It was announced today the name of the new group resulting from the merger of Groupe PSA and FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles) will be known as STELLANTIS. This further buries the Citroën brand in the quagmire of companies that have been assimilated under PSA or, like the DS brand, created to target a luxury market. Granted, the new name emphasizes the vision that CEO Carlos Tavares has for a broad mobility solutions company that will encompass more than just automotive brands. Whether this will be another nail in the coffin for Citroën being able to produce and market models in the future remains to be seen, but yet another “mother brand” name of STELLANTIS sure makes us wonder how the double chevrons will fare in all of this.
Here’s how the official press release spins it:
July 15, 2020, Vélizy-Villacoublay, France and London – In a major step as they move towards the completion of their 50:50 merger as defined in the Combination Agreement announced on 18 December 2019, Peugeot S.A. (“Groupe PSA”) and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (“FCA”) (NYSE: FCAU / MTA: FCA) today announce that the corporate name of the new group will be STELLANTIS.
STELLANTIS is rooted in the Latin verb “stello” meaning “to brighten with stars”. It 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, know-how and resource capable of providing 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.
The process of identifying the new name began soon after the Combination Agreement was announced and the senior management of both companies have been closely involved throughout, supported by Publicis Group. The STELLANTIS name will be used exclusively at the Group level, as a Corporate brand. The next step in the process will be the unveiling of a logo that with the name will become the corporate brand identity. The names and the logos of the STELLANTIS Group’s constituent brands will remain unchanged.
As previously stated, completion of the merger project is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by both companies’ shareholders at their respective Extraordinary General Meetings and the satisfaction of antitrust and other regulatory requirements.
About FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is a global automaker that designs, engineers, manufactures and sells vehicles in a portfolio of exciting brands, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Fiat Professional, Jeep®, Lancia, Ram and Maserati. It also sells parts and services under the Mopar name and operates in the components and production systems sectors under the Comau and Teksid brands. FCA employs nearly 200,000 people around the globe. For more information regarding FCA, please visit www.fcagroup.com
About Groupe PSA
Groupe PSA designs unique automotive experiences and delivers mobility solutions to meet all customer expectations. The Group has five car brands, Peugeot, Citroën, DS, Opel and Vauxhall and provides a wide array of mobility and smart services under the Free2Move brand. Its ‘Push to Pass’ strategic plan represents a first step towards the achievement of the Group’s vision to be “a global carmaker with cutting-edge efficiency and a leading mobility provider sustaining lifetime customer relationships”. An early innovator in the field of autonomous and connected cars, Groupe PSA is also involved in financing activities through Banque PSA Finance and in automotive equipment via Faurecia.