Latest news with #Citroen
The Independent
13 hours ago
- Automotive
- The Independent
Think electric cars are expensive? My new EV costs me less than a couple of posh coffees a day
When new car time came around in the Fowler household, the Vauxhall Grandland wouldn't have been at the top of our list. We'd decided to buy an EV, and my wife had her sights set on the new Renault Scenic – although I was trying to persuade her that the Renault 5 would be more up her street. But as with any big purchase, saving cash is always high on the agenda. And it's amazing how attractive things can look when they're cheap – finding a new car for less than the cost of a couple of coffees a day was too good a deal to ignore. Our previous family car was a Peugeot 2008, which cost us around £190 per month, and before that we had a Citroen C3 Aircross. Neither were our first choice, but both were boosted by great leasing deals. Leasing is simple: you pay a deposit, have an agreed monthly payment, a defined term and a strict mileage limit. At the end of the deal, you just hand the car back and go again. There's no chance to buy the car and own it. Why would you want to? You just head to the leasing websites again, check out the latest deals and see what's on offer. This is where it gets interesting. You'd be amazed at the cars you see pop up on these leasing sites for not much cash each month. So how do they do it? Car makers often have stock to shift. They might have made promises to head office to take a certain number of cars in a certain spec. They might need to keep cars rolling off production lines – it's really expensive to stop or even slow production – or they might need to sell more EVs to avoid fines under the government's ZEV mandate. Sticking it on the leasing sites with a low monthly price is a great way to sell cars. As you can imagine, deals come and go quickly. Once targets are hit, prices go up. It wasn't long before the bargain Scenics we saw on offer but weren't ready to lease yet (we didn't want to pay for two cars at the same time) disappeared. Keep in mind that there are some hidden costs to consider, like deposits and arrangement fees. And if you go over the agreed mileage, you'll have to pay extra, too. But in many cases, when you get your calculator out, leasing can work out way cheaper than a PCP, or 'personal contract purchase', one of the most popular financing options today for people who want more car for their money. Back to the Grandland, a car we're warming to, not least for its value. Our Grandland Electric in mid-spec GS trim has a list price of £38,255. The deal that's still currently on offer at (but could disappear any day) shows a deposit of £2,265.96, an arrangement fee of £349.99 and then 23 monthly payments of £188.83. That monthly payment means we're paying less each day than you might spend on a couple of posh coffees. And if you're a business owner and VAT registered, you can claim some of that tax back to make it even cheaper. This is no entry-level compromise, either. The GS is very nicely kitted out with a 16in infotainment screen that seamlessly blends into a 10in driver display, heated seats and steering wheel, wireless Apple CarPlay, adaptive cruise control, ambient lighting inside and fancy matrix-beam LED lighting on the outside, with the Vauxhall badge on the front and wording on the back all cleverly illuminated at night. It's close to a luxury car. We didn't get a choice of colour, but the white paint with the black roof looks good. And the the 77kWh battery gives a claimed range of 319 miles, although we charged to 100 per cent and the readout said 327 miles. We've no complaints about efficiency so far. Nearly three weeks into ownership, we haven't had to plug in again after its initial charge. And with our last car going back with 8,400 miles on it, we're unlikely to be bothered by the 5,000 mile limit for each of the two years we'll 'own' the Grandland. And for anyone who thinks EVs are expensive to insure, the Grandland is cheaper than the petrol Peugeot 2008 we had before. We got £194 back on our insurance for the six months left to run by swapping in the Peugeot for the Vauxhall. Vauxhall obviously has a few EVs to shift, but the Grandland is the cheapest (and best) of the lot. Electric Mokkas and Astras are also currently showing as under £200 a month (plus deposit) on The only other models that come in cheaper than the Grandland are the budget Dacia Spring and Leapmotor T03 – making the Vauxhall even more of a steal – while the Peugeot 2008 is the only other electric car under £200 at £199. Bargains just over the £200 mark currently include the brilliant Citroen eC3 and eC3 Aircross, the smaller-battery Renault 5 and the MG4 – but that all changes quickly. acts like a comparison site for leasing brokers, but you can go direct to the brokers themselves, too. is one of the better known, not least as it sponsors Reading FC who play in the Select Car Leasing stadium. Window shopping on the leasing sites can be addictive. For me it's become a hobby – I'm often swapping links to new deals with pals, seeing what we could get for not a whole lot of cash. If two years and 5,000 miles doesn't suit you, you can play around