Stellantis: Challenges for major brands, global reach and automakers
We explore the history of Stellantis, the automotive giant formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group.
- Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa spoke at a Q&A in Paris.
- Filosa addressed some of the brand’s most pressing issues, including avalanches and tariffs in US market share.
- Filosa said he hopes the brand will bounce back from years of unperformance.
Stellantis’ new CEO Antonio Filosa believes the brand is ready to bounce back.
In a 45-minute conversation with Thomas Besson, head of automotive research at French financial company Kepler Cheuvreux, Stellantis, the international parent company of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and Fiat, is ready to change corners in a few years of sales and market share.
At an event in Paris on Tuesday, September 11th, Filosa promoted some of the company’s latest releases. Many have resumed serving to correct previous mistakes and provided insights into brand strategy as automakers continue to lobby the US government on tariffs.
These are key points from Filosa’s Q&A session.
Starting the product (re)
“Let’s talk about business growth,” Filosa said. “It starts in North America.”
In 2025, Stellantis North American brand is being conquered to revive previously discontinued products. So far, Stellantis has rebooted three previously discontinued products under the leadership of then-CEO Carlos Tavares.
Jeep has announced the return of the Cherokee, which ceased production in 2023. RAM reintroduced the iconic Hemi V8 after choosing to replace it with a six-cylinder engine. Dodge rebooted the gas-powered charger after replacing the iconic, gas-stimulating muscle cars (chargers and challengers) with battery-powered chargers.
Five years ago, the Stellantis brand held approximately 12% of its market share in North America. According to its latest revenue report, the company holds approximately 7%.
“So we lost a lot of market share,” Firosa said. “Why? Because we have decided to phase out a very important nameplate over the past few years.”
These nameplates include the Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Lenegade, Dodge Charger, Dodge Challenger, Ram 1500 Classic, Chrysler 300, and Ram Promaster City.
“These seven nameplates meant averaging 300,000 units a year, meaning a lot of profit,” Filosa says. “So, business growth starts with the launch of products that consumers are waiting for.”
2027 “Beautiful” Medium Ram Truck
According to Filosa, one of Stellantis’ long-awaited releases, Midsize Ram Truck-, is here in 2027.
The product was announced in January as the next vehicle to be built at the long-standing Belvidere assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois.
Filosa has confirmed that this product will be released in 2027. He said he saw a clay model and a mockup on the truck.
“Two weeks ago, I was in the Design Center in Detroit and saw not only the sketches and designs, but the (track) itself,” Filosa says. “And it’s just beautiful.”
He jokingly invited a crowd of investors to come to Detroit and see the truck himself.
“If you want to come to Detroit, show it to you without a phone or camera, and I think you’re surprised.”
Naples, Italy, is a native working primarily from the Detroit area, and even creeped up jokes about the weather in Michigan.
“If you want to come to Detroit, avoid winter. Come before winter,” he said.
Dealer’s concerns
In addition to regaining a strong product lineup in North America, Filosa wants to revise its relationship with the company and its dealership.
Tavares maintained a difficult relationship, especially with dealers.
One major issue was the brand’s “relationship with the dealer network body” as Stellantis sales slipped. “So we obviously wanted to change that.”
During the reign of Tavares, Stellantis dealers were bloated with unsold vehicles. Filosa said the company has taken two solutions to the problem.
First, they cut inventory and cost the company “a great deal.”
Second? Stellantis “heard,” Firosa said.
“We knew they were screaming for the V8; the V8 was back. They were screaming for the Jeep Cherokee; the Jeep Cherokee is back. They are screaming for a real muscle car with an internal combustion engine, a GME-T6 (twin-turbo-charged hurricane engine). Jason Stoicevich boosted dealer morale.
Stellantis is expected to announce a new global strategic plan in early 2026, the CEO said the company’s previous goals were too high, based on claims from other Stellantis executives.
Our current plans, titled Dare Forward 2030, were announced in March 2022 and focused heavily on sustainability and electrification.
The Stellantis website disclaims, “Considering the current trends in market dynamics, government policies and regulations have emerged since the introduction of the plan in March 2022, many objectives of market dynamics, government policies and regulations, many of our dare-to-advance targets are becoming increasingly challenging, considering that they will ultimately determine the speed and trajectory of meeting the target in 2030.”
The brand’s European boss, Jean-Philippe Impalato, said on September 8 that its European division is repealing many of its courageous plans for 2030. Imparato said Stellantis’ plan to sell only electric vehicles in Europe by 2030 is no longer possible.
Customs
Filosa has maintained an equally positive outlook on the US tariff status, which has been throwing a big curveball at American automakers since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Filosa said Stellantis is engaged in a “very productive exchange of ideas” with the Trump administration on tariffs.
Automakers are lobbying the government to find a workaround, but US tariffs on imported vehicles are at 25%. As things develop, Filosa says it feels good about the conversations he and his team have.
“We tell them a lot and the communication is very productive,” Filosa said, adding that Stellantis, as an international brand with several offices and manufacturing plants in the US, can “adjust important industrial movements” compared to its international competitors.
But it’s all said and not finished.
“We’re still working with the administration to create the final scenario and we can communicate quickly around that,” Firosa said.
Liam Rappleye covers Stellantis and UAW from Detroit Free Press. Please contact him: lrappleye@freepress.com.
