Fiat to drop Chrysler brand?

According to a Fiat executive, the Italian automaker might look to discontinue the Chrysler brand entirely in an effort to reduce the number of brands offered by the joint automaker. As General Motors is attempting to prove, streamlining the number of brands in an automaker's portfolio could be the way of the future.

Advertising Age reports that Fiat is seriously studying which lines and brands to keep - and Chrysler division, with its dwindling sales and weak offerings, could be on the chopping block. The publication says that a Chrysler spokeswoman revealed that Chrysler's own executives had considered closing the brand earlier this year before the Fiat involvement, but they decided to let it live another day.

Unquestionably, Chrysler's future product portfolio represents an improvement over its current offerings. The updated Chrysler 300 promises a top-notch interior, while the Sebring's replacement - previewed by the 200c concept - could add the spice the automaker needs in that segment. Yet for Italian executives looking at Chrysler's current lineup of just three models for 2010, drastic moves might be necessary.