In this article, Stellantis’ main focus for the U.S. this year is to increase its retail market share following a period of decreasing sales in its largest and most important market. Antonio Filosa, who has been leading the North American operations of the troubled automaker since October, stated that Stellantis plans to boost U.S. retail sales and market share in the current year. This will be achieved through a restructured U.S.-focused leadership team, strengthening relationships with dealers by providing additional incentives, and introducing new products.
Filosa emphasized during a media roundtable at the Detroit Auto Show that growing U.S. retail market share is the company’s top priority. Stellantis’ U.S. sales, encompassing retail and fleet, have seen a decline each year since 2018, including the sales of Fiat Chrysler, which merged with French automaker PSA Groupe in 2021 to create Stellantis. The company’s overall U.S. market share dropped from 12.6% in 2019 to 9.6% in 2023, according to annual public filings.
Leaders of Stellantis’ U.S. auto brands, in separate interviews on Friday, expressed a sense of urgency for growth in 2025. They also conveyed optimism regarding the recent changes and direction of the company. Bob Broderdorf, who heads Jeep in North America, mentioned that the company has adopted very aggressive strategies, leading to significant changes compared to six months ago.
The decline in sales and profitability of Stellantis has been largely impacted by the performance of Jeep and Ram Trucks brands in recent years. Tim Kuniskis, the head of Ram, who returned to the company last month, has committed to revising the brand’s strategy, production, and product offerings to support dealers and sales. Kuniskis acknowledged the challenges faced in the previous year, particularly due to the slow introduction of the redesigned Ram 1500 pickups, but expressed confidence in the upcoming year’s prospects.
Before the merger and under former CEO Carlos Tavares, the company prioritized profits over market share. Tavares’ focus on cost reduction, aiming for double-digit profit margins under the “Dare Forward 2030” business plan, and a reluctance to heed advice from U.S. executives regarding the American market are believed to have contributed to the company’s current situation and Tavares’ recent departure.
Filosa admitted on Friday that the company had made numerous mistakes in recent years, highlighting the neglect of the North American market, particularly the U.S. market. He mentioned that Stellantis might implement further changes in its U.S. operations, depending on potential regulations from the incoming Trump administration. The administration has indicated possible alterations to incentives for all-electric vehicles and tariffs on Canada and Mexico, countries from which Stellantis imports vehicles. Filosa stated that the company is preparing for various scenarios and may create more jobs in the U.S. based on the decisions made by the Trump administration.
