• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies
  • Top Tips for Improving EV Range in Cold Weather
  • Mercedes is First Automaker to Offer True Level 3 Hands-Free Driving System in the U.S.
  • Audi Introduces Fourth “Sphere” Concept: Activesphere
  • Jaguar Land Rover Posts First Profitable Quarter in Two Years
  • Musk Confirms Cybertruck Production Tracking for End of 2023
  • Polestar Raises its Game with the 2024 Polestar 2
  • Toyota CEO Akio Toyoda Steps Down, Hands Reins to Lexus Chief Koji Sato
  • Environmental Groups Chide GM for ICE Investments
  • Tesla Sets New Financial Benchmarks, But Misses Analysts Targets
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
      • Feeder
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2023 Ford F-150 Raptor R 4x4 Super Crew
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis Electrified G80 AWD
    • A Week With: 2023 Land Rover Defender 110 V-8
    • First Drive: 2023 Honda Pilot TrailSport
    • A Week With: 2023 Jaguar F-Type R Coupe
    • A Week With: 2023 GMC Yukon Denali Ultimate
    • A Week With: 2023 Genesis GV60 Performance
    • A Week With: 2023 Chevrolet Suburban Z71
    • A Week With: 2023 Lexus UX 250h F Sport
    • A Week With: 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 4Matic
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > news > Automobiles > Barra Says GM Merger with FCA Unnecessary

        Barra Says GM Merger with FCA Unnecessary

        CEO says company’s focused on shareholder returns.

        Joseph Szczesny
        Joseph Szczesny , Executive Editor
        June 09, 2015
        General Motors CEO Mary Barra addresses the gathering during the 2015 annual meeting in Detroit.

        No dice.

        Those two words may best summarize General Motors response to Sergio Marchionne’s ongoing merger proposals, even as the Fiat Chrysler chief executive officer moves to enlist outside investors to support the proposed tie up between the two auto giants.

        Subscribe for Free!

        Mary Barra, GM’s chief executive officer, confirmed publicly for the first time during GM’s annual shareholder meeting today that GM had received an email for Marchionne in which he proposed a merger.

        “There was an email that was thoroughly vetted by management and by the board. We’re going to sell more than 10 million vehicles across the globe. We have scale. We want to do what’s right for our shareholders. That’s our focus,” said Barra.

        General Motors Chairman of the Board Tim Solso, right, speaks during GM's annual shareholders meeting in Detroit today.

        GM’s expectation of selling more than 10 million vehicles this year means it doesn’t need a partner, such as FCA, Barra said, noting it already enjoys a significant purchasing advantage on parts and commodities that it spreads out engineering and development costs over a large number of vehicles.

        “We’ve had a merger with ourselves in the past couple of years,” Barra told reporters. “We have scale. We’re in the top tier.”

        Aside from the fact that GM already enjoys a significant advantage on costs, the automaker is already involved in several partnerships with other automakers. It works with Ford Motor Co. on the development of new transmissions. GM and Honda have a venture dedicated to development of fuel cells. In China, it has a broad alliance with SAIC, one of China’s largest automotive companies, Barra noted.

        Marchionne isn’t easily deterred though. The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that FCA’s Marchionne is now trying to enlist hedge funds to help put more pressure on GM to consider the possibility of a merger with its smaller rival.

        “We are very much focused on our General Motors shareholders. We have a plan and it’s in the best interest of GM shareholders and that’s my focus,” she said. “GM has a solid plan to deliver value to shareholders.”

        (Barra defends the company’s uses of capital. For more, Click Here.)

        GM’s margins have improved for the past four years and GM also is continuing to improve its internal process and procedures worldwide, she added.

        Since the first of the year, GM also has raised its quarterly dividend by 20% to 36 cents per share and approved a $5 billion share buyback to satisfy restless hedge fund managers, who were pressing the company to bolster returns to shareholders, Barra said.

        Barra said GM has learned valuable lessons from the ignition switch scandal, which has been connected to the deaths of 111 motorists operating GM vehicles and billions of dollars in additional costs for the company. “We are a much stronger, better company for it,” added Barra.

        (Click Here for details about Marchionne’s overture to GM.)

        “We made substantial progress,” said Barra, who said the goal is to develop a “zero-defect” culture within GM.

        “We continue to see margin growth and return on invested capital,” said Barra, who said one of GM’s key objectives is to produce a profit margin of 10% or better even as it invests in new vehicles and futuristic technology such as autonomous vehicles. “Our financial performance in 2014 was encouraging,” she said.

        “We’re focused on earning customers for life. Really listening to customers,” Barra said. “We’re going to continue to try and understand the customer. We’re also insuring that you have an exceptional ownership. The bar for success is set very high,” she said.

        (To see more about GM’s sales in China slowing down, Click Here.)

        Barra said GM wants to earn recognition for GM as an industry leader in areas such as safety and technology, including the development of new powertrains.

        How to Care for Your Car

        Cheap Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice

        Best Extended Car Warranty

        Editor's Choice
        Recently Published

        The Rearview Mirror: All That the Name Implies

        Yesterday
        GMC Hummer SUT winter testing

        Top Tips for Improving EV Range in Cold Weather

        Jan. 27, 2023
        Mercedes Drive Pilot Nevada driving

        Mercedes is First Automaker to Offer True Level 3 Hands-Free Driving System in the U.S.

        Jan. 27, 2023

        3 responses to “Barra Says GM Merger with FCA Unnecessary”

        1. Jorge says:
          June 9, 2015 at 12:28 pm

          FCA is desperate IMO and that means a lot of bloodshed from Marchionne’s grandiose purchase of Chrysler and other business strategies. GM has little need for Chrysler let alone Fiat so it’s pointless to even suggest a merger.

          Reply
        2. EAJ says:
          June 9, 2015 at 2:01 pm

          Good for you, Ms. Barra, no need for mergers / partnerships when it, in the long run, would cause more erosion than validity

          Reply
        3. veh says:
          June 10, 2015 at 10:00 am

          Sergio,

          If you don’t leave me alone, I’m calling the cops

          -Mary

          Reply

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2023
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: