UC3M: 10th Excercise - Free Topic Choice: Fiat wants to take over Opel

In our last session of Multimedia Creacion we got the Opporunity to chose a free topic. I decided to report about the Problems in the Car-Industry and about the traditional German Car Manufacturer Opel which has to face the consequences of the financial Crisis right now. By finding a soulution out of the reds, Opel must consider the Italian Fiat company as possible Buyer of Opel. Therefore Fiat is bidding to take over Opel. Fiat head Sergio Marchionne confirmed on Thursday that his company has a keen interest in the deal. At least Opel could then assure that many work places will be continue to exist, even if not all. However, although no decisions have been taken, the European press is buzzing with the news of a possible takeover. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - Germany The Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung fears massive job cuts in Germany after the announcement of a possible takeover of Opel by Italian car maker Fiat: "It must be admitted that Fiat has undergone radical change under CEO Sergio Marchionne. He understands the business, and he's playing with the idea of buying into Chrysler. He will have carefully considered whether an Opel takeover will let him play in the same league with VW and Toyota, and if there's money to be made there. But one should have no illusions. Plants will be closed and thousands will lose their jobs if the deal goes through, and even then the German federal and state governments will not be able to avoid providing state warrantees. In these times of adversity we must seek comfort where we can: without a partner Opel is certain to go under. The company has more chance of success with an industrial than with a financial investor. And such a scenario is certainly preferable to maintaining the sickly status quo at the expense of the state." (24/04/2009)