The automotive giant Stellantis, which unites under its roof 14 diverse brands, has finally determined its priorities. In recent months, rumors have been circulating about the possible closure or sale of the most problematic assets to save the conglomerate's overall financial performance. However, according to the latest data, the strategy turned out to be much more sophisticated.
The Leader Quartet: Where the Main Money Will Go
According to Reuters, the corporation's management has decided to bet on four key brands that bring the most profit or have the greatest growth potential. These are Fiat, Jeep, Peugeot, and Ram. These brands will become the main recipients of investments and technological developments. They will remain global players, present in most world markets.
The head of Stellantis, Antonio Filosa, rejected the idea of completely closing other divisions. Instead of radical measures, the company chose the path of "regionalization". This means that the remaining brands will no longer try to conquer the entire world at once but will focus on those markets where they already have strong positions or a loyal audience.
Regional Diet for Alfa Romeo and Opel
For brands like Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Opel, Lancia, and DS, times of strict pragmatism are coming. Their development will now be closely tied to the technologies of the "Big Four". It is not expected that Alfa Romeo will start producing rebadged Fiat subcompacts, but technical unification will become deeper. For example, future models of the Italian brand may receive a platform and developments from Jeep, while Citroen and Opel will continue to share a common architecture with Fiat.
An example of such a strategy has already been the Lancia. After presenting the new Ypsilon, the brand began a cautious return to European markets outside of Italy, but global expansion is not on the agenda. As stated by Lancia Chief Roberta Zerbi (Roberta Zerbi), the main goal now is to secure a position where the brand is understood and awaited, particularly in France, without scattering resources on dubious ventures.
Chinese Influence and Salvation from Competition
These changes in the management structure are an attempt by Stellantis to recover from a period of strict savings and aggressive promotion of electric vehicles, which was characteristic of Carlos Tavares' era. The new management model should help better withstand the Chinese expansion, which is becoming increasingly aggressive in the European market.
An interesting aspect is the cooperation with the Chinese brand Leapmotor. According to preliminary data, Opel may use the platform of the Chinese crossover B10 for its next model. This will allow the German brand to quickly access relatively cheap electric powertrains and hybrids with a long range. However, this is all not yet officially confirmed.