Stellantis: History and legacy of automobile manufacturers
We explore the history of Stellantis, the automotive giant formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group.
- Chrysler was founded on June 6, 1925.
- The future of Chrysler is at issue, but the brand’s CEO says a new vehicle is on the way.
Chris Fehel has heard of speculation about Chrysler’s future before.
The CEO of the brand, on the edge of its 100th anniversary, was regularly asked about this since helmed in 2021.
Feuell’s response to that speculation is looking ahead despite his acknowledgment of reality.
“Questions about Chrysler’s future and feasibility are something that we think will appear in various news stories each week,” she said. “It’s not happening once in my conversations with Antonio or the others on the leadership team. I understand the following curiosity: Can the company really maintain 14 brands? Can it feed a lot of mouths?
“Antonio” is Antonio Filosa, CEO of the newly appointed Stellantis, and was America’s chief operating officer and the company’s chief quality officer when Feuell spoke to the Free Press on May 23rd.
Will the Chrysler 300 stimulate new vehicles?
Chrysler’s legacy is authentic, but today’s brand name is limited to minivans, a segment that began in 1984 model year. After acknowledging a lack of investment in the brand for 20 years, Feuell has repeatedly launched Chrysler’s crossover vehicle, but it’s set in 2027 (scheduled to be shown in 2026) rather than this year.
The Pacifica minivan is also scheduled to be refreshed early next year.
Feuell does not provide a date, but there is a planned vehicle “inspired” by the futuristic Halcyon concept car unveiled earlier last year. The vehicle is the answer to customers and dealers who want to see a return of a discontinued 300 sedan, but it’s not clear that it’s what the vehicle is called.
“I think the automotive segment is ripe for growth and revival,” Feuell said.
She described “a high level of confidence in our roadmap and the ability to launch these products.”
Plans for the entire portfolio to acquire all electricity have been scrapped in favor of the “multi-energy” option. The crossover is fired as a hybrid and has the ability to power it, she said.
However, Chrysler’s auto heritage is also attracting attention, according to Feuell.
“There are few brands and businesses that have had 100 years of strength or horsepower,” she said.
Chrysler 100th celebrations are planned in the coming months. This includes events with journalists who promise to highlight over 20 historic Chrysler concepts and production vehicles.
And for Chrysler fans, it is expected that Pennsylvania’s Carlisle Chrysler Nationals July 11-13 will be featured in a narrated parade of Chrysler-related vehicles, memorabilia, and Chrysler’s greatest car, Frank Rhodes, and treasures.
For a long time, Rhodes has been advocating for preserving the brand and boosting its profile. He was worried about the pre-merger future of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot Maker PSA Group, which created Stellantis in 2021, but he was doing so.
Commitment from Filosa
He was upset last year with a proposal to save Chrysler, avoid US ownership and encourage a statement of commitment from the company.
Recently, following a free press article by car judge Mark Phelan, Rhodes reached out to express his concerns about Filosa after the next CEO of Stellantis suggested he consider focusing on Chrysler.
Rhodes said the response he received from Filosa was, “Chris and I are just as committed to Chrysler’s future as you do, and we have great plans to support Chrysler’s future.
Rhodes recalled that her grandmother Bernice Chrysler Garvisch said before her death in 1979 that she should do what she can to “keep the engine running.” It is a request he tried to respect.
Rhodes, a Maryland furniture manufacturer, has long argued that Chrysler should be able to thrive with the right investment and vehicle provision. For example, when the Fiat Chrysler cars, led by Sergio Multionne at the time, instead raised brands like Alfa Romeo and Fiat. Rhodes said he understands the leaders of what had become an international company by then, but despite “burning” some of the “livings of nine,” he said, “Chrysler has been here for a long time.” These likely include bankruptcy in 2008 and government relief in 1979.
However, Chrysler also has a considerable legacy from the establishment of “From the assets of Maxwell Motor Co.”. June 6, 1925. In its innovation and vehicle, the company highlighted several people this year before the New York International Auto Show.
- 1924 Chrysler Six, “A lightweight and powerful vehicle with a groundbreaking L-head six-cylinder engine and four-wheel hydraulic brakes – a rare feature of the 1920s.”
- 1934 Chrysler Airflow, “The first production vehicle designed in a wind tunnel, a new facility built by Chrysler at its headquarters in Highland Park, Michigan. Wind tunnel testing has affected the modified tear shape of airflow, making it a vehicle representing future design and engineering advances.”
- The Hemi Engine and Chrysler thermal power V-8 date back to 1951. The 1955 Chrysler 300 stated, “One of the first muscle cars… the hardtop had a 300-horsepower Hemi V-8, with solid valve lifters and a dual four-barrel carburetor, the most powerful full-size car in the world.”
The long-standing innovation at Chrysler was pointed out by WPC Club president Bill Adams Jr. (named after Walter P. Chrysler), when he was asked about the importance of the company.
He pointed to Chrysler’s role as an engineering company focused on innovation.
Over the years, Chrysler has faced many odds. In response, “They made bold moves in the industry and they did well for them,” Adams said.
The WPC Club has around 4,000 members/lovers. Based in Oakdale, California, Adams calls it a social club that has been interested in preserving the history of many brands associated with Chrysler over the years.
“If Chrysler doesn’t do that, the legacy will be left to our enthusiasts to keep it alive,” he said.
Eric D. Lawrence: Please contact elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Send a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
