America’s auto industry once led the world, but now it’s in some deep ish. Both GM and Chrysler are filing for Bankruptcy. But what’s going on in Europe?

Some experts believe the crisis might even improve the German auto industry. Opel, which depends on GM, could be rescued by the German government. The Italian car company, Fiat, wants to buy its former competitor.

They are all scrambling, but one company is going to come out on top…

The right idea at the right time, supporters say. Opel-cars are cost-efficient and cheap. In a crisis in which nearly everyone is loosing money, Opel, which is nearing bancruptcy could turn out to be the biggest winner.

Cheap eco-cars?

The U.S. auto industry needs to produce cheap green cars to meet Millennial demands and remake itself. Europe has been producing smaller, more fuel- efficient vehicles for years, so German and other European automakers are in a good position to capture this market.

But what kind of role is the German government playing in all of this? At the beginning of the year, parliament passed the so called “scrapping bonus”. Here is how it works: you scrap your old car and get 2500 Euro (around 3500 Dollars) from the government if you buy a new one.  The German car dealers I reached out to didn’t even have time for an interview because they were so busy selling cars.

The companies that are going to come out on top after this crisis are the ones who manufacture fuel-efficient cars. Green cars are the future, and German automakers are ahead of the game.

Rick Noack is Project Youthanize’s chief correspondent in Europe.

More info

• Fiat Chief in Berlin to Push for Acquisition of G.M.’s Opel Division (nytimes.com)
• Germany warns of the cost of Fiat’s grand plan (guardian.co.uk)