[Reinhard]

Originally Posted by volkman10

The current automotive universe.
After the FCA-PSA merger there are only two groups managing more than 10 brands: VW Group (12) and FCA+PSA (14)

Nice image! If anyone here likes to play logo quiz - almost all the automotive logs got cheat-answered in 1 image!

Originally Posted by Venkatesh

FCA, Groupe PSA merger has been officially named Stellantis which is formed using the Latin verb stello meaning to brighten with stars.

Originally Posted by GTO

Still, quite a stupid name. I think it's only there for symbolic reasons and won't be used on any car anywhere.

Originally Posted by fhdowntheline

As an aside, Stellantis sounds more like a Pharma company than an Automotive behemoth.

As long as this "Stellantis" remains more of a holding company name and never becomes a name plate or badge on a car - its ignore-able (the best that can be done with this name). I for one would have serious doubts about a friend who says "Hey, I bought a new car. Its a Stellantis 308 Quatrroporte with a 2.0 MJD2!"

It has a stark similarity with the lost mythical continent of "Atlantis". That one sank totally under the oceans, never to be found. I wonder what fate awaits "Stellantis".

[nishsingh]

I like this new name thing .
Havent all combined name things like Renault-Nissan, Daimler-Chrysler ended in divorce?

A new name like Stellantis definitely shows the intent of the two companies to think beyond the old version of themselves and adopt a new identity and vision.

[Deep Blue]

Stellantis reminds me of the pharma company Aventis

Aventis was formed by the merger of the German giant Hoechst Marion Roussel and the French giant Rhone Poulenc. I remember the the marketing executive of the Hoechst telling me that the name was chosen as it is country agnostic and also easy to pronounce anywhere in the world. Aventis eventually became Sanofi.

I guess, some of the thought process behind Stellantis was the same. While Aventis does suit a Pharma company, Stellantis somehow sounds to be a major misfit for an auto major

[PrasunBannerjee]

Originally Posted by GTO

You can't bring together two struggling groups and expect to create a winner. It is the equivalent of merging VW-Skoda & Renault-Nissan in India, or VAG & Tata in India.

Unless someone came across the basic math of two negatives make a positive. Things is, while they might benefit from the positives in them combined, they have a huge number of negatives and struggles within individual companies, and those combined will be a bigger destruction until something really miraculous happens.

[volkman10]

The word Stellantis derived from the Latin verb "stello" meaning "star light" and that the future group would design a new plant for Stellantis, but not among the two groups' brands.

The merger of the two groups also saw PSA's Peugeot, Citron, Opel, Vauxhall, DS and FCA's Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Maserati, Lancia, Jeep and RAM, among others, leap onto 18 brands, with annual production of more than 8.7 million units, making it the world's fourth-largest automotive group



Link

[volkman10]

The Merger:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXj7...ature=emb_logo

[volkman10]

FIAT is ending the development of its own architecture for B-segment cars.

Fiat confirms the use of technology from PSA. The development of a platform for small cars is coming to an end.

This follows an internal letter from suppliers in which the FCA informed its partners that it was terminating the B-segment car platform project due to ongoing technical changes. He therefore called on the partner companies to end further development, research and other activities related to this project with immediate effect, in order to avoid further, now unnecessary costs.

The Italian carmaker confirmed that it has started discussions with the PSA Group about potential joint projects in segment B. The CMP platform is not specifically mentioned in the statement, but it is obvious that it is its use by Fiat.

However, the use of CMP currently has its limitations. Before PSA and FCA could actually merge, the Italian carmaker would probably have to pay a license fee to its French partner for its use, even as part of the development. It should start as soon as possible so as not to delay the introduction of news. Existing Fiat suppliers are then worried about their future, as there is a risk that the carmaker might prefer to rely on French partners who already have experience with CMP components.

Link

[desdemona]

This is a good merger, one that had been prepped for by fca under Marchionne (becoming net debt positive, spinning off ferrari, case new holland and selling magneti marelli etc while growing profitably for the last decade albeit mainly in North America and Latin America) and PSA (taking in French state aid as well Chinese capital to then ruthlessly cut costs in Europe while acquiring better scale etc.)

As importantly: both firms have patrician business families as ultimate 'promoters', with the Agnellis being a massive and cash rich multi sector business family group.

