Fiat Chair: Chrysler IPO Creates New Business Situation

The listing of Chrysler creates a different business situation for the Fiat group to operate in, the chairman of the Italian automaker said on Thursday.

"If the IPO goes ahead and there are two separately listed companies, it is certainly very different from having just one," John Elkann said, replying to a question if the alliance with Chrysler was at risk if the IPO went through.

Chrysler Group LLC was forced to file paperwork for an IPO by its second-biggest shareholder earlier this week, escalating a spat with main owner Fiat which said it could scale back its commitment to the U.S. automaker.