with the numbers on the leasing sites to see how moving the mileage and deposits changes the monthly payments. You can work with smaller deposits, but obviously the monthly payments will go up. Regular visitors to these sites will also learn much about the dynamics at play in the car business, seeing who has spare stock to sell and when. And there are some great deals on premium models, too: the brilliant Volkswagen ID.7 is often under £300 a month. BMWs can be very cheap, Lotus Eletres were on sale a while back and Polestars can be pretty tempting at times. Window shopping on the leasing sites can be addictive. For me it's become a hobby – I'm often swapping links to new deals with pals, seeing what we could get for not a whole lot of cash. EVs are popular on leasing sites as car makers rush to hit their ZEV mandate targets, and you may well see real desperation towards the end of the year as car makers rush to get credits or avoid fines. But there are plenty of excellent hybrids and petrol models available too. The British-built Nissan Qashqai is a regular amongst the bargains, as Nissan balances the need to keep the Sunderland factory flowing with the need to make money. Leasing may not be right for everyone. My advice is to think hard about what you need, how you'll use it and how you want to pay. Always have a budget in mind and stick to it – it's very easy to be persuaded to pay more to get something just a little bit nicer. If you're a deal hunter like me, it pays to not be fussy. That way you can end up with something that's still really nice, but at a price that have friends' jaws dropping at the dinner table. In the meantime, the Fowlers will be rolling around in a rather lovely and extremely cheap Vauxhall Grandland, counting down the days until I can jump online and grab another bargain.
Auto Express
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Car Deal of the Day: The Citroen C5 Aircross is a big car for a very small £208 a month
Spacious SUV with a very comfy ride Top-spec car; frugal diesel power Only £207.82 a month There's a new Citroen C5 Aircross on the way, so you know what that means – the outgoing version is an absolute bargain. It's so cheap, in fact, that you can drive off in a brand new, top-spec example for under £210 right now, which is stonking value for money. While the new C5 Aircross is getting all the fanfare, it won't be here until the end of the year. So, while it would normally make sense to wait for the new and improved version of a car, we wouldn't be surprised if you opted for this one purely on account of how cheap it is. Especially if you need a comfortable, practical and easy-to-drive family SUV that's powered by a frugal diesel engine. Advertisement - Article continues below This deal, from Lease Car UK, via the Auto Express Find a Car service, will set you back just £207.82 a month after a £2,841.84 initial payment. It's a three-year deal with a 5,000-mile-a-year cap; bumping this up to a more flexible 8,000 miles a year will cost you less than £18 extra a month. Diesel SUVs are becoming a bit of a rare thing, but for many families it's still the fuel of choice. The good news is that Citroen's 1.5-litre motor is a strong unit, delivering punchy performance thanks to 131bhp. Plus, it'll return 54mpg, so it should be light on your wallet. That frugal engine is mated to a comfortable car that's easy to drive. The C5 Aircross is fitted with Citroen's fancy 'Advanced Comfort' suspension, so it wafts along and has the ride comfort of a posh saloon. This deal nabs you a top-spec car, too. Max Edition gets you a black contrasting roof colour, full LED headlights, electrically adjustable and heated door mirrors with puddle lights, roof rails, 18-inch diamond-cut alloys and a 10-inch touchscreen with in-built sat-nav and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone connectivity. The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Citroen C5 Aircross leasing offers from leading providers on our Citroen C5 Aircross hub page. Check out the Citroen C5 Aircross deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here… Find a car with the experts 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners 2026 Land Rover Defender updates look subtle, but they fix one huge annoyance for owners Land Rover has introduced new, larger white-painted steel wheels for models with big brakes, fixing one massive irritation with the previous generatio… Car Deal of the Day: Hit the road in style with the electric BMW i4 for only £344 a month Car Deal of the Day: Hit the road in style with the electric BMW i4 for only £344 a month It may be a little overlooked these days, but the i4 is still a fine electric saloon. It's our Deal of the Day for 30 May New single-motor Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85 goes the distance with 356-mile range New single-motor Skoda Enyaq SportLine 85 goes the distance with 356-mile range More range for less from new Enyaq SportLine 85, which is £1,500 cheaper than 4WD model
Auto Express
5 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Express
Car Deal of the Day: Cheap certainly means cheerful with the Citroen C3 – under £180 a month
