Stellantis is the fourth-largest automobile group in the world. It has industrial operations in over 30 countries across the world and the capability to cater to over 130 markets.

The merger of Fiat Chrysler and PSA has been completed. Stellantis - the new entity formed by this merger, has its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

The company has 11 members on its board of directors with John Elkann as chairman and Carlos Tavares as CEO. It has formed 9 governance committees to take care of operations including company-wide performance and strategy, planning, regions, manufacturing, brand and styling.

Stellantis is the fourth-largest automobile group in the world. It has industrial operations in over 30 countries across the world and the capability to cater to over 130 markets. The company already has presence in Europe, North America and South America and is looking to expand its reach in China, India, Africa, the Middle East and Oceania.

The new company is offering vehicles in almost all segments of the market under different brands including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroen, Dodge, DS, Fiat, Jeep, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram and Vauxhall. It has 29 electrified models in its line-up at present and plans to add 10 more.

Source: ET Auto

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) and Groupe PSA (Peugeot) have announced a merger. The combined entity will be the fourth largest OEM in terms of vehicle sales with a combined revenue of Euro 170 billion.

As per the deal, the shareholders of each company would own 50% of the equity of the new combined group. The merger will take place under a Dutch parent company with a balanced governance structure across the two shareholder groups, including a majority of independent board members. There will be 11 board members with 5 each nominated by FCA and Peugeot. John Elkann will be the chairman while Carlos Tavares would be appointed as a CEO for an initial term of 5 years.

The merger is also expected to result in cost savings to the tune of an estimated Euro 3.7 billion due to sharing of vehicle platforms, powertrains and technology as well as bulk purchasing rates due to the combined size. It is projected that 80% of these would be achieved after 4 years and a one time cost for the same is expected to the tune of Euro 2.8 billion.

The Dutch parent company would be listed on the Paris, Milan and New York Stock Exchanges and maintain presence in current head offices in France, Italy and USA. 

Peugeot-Citroen has opened its new India Technical Centre (ITC) in Chennai. 

ITC is located in Chennai One, which is part of one of the Chennai Special Economic Zones (SEZ). Groupe PSA's technical partner Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is also located in the same zone. 

The company has said that the new facility is designed and built in a frugal way. It will house a research and development centre along with other departments like Programs and Projects, Global Purchasing Hub, Supply Chain, Process and Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, KD Excellence Center and Product. In the future, the facility will also house a workshop for styling, architecture and assembly of prototypes.

Citroen is gearing up to launch its first product in India in 2020. It will be the C5 Aircross SUV and it will be built at its Tiruvallur factory.

The PSA Group is planning to introduce the Citroen brand in India and is set to reveal its first model on April 3, 2019.

The Citroen DS 7 Crossback and C5 Aircross have already been spotted in the country, which suggests that the carmaker might be evaluating these models for India.

The Citroen C5 Aircross is based on the PSA EMP2 platform. In the international market, the SUV is available with 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre diesel engine options, which come with 6-speed manual or 8-speed automatic transmissions. In China, the C5 Aircross is offered with either a 1.6-litre or 1.8-litre turbo-petrol engine paired with a 6-speed automatic gearbox.

The DS 7 Crossback is a slightly larger SUV that comes with 1.6-litre and 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol and 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engines that are paired with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic transmission.

According to a media report, France-based PSA Group has plans to launch the Citroen brand in India and the first model could go on sale by end-2021.

It is unclear which model the carmaker plans to introduce in India. However, recent spy images suggest that Citroen could be evaluating the DS7 Crossback and C5 Aircross SUVs for India. 

The PSA Group has already formed a joint venture with the CK Birla Group and has set up a production facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The factory was built to manufacture powertrains and transmissions for domestic and export markets.

This is not the first time that the French carmaker has explored the Indian market. In the 1990s, Peugeot had launched the 309 sedan.

Source: Autocar India

The DS 7 Crossback has been caught testing in India for the first time. An uncamouflaged test mule was recently spotted in Delhi, which suggests that Groupe PSA might be evaluating it for the Indian market.

The DS 7 Crossback was showcased at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. It is a compact SUV based on the EMP2 platform. It measures 4,573 mm in length, 1,895 mm in width and 1,625 mm in height.

