Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne says people around the world, especially the Europeans, need to "stop b----ing" about their economic problems.
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Speaking at a Chrysler plant in Belvidere, Ill., Marchionne said, "I think we've got to stop b----ing because you know b----ing is a very easy thing to do alright. Bellyaching is ... you know, you don't even have to take a course on this, it comes naturally to a lot people. You know there's nobody bellyaching in that plant I can tell you. These people ... are proud and committed, and the future is built with that kind of attitude, not on the negative side. Europeans should listen."
Marchionne has been blunt in his assessment of how European leaders have handled their faltering economy.
"I continue to be as worried as I have been now for a while about the way and the speed in which the European Union is getting resolutions," said Marchionne. "I have also been mildly public on this, but I think that austerity is a wonderful thing."
When asked if Greece should leave the EU, Marchionne said, "No."
The CEO of Fiat and Chrysler spends as much time in Turin, Italy, headquarters of Fiat, as he does in Auburn Hills, Mich., home of Chrysler. Since bringing the two companies together, the Chrysler division has soared while Fiat has struggled due to its European operations.
Still, Marchionne says Fiat will likely exercise its right to buy another 3 percent of Chrysler from the United Auto Workers VEBA Trust when the opportunity comes next month. That move would mean Fiat owns more than 61 percent of Chrysler.
Don't expect a Chrysler IPO this year. When asked about the chances of taking Chrysler public in the near future, Marchionne laughed and said, "No! Especially after what happened last week." It's clear that when Marchionne does oversee a Chrysler public stock offering, he wants it to go much smoother than the Facebook IPO.
