Reuters Summit - Marchionne style may boost Chrysler

By Jo Winterbottom

DETROIT (Reuters) - When Sergio Marchionne unveils his vision for Chrysler's revival on Wednesday, he must more than anything win customer confidence -- and auto industry players think he has the charisma to do that.

Marchionne, who now heads both Chrysler and Fiat SpA, which he drove to success, persuaded the Obama administration earlier this year to give the Italian automaker 20 percent of the bailed-out company and put him in charge.

Chrysler's sales have slumped this year. But on Tuesday it reported October sales up 6 percent from September and said it had cut inventory 60 percent at the end of October from a year ago.

But to really drive the business forward, it needs new products in its brands -- which include Dodge and Jeep -- to revive customer interest and restore confidence the company will still be there if a car needs fixing or they want to trade in.

The new plans will focus on the product slate but it will be Marchionne under the spotlight for workers in battered Detroit, which has fallen from the global Motor City to a landscape of skeletal skyscrapers and foreclosed homes.

Some are making hopeful comparisons with Lee Iacocca, who turned around Chrysler in the 1980s and appeared in a series of commercials for the company's vehicles using the ad campaign "The Pride is Back."

Marchionne enjoys the limelight and has some star power, recognized by Italians worldwide who have been known to stop him in the street and ask him to pose for photos.

His open managerial style and deep knowledge of the industry have already affected the head of the biggest U.S. auto union, Ron Gettelfinger of the United Auto Workers.