Fiat aims to integrate the Chrysler brand more closely with the Italian automaker’s upscale Lancia marque with the two brands likely to share products ranging from small hatches to large sedans.
The appointment of Lancia CEO Olivier Francois as Chrysler brand boss is a step toward the goal, a Fiat source said.
The unnamed source went on to say that Chrysler and Lancia will share products and distribution in Europe in the near future, including the use of Chrysler’s next-generation 300C as a replacement for Lancia’s Thesis flagship (pictured above) which finished production some months back following a seven-year production run.
Fiat also is looking at other product sharing opportunities for the two brands that include the Chrysler Sebring successor and next-generation Lancia Ypsilon.
