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Chrysler Group LLC says response from dealers seeking a franchise to sell vehicles from partner Fiat S.p.A. has exceeded its expectations.
Wednesday was the deadline to submit a proposal for a Fiat dealership. A final number was unavailable at the end of the business day because some proposals were still arriving.
Sergio Marchionne, CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, wants Fiat representation in 165 locations in the United States.
About 500 Chrysler dealers met in Detroit Aug. 30 to learn the requirements to become a Fiat dealer and gain an overview of the product and business plans through 2014, The Detroit News reported.
Bill Golling of Golling Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., is among those who are interested in selling Fiats.
He made sure his proposal, including conceptual drawings, met the deadline.
Golling said he left the August meeting with the impression that two dealers will be chosen for Metro Detroit, and he wants to be one of them.
He has a used car area, with a showroom and service area, that can be converted to a Fiat showroom in the short term, but recognizes the wisdom of a stand-alone facility in the future.
Production of the tiny Fiat 500 hatchback for North America begins in December in Mexico.
Future vehicles include convertible, sporty and electric versions of the Fiat 500. The Alfa Romeo brand will return to the United States with a mid-size car and crossover in 2012, followed by a larger SUV and luxury sedan, as well as some smaller cars.
"It's exciting starting all over fresh," Golling said.
Chrysler will begin evaluating the dealership proposals immediately.
"Now that we have the dealer proposals in hand, we move right into the process of reviewing them and then naming our Fiat dealers in a few weeks," said Chrysler spokesman Ralph Kisiel.
Chrysler wants dealers to have a fully operational separate showroom in place with trained staff by February, before the marketing campaign gets under way in March, Kisiel said.
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