Less than a week after dismissing any prospect of merger talks, Volkswagen chief Matthias Mueller turned the steering wheel hard Tuesday, telling reporters the automaker may actually sit down with Fiat Chrysler Automotive.
"I am not ruling out a conversation," Mueller told journalists after VW's annual results news conference.
While not an official green light, the about face is sure to send a spark through an industry already on the edge of upheaval thanks to self-driving vehicles and other pending technological advancements.
An FCA/VW alliance would allow VW access to profitable Ram and Jeep brands, which would be an important revenue stream for a company under pressure to bolster profit margins. It also would help drive down production costs for both companies as they struggle to implement expensive engineering changes like automatization and electrification.
But Autotrader analyst Michelle Krebs told USA Today, this may not be the right time for a merger between FCA and VW.
"(VW) has a lot on their plate as it is," Krebs said. "It’s clear that Volkswagen needs to focus on profitability and getting the most out of their brands and recovering from the crisis it’s been in."
A Fiat Chrysler spokesperson declined comment on potential merger talks to USA Today.
Mueller told Reuters he had not yet spoken with FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne about the topic but that "it would be very helpful if Mr. Marchionne were to communicate his considerations to me too and not just to you."
Marchionne has lobbied hard for a merger partner for years, repeatedly stating that the industry would do better consolidating and sharing the cost of making more technologically advanced vehicles, rather than everyone individually wasting money developing similar types of tech. He has previously courted General Motors but was swiftly rejected.
However, following GM's recent deal to sell its European division to French automaker PSA Group, Marchionne quickly broached the idea of taking a second shot at coupling with GM.
"I never close any doors. I may shamelessly try and knock again ... on the GM door or any door if I thought it was a good thing for the business. Absolutely, without even blinking," he said during the Geneva auto show.
When GM again brushed off FCA, Marchionne then turned his attention toward VW - which has had its own problems such as a diesel emission scandal which resulted in three felony guilty pleas. Marchionne said he also believes the recent European exit by GM puts additional stress on VW.
“I have no doubt that at the relevant time VW may show up and have a chat” for a merger because the Opel (GM)-PSA deal threatens VW, he said.
Only last week, Mueller appeared to dismiss the prospect of talks with FCA, saying VW had enough to worry about as it struggled to overcome the emissions scandal and push a wide-ranging business transformation.
"We are not ready for talks about anything," Mueller said during the Geneva auto show. "I haven't seen Marchionne for months."
Volkswagen spokesperson Jeannine Ginivan Tuesday said in an email to USA Today that "there are no plans and have been no discussions" between the two companies.
Mueller declined Tuesday to say whether the PSA-Opel (GM) deal would result in more consolidation among automakers in Europe, but did say even though he was open to merger talks, VW would also press on with its strategic shift to embrace electric cars and automated driving.
"I am pretty confident about the future of Volkswagen, with or without Marchionne," he said.
