Report: FCA's Marchionne in extremely serious condition

An Italian newspaper reported Sunday that Sergio Marchionne is in extremely serious condition in a Zurich hospital.

Il Messaggero, a newspaper based in Rome, said the condition of the former head of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles had worsened in recent hours and that sons Allessio Giacomo and Jonathan Tyler were with him, along with his partner Manuela Battezzato, who works in communications for the automaker.

Marchionne underwent surgery on his right shoulder three weeks ago. The company has not elaborated on his complications but said he’s not returning to work.

Fiat Chrysler’s board of directors met Saturday in an emergency session in Italy to name former Jeep brand chief Mike Manley as the new CEO.

Chairman John Elkann, heir to the Agnelli family that founded Italian carmaker Fiat in 1899,  said in a somber statement Saturday that he was  "profoundly saddened to learn of Sergio’s state of health. It is a situation that was unthinkable until a few hours ago, and one that leaves us all with a real sense of injustice."

In a letter to the carmaker’s employees Sunday, Elkann called Marchionne a “true, rare kind of leader … (whose) impulse never to accept the status quo, never to be satisfied with good enough, has become a core part of our culture within FCA.”

Detroit News staff and the Associated Press contributed.