Fiat S.p.A. (Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino) is an automotive company that owns Fiat Group, and will be soon succeeded by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA). The Fiat Group contains many brands such as Ferrari, Maserati, Fiat, Alfa Romeo, the Chrysler Group, and many more.
On 29 January 2014, it was announced that Fiat S.p.A. (the former owner of Fiat Group) will be merged into a new Netherlands-based holding company Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV (FCA) with the now wholly owned Chrysler Group and that the merger is expected to take place before the end of 2014. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles will become the owner of Fiat Group. On August 1, 2014, Fiat S.p.A. received necessary shareholder approval to proceed with the merger (which followed board approval). Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors, including Giovanni Agnelli. During its more than century-long history, Fiat has also manufactured railway engines and carriages, military vehicles, farm tractors, and aircraft. In 2013, Fiat (together with Chrysler) was the second largest European automaker by volumes produced, and the seventh in the world ahead of Honda, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Suzuki, Renault and Daimler AG.