Quirky styling and comfy interior Easy to drive; 52mpg Just £179.99 a month Citroen has long been known as a builder of comfortable cars that are well equipped and keenly priced. And nowhere is this more on show with the new C3 supermini. Available with petrol and electric power, it's not the most remarkable small car around. But it offers a lot to small-car buyers, while still being characterful. Through the Auto Express Find A Car service, Lease4Less is offering the tiny Citroen for an equally tiny £179.99 a month. It's a two-year deal and requires £2,759.88 to be put down as an initial payment. Advertisement - Article continues below Mileage is capped at 5,000 miles a year, but if you find that a little bit too limiting, then this can be nudged up to 8,000 a year for under £10 a month. This deal gets you a C3 in Plus spec, which gives you 17-inch diamond-cut bi-tone alloy wheels, LED headlights, a 10.25-inch touchscreen with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity. Plus, the free colour is baby blue with a retro white roof. Under the bonnet you'll find one of Citroen's familiar 1.2-litre three-cylinder petrol engines. With 99bhp, it means this isn't the quickest small car around but it's perfectly reasonable, with 0-62mph taking 10.6 seconds. Fuel economy is the name of the game here, because it returns a claimed 52mpg. Citroen doesn't call the new C3 a supermini and nor does it consider it a crossover. But there's no doubt that it has a mini-SUV style thanks to its chunky bumpers and raised ride height. The interior is a cool place to be – the dashboard has an interesting design and there are plenty of different materials used. Easily the highlights are the comfy seats, high-set dials and small steering wheel. The Car Deal of the Day selections we make are taken from our own Auto Express Find A Car deals service, which includes the best current offers from car dealers and leasing companies around the UK. Terms and conditions apply, while prices and offers are subject to change and limited availability. If this deal expires, you can find more top Citroen C3 leasing offers from leading providers on our Citroen C3 hub page. Check out the Citroen C3 deal or take a look at our previous Car Deal of the Day selection here…
The Advertiser
6 days ago
- Automotive
- The Advertiser
Stellantis names US and quality boss as its new CEO
Stellantis, the parent company of 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, has appointed Antonio Filosa, currently the chief operating officer of Stellantis North America and the automaker's global chief quality officer, as its new CEO. Mr Filosa (below) will start in his role as Stellantis CEO on June 23. He will name his executive team closer to that date. "His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO," Robert Peugeot, the automaker's vice chairman, said in a prepared statement. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Born in Naples in 1973, Mr Filosa started his career in 1999 as a trainee at Fiat. After roles in Europe and the US, he landed in Brazil in 2005, where worked his way up through program management, plant management and head of purchasing to become the head of Fiat Chrysler Latin America in 2018. During his time in South America he launched the Jeep brand there, took Fiat to a "market leading position", and "significantly grew" the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Jeep brands. In October 2024 he was appointed as the company's North American chief operating operating officer, and added the global role of chief quality officer in February 2025. When he starts in June, Mr Filosa will have long list of items to deal with. Last year profits at Stellantis dropped 70 per cent on the back of falling sales and a glut of unsold vehicles in the US. There are also persistent quality issues. In mid-2024, then-CEO Carlos Tavares publicly criticised the Sterling Heights plant for building too many Ram 1500 pickup trucks that needed be pulled off the assembly line to be repaired before they could leave the factory. Another priority for the French-Italian-American automotive conglomerate, the world's fifth-largest automaker, is sorting out what to do with its collection of 14 brands, which under the previous CEO were all given 10 years to prove themselves. Those most at risk include Chrysler, which sells just the Pacifica people mover; Lancia, another one-model brand whose reborn Ypsilon is struggling to gain traction; and DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen which continues to struggle to establish itself against incumbent marques. The Chrysler, DS and Citroen brands were retired in Australia in recent years, while Lancia was axed here in 1985. A recent report indicates Stellantis is preparing to sell Maserati, which posted a €260 million loss last year and cancelled its MC20 Folgore electric supercar. Stellantis has been without a CEO since Carlos Tavares quit with immediate effect at the beginning of December 2024, reportedly after a disagreement with the board over the company's EV strategy. In 2014 Mr Tavares (above) jumped ship from Renault to become CEO of the PSA Group, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and DS, after