Following last year's aborted platform sharing discussions Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne has revealed that the Italian firm is in new talks with Daimler AG over a new components sharing project.

Fiat Group CEO Sergio Marchionne has revealed that the Italian carmaker is in talks with Daimler AG over a new components sharing project. Marchionne revealed the news on Thursday during a special conference held to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Milan Bourse. He said that they "are talks that will go on for a long time and are much more wide-ranging," although he didn't elaborate.

Last year Fiat held talks during the summer with Daimler AG over a proposed platform sharing project. It was believed that Daimler were interested in the Italian firm's architecture to mount its next generation A- and B-class models while there were also suggestions that Fiat was interested in the forthcoming Mercedes E-class platform to underpin the future large Alfa Romeo sedan due as early as late 2009, dubbed the Alfa 169. However the talks petered out.

Daimler has also discussed using BMW's MINI platform to underpin future small Mercedes-Benz models and last spring it entered into a firm agreement with its long time domestic rival to jointly develop future hybrid drive systems, which are expected to be commercialised within three years.

Dr Thomas Weber, Member of the Board of Management of Daimler responsible for Group Research and Mercedes Car Group Development, discussing the hybrid, said: “Cooperation in the field of innovative drive systems makes good sense not only from a technical but also from an economic standpoint. It will help to strengthen the competitiveness of two German manufacturers whose requirements in the premium segment are very similar. This is a segment where rapid commercialisation of drive technologies offering high efficiency, performance and comfort is particularly important.”