Tavares owns a vintage car business so he appreciates the older brand images and with a wealth of up to date platforms with which to share models in Stellantis there are more new opportunities to develop current brands in the respective markets the new Corporation will be in. That means that Chysler and Dodge brands could be developed using common platforms at far less cost, yet allowing some creativity from brand managers to incorporate the feel, styling and other expectations that come along with the Dodge and Chrysler brands.
I read of late that Tavares is also rethinking introducing the Peugeot brand in the U.S. and instead will focus on remaking the current Dodge and Chrysler recognized brands. Very few folks in the U.S. recognize the Peugeot brand (or could even try to spell its name!) so why try to reinvent it here at considerable cost rather than just make a Chrysler or Dodge off the same platform where the brands are already established? The European platforms in the passenger car market are already very competitive and the current Pacifica is very competitive in the minivan market already here in the U.S. with both lower and higher level models. The European brands in Stellantis already have smaller version CUVs (compact utility vehicles) that the Chrysler brand could use to enhance their current few offerings since that partricular segmant is red hot right now.
Yes, it could mean the elimination of the Dodge and Chrysler brands but it gives me hope that in the U.S. market, those brands could also thrive with all new platforms but with specific engineering and styling changes made to give the U.S. brands the needed character(s) that folks in the U.S. expect.
Both CarlosTavares and Mike Manley (current head of Chrysler/FCA) are well respected and capable leaders in both companies so I would not dash our hopes yet.......................
Both are also hard driving, smart and have proven success records.
I tend to look for the advantages of something new rather than assume it is something to be dreaded - and with a real merger of equals for the right motives, I am more hopeful for once that this is a merger that could actually work! The combination of brands under the Stellantis name would be larger than either GM or Ford, so that provides new opportunities that Chrysler never had in its past through more economies of scale. Most of my hope is focused on the established performance of both Tavares and Manley who will be hard to beat. Manley has been the force behind the success of both the Jeep and Ram brands and what a difference we have seen in the excellence and creativity of both of those brands that has made them roaring successes.
Sergio was correct at least about one thing, consolidation is inevitible to survive in the automobile world going forward. With electric vehicles being the future without a doubt anymore, having multiple new platforms that are state of the art in a competitive world is essential to survive and thrive. I personally believe both GM and Ford will need to merge as well to survive going forward. They really are too small on their own to make really heavy new investments and finding enough engineers in the U.S. is also not looking good either since our schools are not graduating all that many anymore because most families can't afford to make the investment in a college education. Only the rich kids can and they don't want to pursue such difficult majors.
