MILAN — Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said its Italian network of approved dealers and repair workshops would reopen on Monday, when the country is set to start lifting a national lockdown put in place to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
A package of health and safety measures for workers and customers will be put in place across the automaker’s retail network to comply with the rules set by the Italian government to prepare for a staged restart of economic activities.
A vast majority of FCA’s dealers and workshops in Italy are run by private operators, while the automaker directly operates some large ones in big cities.
Dealerships of other automakers will also be allowed to reopen on Monday.
In France, dealerships will be reopen a week later than Italy, starting on Monday, May 11, as the country takes the first steps to emerge from a nearly two-month lockdown. Showrooms in Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, were allowed to reopen on April 21.
FCA this week resumed van production at its Atessa plant in central Italy and some operations in other Italian plants, including preparatory works at its Melfi facility for the final development of Jeep’s new hybrid cars, and at Turin’s Mirafiori plant for its new electric 500 minicar.
