alfa Romeo name brand and possibly share a few of the same dealerships even — easing the Italian re-entry into the United States market of the automaker.

“I think I would be more than pleased to collaborate with Tata in terms of Jaguar/ Range Rover, if in fact it ends up being owned by them” Sergio Marchionne, the chief executive at Fiat, told the Financial Times.

Fiat has close ties already with Tata — the Indian carmaker purchasing Land Rover and Jaguar from Ford — as this two companies now produce autos, engines plus transmissions together in the Indian territory. Ratan Tata (Tata head) also sits on the Fiat's board.

This possible deal could see also Fiat using Land Rover and Jaguar dealerships for the United States distribution, eliminating Fiat's need to begin a dealer network right from Scratch.

Fiat is entertaining also the idea of teaming up with one of the Big Three American. automakers.

Anyhow, just as Chrysler learned, it's not always the smartest move to be selling redundant cars under one roof.