That is why prospects are good: at least in terms of 'cultural integration' i.e., the one big friction in auto industry mergers. Also with FCA being north and south America centric of late while PSA is almost entirely Euro centric: complementarity is high, chances of a non zero sum implementation of 'synergies' are high too.

FCA also has high performance rwd platforms and powertrains and 2 global high margin 'premium' or exclusive/authentic brands in Jeep and Maserati, with Ram also being such a brand in the unique us market.

As much as synergies through platform and ev powertrain plus purchasing etc sharing, the new entity will finally be able to tackle their congenital lack of scale economies at the retail/distribution /service/parts end in many countries. Just as the new Alfa Romeos are retailed alongside Jeeps now in Europe, so also can they be retailed alongside Peugeots or Citroens too or in the future say Citroens can retail alongside Jeep in some countries like, say, India.

The only hard or perhaps impossible nuts to finally crack for Stellantis will be financial prospects in both India and especially China, large and very idiosyncratic markets where neither fca nor psa have ever shown a capacity to thrive. One imagines they will in India and China focus exclusively on the premium high margin global brands (mainly Jeep and Maserati) since scale economies required to pulloff success in the commoditized sectors of these 2 car markets will surely prove impossible, foreseeably?

[Venkatesh]

Stellantis official logo unveiled symbolizing strength of 14 brands.

The official Stellantis logo comes as the next logical step in the process of finalizing the merger between the two multinational manufacturers. The final legal steps should be taken by the end of the first quarter of 2021 and include the approval by both PSA’s and FCA’s shareholders at their respective Extraordinary General Meetings.

According to a recent report, once the merger of the two companies is completed, the newly-founded automaker could ditch some of the models that are currently available from the brands owned by the two conglomerates. The Chinese market will be on focus, at least initially, where Stellantis will have too many brands, models, and platforms on sale.

https://www.motor1.com/news/453345/s...logo-revealed/

[Venkatesh]

FCA-PSA merger named Stellantis approved by all shareholders of both firms. A joint statement released by both firms lists an expected completion date for the merger of 16 January.

On, the PSA, the deal was backed by more than 99% of the votes cast by shareholders with double voting rights, such as the Peugeot family and Chinese firm Dongfeng Motor. The rest of PSA’s shareholders gave the deal a 99.85% approval rate in a second meeting. A similar approval rate is being claimed for the FCA side of the voting process

Source

[SSO]

This should buy the new group another decade before they need to find another major partner.

[Venkatesh]

The planned merger between FCA and the PSA Group has been officially completed. FCA and PSA merge to make world’s fourth biggest car firm. Stellantis combines 14 brands and will produce around eight million vehicles a year.

The other key strength for the new company will be SUVs. Last year PSA revealed plans for a new electrified eVMP platform to underpin its larger vehicles.

Source

[landcruiser123]

The big companies will buy out startups or develop technology in-house. The smaller brands don't really have the capital to develop the technology or buy out startups.

Originally Posted by GTO

This is also the most illogical merger I've seen. You can't bring together two struggling groups and expect to create a winner.

True. This merger isn't going to make Stellantis beat VW or Toyota in 5 years. Far from it. However, EV development can be more cost effective, if the company (-ies?) can generate a few modular skateboard platforms and use it for all cars in the 8 sub-brands. EV development individually would have been challenging for each brand considering they aren't financially healthy.

Quality issues aside, Hyundai and Kia (in India) have shown what a good platform can do. Sales number (all other factors aside)

December 2019: Venue = 9,521 units; Creta = 6,713 units;
December 2020: Venue + Sonet = 18,272 units; Creta + Seltos = 16,200 units;

They have effectively doubled the sales in a year. Similarly, the Japanese government has brokered a deal with Toyota & Suzuki to keep Suzuki afloat.

[__.gxr.__]

Peugeot has updated its logo. The new logo resembles the 1960 Peugeot logo.

[Venkatesh]

Jeep shows Wrangler Magneto concept teaser, full reveal to happen by the end of March

Jeep offers two new teaser renderings depicting the front clips of Wranglers.

Jeep's parent company Stellantis filed a trademark for the name Magneto. Now the name on the hood of a Jeep being teased

Source