Treasury Pushed Reluctant Chrysler Into Fiat Deal

(AP) - The Supreme Court has cleared the way for Chrysler's sale to Fiat, turning down a last-ditch bid by opponents of the deal. The court late today rejected a plea to block the sale of most of Chrysler's assets to the Italian automaker. With the court's move, the deal can now close as early as tomorrow morning. More»

(NEWSER) - Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg today put a temporary stay on the sale of Chrysler to Italian automaker Fiat, SCOTUSBlog reports. Ginsburg’s motion allows the justices to further consider the matter, and either postpone the sale or let it go forward. A full postponement of the sale would require five judges to agree. Ginsburg’s decision said the sale was “stayed pending further order.” More»

Bankruptcy ruling starts clock ticking toward merger with Fiat

(NEWSER) - A bankruptcy judge has given Chrysler approval to auction off most of its assets by May 27, the Detroit Free Press reports. The move—decided over the strenuous objections of some lenders holding Chrysler debt—is the first step toward the auto maker's proposed partnership with Fiat, which has offered some $2 billion for Chrysler's assets. More»

(NEWSER) - Chrysler is rushing into the arms of Fiat now, but it may be sorry later, writes Dan Neil for the Los Angeles Times. Fiat "pays next to nothing and now has instant access to US markets," which it’s been lusting after. "But in this new Italian romance, the relationship is distinctly one-sided," Neil cautions. More»

Treasury pushes automaker toward Fiat deal or liquidation

(NEWSER) - The Obama administration has given a further $500 million to keep Chrysler afloat, but Washington signaled yesterday it increasingly believes Chrysler will not survive as an independent company. Treasury officials met yesterday with CEO Robert Nardelli, as well as the heads of the United Auto Workers and Italian automaker Fiat. If it fails to strike a deal with Fiat, Chrysler could file for bankruptcy or liquidation by next week. More»