AD MAGAZINE 342

25 AutoData | March 2018 to produce 120 thousand units in twelve months. It is important to clarify that Cronos is not a global project of the FCA, but a vehicle developed by and for the region, especially Brazil and Argentina. According to Ketter, two thirds of the production will be exported, Brazil being the main destination. The most optimis- tic expectation is that up to 50 thousand units will be sold here, while another 30 thousand would target the relevant FCA markets in the region. But it is still early to evaluate the performance of the sedan, say FCA executives, who prefer to look carefully at Cronos’s possible success in Colombia, Chile, Uruguay, Peru and other neighbors that eventually receive the laun- ch - FCA did not detail , for the time being, its entire export strategy. “It was a car designed for the consu- mer profiles of the region, so we believe in their good acceptance, which has very similar preferences”. According to Ketter’s accounts 40 thousand units should be sold only in Argentina. During the official inauguration of the factory in early February - FCA had already started production in January to supply the dealers - the president of the local repu- blic stressed the importance of a vehicle produced exclusively in his country: “Every time we find a Fiat Cronos let’s remember that it is onlymade inArgentina. This means that we do not export only raw materials but high value-added products”. He also signaled newFCA investments inArgentina, although Ketter avoidedwhen asked about the topic. “I hope to return here in three months to discuss a new project”, said the Argentine president in his speech. Considering that the Cordoba plant has the capacity to produce 250 thousand units/year and the recent investments that brought the same FCA production pattern in the region, a new project there, in fact, would not be nonsense. There is also a project of the Argenti- ne government to increase the jobs and industrialization of the country that is su- pported in the increase of the automotive 53% of the content of Cronos is made in Argentina - that index will rise rapidly to 55%, according to Ketter. From 5% to 10% of the pieces are imported and the rest comes from other Latin American coun- tries, mainly from Brazil. The production unit also received a new final assembly line and tests for au- tomatic transmission, greater automation of all manufacturing stages, an automatic adhesive application system and newpro- duct qualityvalidation áreas of the product. “We now have the best manufacturing technology available, our employees are even more motivated and prepared, and partners who will ensure the success of Cronos”, Ketter believes. The Cordoba plant has the capacity