Last year, for instance, Fiat failed to find a buyer for Magneti Marelli, its struggling car-components business.

ECONOMIST: Junked? | The

With a combined production capacity of more than 4m vehicles a year, Fiat will also get some vital scale economies for its platforms, powertrains and the electrical components made by its Magneti Marelli subsidiary.

ECONOMIST: Fiat and Chrysler: An Italian lifeline | The