the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng bailed the company out. He helped to turn the company around with a sharp focus on costs and platform sharing. In 2017 he engineered the buy out of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors. Within a year the beleaguered brands were back in the black after decades of red ink. With his star ascendent his next move proved to be a bridge too far: the 2021 mega-merger of PSA with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. Since the departure of Mr Tavares the company, especially in the US, has been trying to mend relationships with its suppliers and dealers. There are also rumours the company may return the Hemi V8 to the Ram 1500 range – an engine Mr Tavares effectively killed off. MORE: Everything Stellantis Content originally sourced from: Stellantis, the parent company of 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, has appointed Antonio Filosa, currently the chief operating officer of Stellantis North America and the automaker's global chief quality officer, as its new CEO. Mr Filosa (below) will start in his role as Stellantis CEO on June 23. He will name his executive team closer to that date. "His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO," Robert Peugeot, the automaker's vice chairman, said in a prepared statement. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Born in Naples in 1973, Mr Filosa started his career in 1999 as a trainee at Fiat. After roles in Europe and the US, he landed in Brazil in 2005, where worked his way up through program management, plant management and head of purchasing to become the head of Fiat Chrysler Latin America in 2018. During his time in South America he launched the Jeep brand there, took Fiat to a "market leading position", and "significantly grew" the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Jeep brands. In October 2024 he was appointed as the company's North American chief operating operating officer, and added the global role of chief quality officer in February 2025. When he starts in June, Mr Filosa will have long list of items to deal with. Last year profits at Stellantis dropped 70 per cent on the back of falling sales and a glut of unsold vehicles in the US. There are also persistent quality issues. In mid-2024, then-CEO Carlos Tavares publicly criticised the Sterling Heights plant for building too many Ram 1500 pickup trucks that needed be pulled off the assembly line to be repaired before they could leave the factory. Another priority for the French-Italian-American automotive conglomerate, the world's fifth-largest automaker, is sorting out what to do with its collection of 14 brands, which under the previous CEO were all given 10 years to prove themselves. Those most at risk include Chrysler, which sells just the Pacifica people mover; Lancia, another one-model brand whose reborn Ypsilon is struggling to gain traction; and DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen which continues to struggle to establish itself against incumbent marques. The Chrysler, DS and Citroen brands were retired in Australia in recent years, while Lancia was axed here in 1985. A recent report indicates Stellantis is preparing to sell Maserati, which posted a €260 million loss last year and cancelled its MC20 Folgore electric supercar. Stellantis has been without a CEO since Carlos Tavares quit with immediate effect at the beginning of December 2024, reportedly after a disagreement with the board over the company's EV strategy. In 2014 Mr Tavares (above) jumped ship from Renault to become CEO of the PSA Group, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and DS, after the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng bailed the company out. He helped to turn the company around with a sharp focus on costs and platform sharing. In 2017 he engineered the buy out of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors. Within a year the beleaguered brands were back in the black after decades of red ink. With his star ascendent his next move proved to be a bridge too far: the 2021 mega-merger of PSA with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. Since the departure of Mr Tavares the company, especially in the US, has been trying to mend relationships with its suppliers and dealers. There are also rumours the company may return the Hemi V8 to the Ram 1500 range – an engine Mr Tavares effectively killed off. MORE: Everything Stellantis Content originally sourced from: Stellantis, the parent company of 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, has appointed Antonio Filosa, currently the chief operating officer of Stellantis North America and the automaker's global chief quality officer, as its new CEO. Mr Filosa (below) will start in his role as Stellantis CEO on June 23. He will name his executive team closer to that date. "His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO," Robert Peugeot, the automaker's vice chairman, said in a prepared statement. