PSA and FCA, that’s Peugeot-Citroen Group and Fiat-Chrysler respectively, will complete the 50/50 merger shortly and when they do the new behemoth of a company will be called ‘STELLANTIS’. We’re not sure why they’re shouting it, but it is indeed in CAPS LOCK.
The merger, which was announced in December, will see Peugeot, Citroen, DS, Vauxhall, Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, and Alfa Romeo all come under the same corporate entity. It’ll be intriguing to how the company harmonises all those brands, with each offering cars that compete in the same or similar sectors. Of course, it does mean that parts and platform sharing will be possible on a far greater scale than before for each company, which will reduce development and production costs and should, in turn, keep sticker prices low. Possibly wishful thinking, that.
The latest Vauxhall Corsa is the first example of such an arrangement, a car that was quite hastily developed after Peugeot-Citroen took over the company in 2017. The Corsa E (the fifth-generation car) had already been developed and signed off by Vauxhall engineers when PSA came along, yet PSA told Vauxhall to scrap the car and redevelop it using the platform of the latest Peugeot 208, plus various PSA group (Citroen) parts. It did so in just two years.
The result is that although the latest Corsa is a decent car, and an improvement on the outgoing model, it is arguably inferior to the 208 in many ways – interior quality, design and driving dynamics, specifically.
It will no doubt take a while for the new company to find its feet, but the Volkswagen Group gives STELLANTIS a very successful blueprint on how to manage multiple brands – and brands that often compete in very similar segments and price points. But by giving each brand a clear identity VWG has managed to separate out models that are very similar in reality: the SEAT Leon, Volkswagen Golf, SEAT Leon and Audi A3 all share a platform and numerous parts, for example, but each appeals to a very different sort of buyer. Specific models aside, STELLANTIS will also have to deal with differing operating and manufacturing processes.
In a statement announcing the name, which apparently is rooted in the latin verb “stello” meaning “to brighten with stars”, the company said:
“[The name] draws inspiration from this new and ambitious alignment of storied automotive brands and strong company cultures that in coming together are creating one of the new leaders in the next era of mobility while at the same time preserving all the exceptional value and the values of its constituent parts.
“STELLANTIS will combine the scale of a truly global business with an exceptional breadth and depth of talent, knowhow and resource capable of providing the sustainable mobility solutions for the coming decades. The name’s Latin origins pay tribute to the rich history of its founding companies while the evocation of astronomy captures the true spirit of optimism, energy and renewal driving this industry-changing merger.”
A new logo is due shortly. We’ll show you it as soon as we see it. It’ll probably have stars in it.
Keyword: Peugeot-Citroen and Fiat now called…STELLANTIS