Three years after its near collapse, US auto maker Chrysler has pulled back into market contention helped not just by snazzy new models but also a revolution on the factory floor.

Hundreds of small c

The US automaker Chrysler, which is controlled by Fiat of Italy, reported on Thursday a four-fold leap in first quarter profit to $473 million (357 million euros) from $116 million in the same period

Fiat and Chrysler took a major step towards forming a global auto giant on Thursday with a $1.3-billion deal increasing Fiat's stake in the US firm to 46 per cent.

Fiat said the 889-million-euro dea