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Born in Naples in 1973, Mr Filosa started his career in 1999 as a trainee at Fiat. After roles in Europe and the US, he landed in Brazil in 2005, where worked his way up through program management, plant management and head of purchasing to become the head of Fiat Chrysler Latin America in 2018. During his time in South America he launched the Jeep brand there, took Fiat to a "market leading position", and "significantly grew" the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Jeep brands. In October 2024 he was appointed as the company's North American chief operating operating officer, and added the global role of chief quality officer in February 2025. When he starts in June, Mr Filosa will have long list of items to deal with. Last year profits at Stellantis dropped 70 per cent on the back of falling sales and a glut of unsold vehicles in the US. There are also persistent quality issues. In mid-2024, then-CEO Carlos Tavares publicly criticised the Sterling Heights plant for building too many Ram 1500 pickup trucks that needed be pulled off the assembly line to be repaired before they could leave the factory. Another priority for the French-Italian-American automotive conglomerate, the world's fifth-largest automaker, is sorting out what to do with its collection of 14 brands, which under the previous CEO were all given 10 years to prove themselves. Those most at risk include Chrysler, which sells just the Pacifica people mover; Lancia, another one-model brand whose reborn Ypsilon is struggling to gain traction; and DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen which continues to struggle to establish itself against incumbent marques. The Chrysler, DS and Citroen brands were retired in Australia in recent years, while Lancia was axed here in 1985. A recent report indicates Stellantis is preparing to sell Maserati, which posted a €260 million loss last year and cancelled its MC20 Folgore electric supercar. Stellantis has been without a CEO since Carlos Tavares quit with immediate effect at the beginning of December 2024, reportedly after a disagreement with the board over the company's EV strategy. In 2014 Mr Tavares (above) jumped ship from Renault to become CEO of the PSA Group, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and DS, after the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng bailed the company out. He helped to turn the company around with a sharp focus on costs and platform sharing. In 2017 he engineered the buy out of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors. Within a year the beleaguered brands were back in the black after decades of red ink. With his star ascendent his next move proved to be a bridge too far: the 2021 mega-merger of PSA with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. Since the departure of Mr Tavares the company, especially in the US, has been trying to mend relationships with its suppliers and dealers. There are also rumours the company may return the Hemi V8 to the Ram 1500 range – an engine Mr Tavares effectively killed off. MORE: Everything Stellantis Content originally sourced from: Stellantis, the parent company of 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, has appointed Antonio Filosa, currently the chief operating officer of Stellantis North America and the automaker's global chief quality officer, as its new CEO. Mr Filosa (below) will start in his role as Stellantis CEO on June 23. He will name his executive team closer to that date. "His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO," Robert Peugeot, the automaker's vice chairman, said in a prepared statement. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Born in Naples in 1973, Mr Filosa started his career in 1999 as a trainee at Fiat. After roles in Europe and the US, he landed in Brazil in 2005, where worked his way up through program management, plant management and head of purchasing to become the head of Fiat Chrysler Latin America in 2018. During his time in South America he launched the Jeep brand there, took Fiat to a "market leading position", and "significantly grew" the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Jeep brands. In October 2024 he was appointed as the company's North American chief operating operating officer, and added the global role of chief quality officer in February 2025. When he starts in June, Mr Filosa will have long list of items to deal with. Last year profits at Stellantis dropped 70 per cent on the back of falling sales and a glut of unsold vehicles in the US. There are also persistent quality issues. In mid-2024, then-CEO Carlos Tavares publicly criticised the Sterling Heights plant for building too many Ram 1500 pickup trucks that needed be pulled off the assembly line to be repaired before they could leave the factory. Another priority for the French-Italian-American automotive conglomerate, the world's fifth-largest automaker, is sorting out what to do with its collection of 14 brands, which under the previous CEO were all given 10 years to prove themselves. Those most at risk include Chrysler, which sells just the Pacifica people mover; Lancia, another one-model brand whose reborn Ypsilon is struggling to gain traction; and DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen which continues to struggle to establish itself against incumbent marques. The Chrysler, DS and Citroen brands