2026 is the ‘year of execution’ amid turnaround plan

DETROIT — Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa views 2026 as an execution year for the embattled maker of Jeep, Ram and Dodge vehicles in the U.S. after years of market share declines.

Filosa has been undertaking a turnaround plan since he was named CEO in May. So far, his plans have included prioritizing the company’s Jeep and Ram brands in the U.S. as well as undoing many decisions his predecessor Carlos Tavares made to focus on all-electric vehicles.

“The strategy that we have in front of us is a strong one and will lead us to growth if we execute well,” he told reporters Wednesday during the Detroit Auto Show. “So, I believe it’s a year of execution.”

Filosa, wearing a Jeep vest over a white button-down shirt, said this year is a “first step” in remaking the company, which was formed five years ago through a merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Groupe.

He declined to discuss specifics, adding that his executive team will lay out a detailed future strategy for the automaker at a capital markets day in the first half of this year.

Filosa did not rule out the possibility of regionally refocusing or shrinking the company’s vast portfolio of brands that also include Italian nameplates Fiat and Alfa Romeo, which have not performed well domestically.

Filosa said he does believe that the company wants “to stay together” following some Wall Street speculation in recent years that it would be better selling off assets or brands.

“We are building a culture,” Filosa said.

Filosa said the next step in the company’s plans will come next week during a meeting with more than 200 company executives that will focus on the company’s capital markets day as well as company culture and 2026 execution.

“We are a global company with strong regional roots,” Filosa said, referring to one of three guiding cultural principles he’s attempting to instill in the company. The others are being customer focused and working together.

Stellantis’ global sales under Tavares fell 12.3% from 6.5 million in 2021 — the year the company was formed — to 5.7 million in 2024. That included a roughly 27% collapse in the U.S. in that period to 1.3 million vehicles sold. The automaker dropped from fourth in U.S. sales to sixth, falling from an 11.6% market share to 8% during that time frame.