The DS 7 Crossback features a hexagonal grille in the front flanked by led headlamps. The front bumper has L-shaped LED DRLs and a wide air dam with fog lamps on either side. At the rear, the DS 7 has slim tail lights and a dual-tone bumper with integrated reflectors and chrome exhaust tips. The car gets chrome details around the grille, windows and on the tailgate.

In the international market, the DS 7 Crossback is offered with 1.6-litre and 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engines. Diesel options include turbocharged 1.5-litre and 2.0-litre engines. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and an 8-speed automatic transmission.

The French carmaker is likely to enter the Indian market with a premium offering. However, it is still unclear whether Groupe PSA would launch the DS 7 Crossback in India.

Source: WheelBHP

Groupe PSA (Peugeot) and Avtec Ltd (a CK Birla Group company) have inaugurated a greenfield plant in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The facility will manufacture and supply powertrains for the global and domestic automotive market. The construction of the facility started in November 2017.

The plant is owned by PSA Avtec Powertrain Pvt. Ltd. - a 50:50 joint-venture created in 2017 between Groupe PSA and Avtec. The initial manufacturing capacity of this plant will be 3,00,000 units per year for transmissions and 2,00,000 units for BS-VI compliant engines. The plant will manufacture gearboxes in phase 1 to support the Indian as well as international markets.

The company claims that the peak investment in this manufacturing setup would go up to Rs. 600 crore and is expected to generate a direct employment of around 800 people. The company also claims that it will employ a significant level of localization in an attempt to keep costs competitive.
 

According to a media report, French carmaker Groupe PSA has postponed its full-scale production plans by a year as it is still working on achieving its product and cost objectives.

In November 2017, PSA-AVTEC began construction of a new powertrain manufacturing facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. It will have an initial capacity of 2,00,000 units per year. Production is now expected to commence in April 2021 instead of April 2020. However, exports of gearboxes and engines are likely to begin in 2019-20.

While its Smart Car strategy for emerging markets like India may have got delayed, Groupe PSA might opt for a top-down approach by importing completely built units (CBUs) of Citroen SUVs as a brand building exercise by 2019-20. 

The carmaker first forayed into the Indian market post globalisation and exited in the mid-90s. Fresh plans were made in 2010 to re-enter the market, only to be abandoned in 2012.

Source: Economic Times

PSA Group's first offering in India is likely to be an SUV from its Citroen line up. Reports suggest that the French carmaker is planning to import the Citroen C5 Aircross before making its way into the mass segment.

The C5 Aircross crossover replaces the C4 Aircross and shares its platform with the Peugeot 4008 and 5008. It could be assembled at PSA's factory near Chennai. 

The C5 Aircross has a split grille with twin-pod LED headlights in the front and LED DRL strips on top, black cladding along the sides with contrast inserts and 4-pod LED tail lamps. The dual-tone interior features a 12.3-inch touchscreen, digital instrument cluster and a 4-spoke multi-functional steering wheel. It comes equipped with features like key less entry, electronic parking brake, park assist with 360-degree camera, Hill Descent Control, Hill-Start Assist and Adaptive Cruise Control amongst others.

In Europe, the C5 Aircross will be offered with 2 petrol and 3 diesel engine options. Transmission options include a 6-speed manual and 8-speed automatic. The C5 Aircross will compete with models like the Hyundai Tucson and Skoda Karoq in India.

The carmaker is also planning to setup five "Destination" or "Experience Stores" at major Indian cities to introduce the brand to the masses. As part of its Smart Car project, the PSA Group is developing a couple of compact SUVs and a sedan for the Indian market. 

Source: Economic Times

Construction of the PSA-AVTEC powertrain plant has begun with a ground-breaking ceremony held at the site. The manufacturing facility is being built in Hosur, Tamil Nadu.

The plant will have an initial manufacturing capacity of 2,00,000 units per year, however there are plans to ramp up the capacity in the future. The factory will produce engines and transmissions for the domestic market as well global OEMs. According to the company, a local supplier base will also be set up in order to lower costs.

The French automotive conglomerate PSA Group and the CK Birla Group had signed a 50:50 joint-venture back in January 2017. As part of the agreement, the two companies plan to manufacture and sell vehicle components in India under the newly formed company - PSA-AVTEC Powertrain Pvt. Ltd.