Being bigger isn’t always better. Stellantis has 14 separate auto brands which can be difficult to support after last year’s big losses. Under the new Fastlane 2030 turnaround plan, the automakers is keeping them all – but some brands fare better than others. Headlight.News looks at the winners and losers.
Aiming to reverse a series of setbacks to sales and earnings, Stellantis Thursday unveiled a $70 billion turnaround plan that will see it launch more than 60 new vehicles by decade’s end. But while markets from Europe to Africa to Asia should benefit, the Fastlane 2030 program depends disproportionately on two U.S. brands: Jeep and Ram. Headlight.News has more.
Stellantis and Jaguar Land Rover signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore “opportunities to collaborate on product development” – though the MOU is specifically focused on the U.S. market. The announcement comes a day before Stellantis is set to announce a broad new strategy that will focus its efforts on just four key brands, leaving some observers wondering how an alliance with JLR would fit in. Headlight.News has more.
After taking a financial hammering last year, both Ford and Stellantis appear to be getting the new year off on a positive note, delivering unexpectedly strong first-quarter earnings. Ford got a boost from a big tariff refund, Stellantis from a sharp upturn in sales of Ram and Jeep models. More from Headlight.News.
While it may have one of the most diverse brand portfolios in the industry, struggling Stellantis has a limited war chest to support them. So, going forward, new CEO Antonio Filosa plans to focus investments on just four of those marques. What happens to the other brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Lancia and Opel? Headlight.News has more.
Gas may be approaching $4-a-gallon nationwide but General Motors sees booming demand for its biggest pickups, the automaker set to run a key Michigan plant flat out in the coming months. But will sales continue to defy growing concerns about the economy? Headlight.News has more.
Honda revealed it’s canceling three battery-electric vehicles it planned to offer in the U.S. But it’s just the latest manufacturer pulling back on its EV program as sales plunge following the phaseout of federal tax credits last September. Headlight.News looks at other EV programs that have been cancelled or delayed.
Mercedes-Benz officially unveiled its new VLE series and is determined to prove that minivans aren’t just for soccer moms anymore. If anything, the automaker wants you to think of this all-electric people-mover as a “grand limousine,” and it certainly delivers the appropriate ride and features. But Mercedes isn’t the only automaker recommitting to the minivan market, reports Headlight.News.
In an era when broadcast television seems to be losing its grip, the Super Bowl remains an example of traditional “appointment TV,” something millions of Americans clear their calendars for. And automakers responded by investing millions of dollars to air lavishly produced commercials. That was especially true in the auto industry. Yet, the industry seems to be growing wary and there’ll be only a handful of brands staking a presence during the broadcast of Super Bowl LX, reports Headlight.News.
The Dodge Charger, Ford Maverick Lobo and Hyundai Palisade were the big winners Wednesday as a panel of 50 jurors announced their choices for North American Car, Truck and Utility Vehicle of the Year. Headlight.News has more.
Stellantis is phasing out the production of its 4xe technology in the North American market, even though it has two of the best-selling plug-in hybrids in its Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe models. The automaker told Headlight.News it is shifting to “more competitive electrified solutions.”
The U.S. new vehicle market ended on a high note for 2025. But a closer look reveals how rising prices and tariffs and other trade-related issues are beginning to exert downward pressure as we enter the new year. Headlight.News has more.