Shutdown stalling Fiat Chrysler’s new pickups: CEO

Bloomberg

The government shutdown is delaying Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV’s efforts to bring crucial new heavy-duty Ram pickups to the market. The Ram 3500 still needs emissions certification from the US Environmental Protection Agency to be approved for sale, and that process is being held up by the shutdown, Fiat Chrysler Chief Executive Officer Mike Manley said at the North American International Auto Show.
“I am concerned, very concerned, because if it continues, it will have an impact on on the launch,” Manley told reporters in Detroit. “The earlier that it can be resolved, clearly the better, and obviously I’m not the only person saying that.”
Fiat Chrysler pulled the wraps off the new Rams at the auto show earlier. The company is riding strong sales momentum in the all-important full-size pickup segment, having just outsold General Motors Co’s Chevrolet Silverado to rank second in the fourth quarter, behind Ford Motor Co’s F-Series. The light-duty Ram won the North American Truck of the Year award at the show.
While Ford and GM are closing plants and killing off sedans to invest in electrification and autonomous vehicles, Fiat Chrysler has overhauled its US factories to build more sport
utility vehicles.
It was the only one of Detroit’s three automakers to increase sales in a flat US market last year, with record deliveries for its Jeep and Ram brands. The automaker sold about 1.6 million Jeep models worldwide, Manley said.
The truck segment this year will be “robust,” he predicted, but sales for the total US market will be about the same as 2018.
“I think there’s little opportunity for it to grow,” Manley said.
The Italian-American company is retooling a Detroit engine plant to make a new three-row Grand Cherokee, on top of preparations to build the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in Warren, Michigan.