Wall Street press rumours suggest the Carlyle Group is close to signing a deal to acquire Fiat's aerospace unit FiatAvio – an important non-core asset sale in Fiat's restructuring plan.

The news follows five weeks of talks between the Washington-based investment company and Fiat.

Carlyle has already committed nearly 80 per cent of its $1 billion European fund, not leaving enough capital for the equity commitment it needs to buy 70 per cent of FiatAvio – likely to be more than $400m. The company is likely to make up the shortfall from its US fund.