Sergio Marchionne, the late CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), left us on July 25, 2018. At 66, he left this world when his plan regarding FCA’s future started making sense to me. As I write this piece, I feel uneasy. I knew him less than many other people in the journalism world. The only information and knowledge of Sergio I have is via third-party sources or through his various interactions with press.
Sergio wasn’t a perfect man and that’s perfectly fine. For me, his traits like honesty, clarity, and aggression were all that mattered. His sense of purpose and no-pulling-punches attitude made him a darling of media. I realize that I can keep writing about him for hours at end and still feel like I haven’t done enough.
My reason for remembering Sergio is summed up in three products under FCA umbrella. These cars meant different things to different people but they all had a bit of Sergio in them. The three cars I will be talking about will always remind me (and maybe you too) about Sergio in the best way possible.
The first of these is the Alfa Romeo 4C. This car is small, seats only two, and has a four-cylinder engine. At least that is what its brochure says out loud. What its brochure should (and likely does) highlight is that its curb weight is 895kg dry (1,050kg in the USA due to the carbon fibre tub), the engine is mid-rear mounted in the car, and it has no power steering. In short, it is a no-nonsense car with a clear purpose and a honest (if aggressive) way to achieve its objective.
This car will remind me of Sergio in one important way — having a clear purpose and being honest in one’s efforts is the best way to do anything. Sergio’s clarity and honesty may have ticked some people off but he was liked by way more people than that. In the same way, the 4C exists in a space of its own, it has its own detractors too, but the ones who truly appreciate it also like cars like the Porsche 911R. The latter crowd, by the way, continues to grow across the world.
Then comes the Dodge Viper. This car was considered a handful by many when it first came out. Fast forward to the fifth-gen car and we had two Time Attack versions (one that went on to claim the production car record at Laguna Seca Raceway) and the Viper ACR (which claimed production car records at multiple racetracks). What does this car have to with the late FCA CEO?
The Viper always existed in a niche and wasn’t meant for everybody. Any car company would find it difficult to sell a two-seat sports car that has a 8.4-litre V10 mounted up front, has only rear-wheel traction, and hood the length of half a badminton court (Exaggeration? Yes, but you get the drift, right?) What made it popular was its identity as a remorseless car. It wasn’t comfortable, it wasn’t the fastest, and it could only seat two. In ACR form though, it could beat faster, more powerful cars around a racetrack.
In the same vein, was Sergio the best executive? I am not the one to make judgements here. He didn’t start his career in the auto industry unlike many of his peers. As the CEO of one of the biggest automakers in the world, he was someone else. He was extremely driven and that showed when FCA became profitable. What so many more qualified, more experienced (in automotive domain) people couldn’t do, he did. In this light, both the Viper and the late FCA boss are worth celebrating, aren’t they?
The last FCA product that reminds me of Sergio is the Dodge Demon. Yes, that same car that captured everyone’s attention with its photos of hoisted front wheels. The same car that made more power than the crazy, maddening Challenger Hellcat. In fact, this crazy car was banned by NHRA from drag racing. How can it be a reminder of the late Sergio Marchionne?
The Dodge Demon is based on the Challenger, which is based on a platform conceived back in the Daimler-Chrysler days. In short, the car is not as advanced as it looks. However, it sports some neat tricks like the Power Chiller (uses the car’s A/c to pre-cool the intercooler and further compress air from supercharger) and Transbrake (holds car in 1st and reverse gear simultaneously to keep it still). These tricks help the car rocket down a quarter mile (400m) in just 9.65 seconds.
Sergio wasn’t anything like the Demon. There is no record of him bench-pressing 600 pounds (approx 300kg) or running the fastest 10k. He didn’t need to as he brought in a fresh take to FCA as an outsider to automotive industry. Under him, FCA focused more on selling trucks and SUVs, which brought in money to develop cars like the Demon.
Under him, Alfa Romeo returned to USA with two hit products in tow — the Giulia sedan and the Stelvio SUV (or crossover, whichever you prefer). Under him, Ferrari went for an IPO and got listed on NYSE. He may not have been as young as his peers in other companies but his approach to running a group like FCA was refreshing.
May your soul rest in peace, Sergio! After all, YOU DESERVE IT!
That’s a first of many to come. Don’t agree with me? Think I could do better? The comments section is for you to say what you want and for me to hear it + implement it anyway I can. Go on, use it. Make a difference even if it’s a tiny one. I will be grateful at least.
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Copyright for all images used here belong to FCA North America and have been used under Editorial license
