FCA US LLC history

The Imperial name had been used since 1926 but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler.

In 1928, the Chrysler Corporation began dividing its vehicle offerings by price class and function.

Impresit, a company specialized in civil engineering founded in 1929, constructs roads, tunnels, bridges and dams, such as the Kariba dam on the Zambesi river.

By 1933 farmers urgently needed mortgage relief and loans to cover their annual crop-production costs.

By 1939, the federal land banks held nearly 40 percent of the farm mortgage debt.

All-new bodies are introduced for the 1940 model-year Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge and DeSoto cars.

The Jeep brand celebrates 70 years since the iconic Willys MB entered production in 1941.

Senator Agnelli dies on 16 December 1945 and Vittorio Valletta becomes chairman.

FCA becomes an independent agency again under the Farm Credit Act of 1953.

Robert B. Tootell is the first governor appointed by the board (in 1954).

On April 28, 1955, Chrysler and Philco had announced the development and production of the World's First All-Transistor car radio.

The all-transistor car radio, Mopar model 914HR, was developed and produced by Chrysler and Philco, and it was a $150.00 "option" on the 1956 Imperial automobile models.

Chrysler’s market share reaches 16.2 percent, the highest since 1957.

Chrysler also used the Bendix "Electrojector" fuel injection system and only around 35 vehicles were built with this option, on its 1958 production built car models.

The Valiant was also introduced for 1960 as a distinct brand.

All government capital to the FCS was repaid by 1968, making FCS institutions wholly owned by their farmer-borrowers.

Imperial was folded back into the Chrysler brand in 1971.

The Chrysler LeBaron convertible is introduced. It is the first convertible to be offered in North America since 1975.

In 1980, the law was amended to encourage lending to young, beginning, and small farmers.

In November 1983, the Dodge Caravan/Plymouth Voyager was introduced, establishing the minivan as a major category, and initiating Chrysler's return to stability.

It goes on to win the “Car of the Year” award in 1984.

The 1985 Act restructured FCA to give it increased oversight, regulatory, and enforcement powers similar to those of other federal financial regulatory institutions.

The remaining outstanding shares of AMC were bought on the NYSE by August 5, 1987, making the deal valued somewhere between US$1.7 billion and US$2 billion, depending on how costs were counted.

Eurostar, a joint venture between Chrysler and Steyr-Daimler-Puch, began producing the Chrysler Voyager in Austria for European markets in 1992.

The Farm Credit System Reform Act of 1996 gave Farmer Mac further authority to purchase and pool loans and issue mortgage-backed securities with guaranteed payment of principal and interest, rather than just guarantee such securities issued by other retail lenders.

In 1998, Chrysler and its subsidiaries entered into a partnership dubbed a "merger of equals" with German-based Daimler-Benz AG, creating the combined entity DaimlerChrysler AG. To the surprise of many stockholders, Daimler acquired Chrysler in a stock swap before Chrysler CEO Bob Eaton retired.

The Austrian venture was sold to Magna International in 2002 and became Magna Steyr.

An industrial alliance is formed with General Motors that would be dissolved in 2005.

On May 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler announced the sale of 80.1% of Chrysler Group to American private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, L.P., thereafter known as Chrysler LLC, although Daimler (renamed as Daimler AG) continued to hold a 19.9% stake.

On April 30, 2009, the automaker filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection to be able to operate as a going concern, while renegotiating its debt structure and other obligations, which resulted in the corporation defaulting on over $4 billion in secured debts.

The 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee very soon became the most awarded SUV ever.

On July 21, 2011, Fiat bought the Chrysler shares held by the US Treasury.

On January 21, 2014, Fiat bought the remaining shares of Chrysler owned by the VEBA worth $3.65 billion.

2016 is a very active year on the product front, including the Group’s entry into six new product segments: Maserati launches its first-ever SUV, the Levante.

On January 12, 2017, FCA shares traded at the New York Stock Exchange lost value after the EPA accused FCA US of using emissions cheating software to evade diesel-emissions tests, however the company countered the accusations, and the chairman and CEO Sergio Marchionne sternly rejected them.

On July 21, 2018, Sergio Marchionne stepped down as chairman and CEO for health reasons, and was replaced by John Elkann and Michael Manley, respectively.

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