Jeep Sale to Chinese Company is a No-Go

FCA CEO says selling company’s most profitable brand doesn’t make sense.

Jeep fans, rejoice. FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has all but issued an official notice to any company hoping to get their greedy hands on Jeep, and the message is clear: The beloved American brand is not for sale.

Well, those weren’t his exact words, but it pretty much sums them up, as detailed in a Bloomberg report. In an interview discussing FCA’s future, the top exec pleaded the case for keeping Jeep attached to the company.

As covered here previously, Great Wall Motor Co. expressed interest in buying Jeep in September. At the time, Jeep officials were pretty tight-lipped about it all, leaving many to speculate that Marchionne was preparing to sell off Jeep.

The Bloomberg report certainly seems to lay those rumors to rest. However, it doesn’t address speculations that the bigger strategy is to sell the entire company. In fact, the Bloomberg story seems to suggest that Marchionne is still on the hunt for a buyer. The CEO apparently told the business news source that Fiat Chrysler would be more valuable if it partnered with another carmaker.

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Considering that the move would give FCA more weight in a global market, the idea certainly makes sense from a business perspective. Still, the mere thought that Jeep could wind up in the hands of another company as part of any deal makes a lot of us uneasy. Maybe it’s just a fear of the unknown. Sure, it’s all pretty much speculation at this point, but there’s certainly reason for concern.

Either way, we doubt that the wishes of Jeep fans will have an impact on any future decisions about FCA. Though, it’s been proven that the success of Jeep lies with enthusiasts who have stayed loyal to the brand.