Stellantis: The automaker’s history, legacy
Explore the history of Stellantis, the automotive giant formed in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA Group.
David Kelleher was optimistic after recent Stellantis dealer meetings in Auburn Hills.
Kelleher, the president of David Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, said a lot of that had to do with new leadership, specifically the new chief operating officer for North America, Antonio Filosa.
“He’s a dynamic guy, and no coincidence, he was originally hired by Sergio, who was notorious for his acumen in choosing personnel,” Kelleher said Friday, referencing Sergio Marchionne, the late Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO. “He spent a great deal of time with us, which is something we haven’t had from the previous COOs. There’s a sense of enthusiasm we can get things on the right track,” he said.
Getting on the right track in North America will be essential for this automaker. The company has struggled this year, particularly in the key U.S. market, from a range of ills, from down sales to excess inventory. The automaker’s strained relationship with its U.S. dealers has also been on unusually public display with their open letter this year criticizing CEO Carlos Tavares and pushing him to restore “Stellantis and its brands to the great car company it rightfully deserves to be.”
Whether Filosa can implement the change that dealers like Kelleher say they need will take some time to play out. Filosa, who had previously led Stellantis in South America, was tapped in late 2023 to lead the global Jeep brand. This month during a management shake-up, Filosa was also given responsibility for leading North America for the owner of Jeep, Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat.
Antonio Filosa: ‘Terrific guy … very, very, very intelligent’
In speaking to reporters and analysts earlier this year, Filosa made clear that he sees tremendous value in the Jeep brand, talking up its heritage as an American brand and asserting the importance, in a departure from the previous approach, of keeping the Jeep name attached to the upscale Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer. He also talked about vehicle pricing and the actions the brand would take to respond to consumer sensitivity.
Although his oversight of North America is early, Filosa has already hosted a town hall at the massive technology center attached to Stellantis’ regional headquarters in Auburn Hills.
“He’s a terrific guy, a very, very, very intelligent guy. The people around him love him,” Kelleher said of Filosa, noting that he’ll “serve us well if he’s allowed to do what he knows he needs to do.”
It’s the focus from the top that worries Kelleher.
While he considers it admirable that Tavares wants the company to be a leader in the electric vehicle transition, “right now, we also have to deal with practicality.”
Other companies, he said, have taken a more cautious approach to electrification as Stellantis is preparing to roll out more EVs in the United States.
Kelleher said he’ll do his best to sell the upcoming electric Dodge Charger Daytona and Jeep Wagoneer S to customers, describing them as exceptional vehicles, but he noted ongoing limitations with U.S. charging infrastructure must be addressed, saying American consumers in general are not yet ready to embrace the EV transition.
Steps Stellantis is taking to move vehicles
In a statement on the recent meeting with dealers, Matt Thompson, head of U.S. retail sales for Stellantis, noted that the dealer response to seeing the new Dodge and Jeep models was overwhelmingly positive.
“We had a productive in-person meeting (last) week in Auburn Hills with members of our National Dealer Council,” Thompson said. “We continue to work together to ensure our collective success, which starts and ends with delivering head-turning products that meet the demand of our customers.”
In recent weeks, the company has appeared to have bumped up its advertising and has touted its incentives — the company provided some examples ranging from interest-free financing in some cases to bonus cash on a range of brands.
Scott Kunes, chief operating officer of Kunes Auto and RV Group, which has numerous dealerships in the Midwest, said his stores have been seeing some renewed interest from the marketing, but he said more needs to be done to make the vehicles more affordable for consumers and competitive with offers from companies like General Motors and Ford.
Kunes, who recently told the Free Press about the difficult decision to close two Stellantis dealerships, said while he hopes Filosa will listen to concerns that he believes have not been heard by the company’s top leadership, he also knows firsthand that dealers have had to weather tough times in the past, too.
“Dealers are an adaptable bunch. We’ll figure out a way to continue to do business,” he said, noting that he’s “just hoping we can continue to be the voice of … reason for a manufacturer that has lost its way.”
Contact Eric D. Lawrence: elawrence@freepress.com. Become a subscriber. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters.
Source link : https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/chrysler/2024/10/22/stellantis-dealers-north-america-antonio-filosa/75778722007/
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Publish date : 2024-10-21 23:21:00
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