In a funny article for Automotive News, Edward Lapham examines the catering choices and body language of Fiat and Chrysler execs to see what they might reveal of the future of the company. Forget Fiat-Chrysler product plans and the Abarth 500, this is all about the coffee breaks and wine (or lack of it).

Lapham says:

It’s interesting to come to a multinational, multidiscipline event like this one and watch how the nearly 500 attendees interact … especially the Chrysler and Fiat execs, since this is supposed to be an alliance.

I didn’t notice a lot of intermingling during the coffee break. But so far they seem to be getting along. The Chrysler execs I know say nice things about Sergio Marchionne and the way the other Fiat execs have acted when they got here.

That’s a heckuva lot better than what the Chrysler guys used to say about the Daimler execs when they came to town as part of that old, so-called merger of equals.

I think the espresso, “authentic food from Italy” and ashtrays are not to be underestimated in the cultural bridging of gaps and learning curves both these companies will have to undertake. Read for yourself at Automotive News.

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