In 2007, after the deaths of the Agnelli brothers, Gabetti worked along with Franzo Grande Stevens to ensure the succession of power to Elkann. He described Elkann as "a solid guy ... I realize he's quite exceptional, there aren't many thirty-year-olds like him." While specifying that this succession is not and must not be of a hereditary nature, he says that, in regards to the creation of the ruling class, "with us the family structure thinks less and less of educating. The children are often brought up by babysitters, the families do not take care of the school. Instead they have to believe it, participate, choose teachers, tamp them down, make sure they really teach. Because from a deficient school come deficient students. Not a new ruling class ... the young offspring have the defect of being rich even when they are young. They have more temptations, too much money in their pocket, they are often spoiled by being father's sons." In April 2009, about the alliance between Fiat and Chrysler, he said: "We must always be confident in good things, even if not everything depends on us."