were retired in Australia in recent years, while Lancia was axed here in 1985. A recent report indicates Stellantis is preparing to sell Maserati, which posted a €260 million loss last year and cancelled its MC20 Folgore electric supercar. Stellantis has been without a CEO since Carlos Tavares quit with immediate effect at the beginning of December 2024, reportedly after a disagreement with the board over the company's EV strategy. In 2014 Mr Tavares (above) jumped ship from Renault to become CEO of the PSA Group, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and DS, after the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng bailed the company out. He helped to turn the company around with a sharp focus on costs and platform sharing. In 2017 he engineered the buy out of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors. Within a year the beleaguered brands were back in the black after decades of red ink. With his star ascendent his next move proved to be a bridge too far: the 2021 mega-merger of PSA with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. Since the departure of Mr Tavares the company, especially in the US, has been trying to mend relationships with its suppliers and dealers. There are also rumours the company may return the Hemi V8 to the Ram 1500 range – an engine Mr Tavares effectively killed off. MORE: Everything Stellantis Content originally sourced from:
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Stellantis names US and quality boss as its new CEO
Stellantis, the parent company of 14 brands including Jeep, Ram, Peugeot, Citroen, Opel/Vauxhall, Fiat, Maserati and Alfa Romeo, has appointed Antonio Filosa, currently the chief operating officer of Stellantis North America and the automaker's global chief quality officer, as its new CEO. Mr Filosa (below) will start in his role as Stellantis CEO on June 23. He will name his executive team closer to that date. 'His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO,' Robert Peugeot, the automaker's vice chairman, said in a prepared statement. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Antonio Filosa Credit: CarExpert Born in Naples in 1973, Mr Filosa started his career in 1999 as a trainee at Fiat. After roles in Europe and the US, he landed in Brazil in 2005, where worked his way up through program management, plant management and head of purchasing to become the head of Fiat Chrysler Latin America in 2018. During his time in South America he launched the Jeep brand there, took Fiat to a 'market leading position', and 'significantly grew' the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram and Jeep brands. When he starts in June, Mr Filosa will have long list of items to deal with. Last year profits at Stellantis dropped 70 per cent on the back of falling sales and a glut of unsold vehicles in the US. There are also persistent quality issues. In mid-2024, then-CEO Carlos Tavares publicly criticised the Sterling Heights plant for building too many Ram 1500 pickup trucks that needed be pulled off the assembly line to be repaired before they could leave the factory. Chrysler Pacifica Credit: CarExpert DS No8 Presidential Credit: CarExpert Lancia Ypsilon Credit: CarExpert Maserati MC20 Credit: CarExpert Another priority for the French-Italian-American automotive conglomerate, the world's fifth-largest automaker, is sorting out what to do with its collection of 14 brands, which under the previous CEO were all given 10 years to prove themselves. Those most at risk include Chrysler, which sells just the Pacifica people mover; Lancia, another one-model brand whose reborn Ypsilon is struggling to gain traction; and DS, the luxury brand spun off from Citroen which continues to struggle to establish itself against incumbent marques. The Chrysler, DS and Citroen brands were retired in Australia in recent years, while Lancia was axed here in 1985. A recent report indicates Stellantis is preparing to sell Maserati, which posted a €260 million loss last year and cancelled its MC20 Folgore electric supercar. Carlos Tavares Credit: CarExpert Stellantis has been without a CEO since Carlos Tavares quit with immediate effect at the beginning of December 2024, reportedly after a disagreement with the board over the company's EV strategy. In 2014 Mr Tavares (above) jumped ship from Renault to become CEO of the PSA Group, the parent company of Peugeot, Citroen and DS, after the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng bailed the company out. He helped to turn the company around with a sharp focus on costs and platform sharing. In 2017 he engineered the buy out of Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors. Within a year the beleaguered brands were back in the black after decades of red ink. With his star ascendent his next move proved to be a bridge too far: the 2021 mega-merger of PSA with Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis. Since the departure of Mr Tavares the company, especially in the US, has been trying to mend relationships with its suppliers and dealers. There are also rumours the company may return the Hemi V8 to the Ram 1500 range – an engine Mr Tavares effectively killed off. MORE: Everything Stellantis
