Tag Archives: Stellantis

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A Century of Ingenuity: Fiat Celebrates Dante Giacosa with Special Heritage Exhibition

As the automotive world races toward an electrified future, Stellantis turns its gaze to the past—celebrating the legacy of a man whose vision once redefined what the car could be. On the 120th anniversary of Dante Giacosa’s birth, the Stellantis Heritage Hub in Turin has unveiled a captivating exhibition in his honor, spotlighting the Italian engineer who didn’t just design cars—he revolutionized the very concept of mobility.

Housed in the evocative setting of Officina 81, part of the historic Mirafiori plant, the exhibition invites visitors on a journey through Giacosa’s most iconic creations. Ten carefully selected vehicles form the heart of the display, standing proudly at the entrance, while rarer gems—like the Prototipo 100, the precursor to the legendary Fiat 600—await discovery throughout the sprawling Heritage Hub.

A Legacy Forged in Steel and Spirit

For over four decades at Fiat, Dante Giacosa led with a design philosophy grounded in technical brilliance, simplicity, and a deep sense of social responsibility. His mission? To democratize mobility—creating cars not just for the elite, but for the everyday Italian family navigating a postwar world.

The exhibition, open through mid-September 2025, is far more than a nostalgic retrospective. It’s a recognition of how Giacosa’s work shaped Italy’s industrial fabric and influenced car design around the globe.

From the delightful Fiat 500 “Topolino”, beloved for its mouse-like charm and enduring reliability, to the groundbreaking Fiat 128—the first mass-market car with a transverse front engine and front-wheel drive—each vehicle on display marks a pivotal moment in automotive history.

Among them is the ingenious 600 Multipla, the ancestor of the modern minivan, capable of transporting six people in a car barely over three meters long. Equally emblematic is the Autobianchi A112, Fiat’s nimble answer to the British Mini, which became a youth favorite in the 1970s.

And then there’s the Fiat 126—Giacosa’s swan song—carrying the torch of the 500 into a new era, with millions rolling off the production lines in both Italy and Poland.

Celebrating the Fiat 600: 70 Years of a Revolution

2025 also marks another major milestone: the 70th anniversary of the Fiat 600. Launched in 1955, the 600 wasn’t just a car—it was a symbol of rebirth. Compact, affordable, and clever, it helped motorize a nation, bringing mobility within reach of the working class.

With a new rear-mounted engine, independent suspension, and a design focused on efficiency and economy, the Fiat 600 was a feat of engineering that resonated across generations. Over 4.9 million units were produced, with its DNA living on in models like the Fiat 850 and even early Abarth racing cars.

A 1955 first-series 600—painted in its iconic light blue—recently took part in the 2025 Mille Miglia, driven by an all-female journalist team, reminding us that these cars were not just machines, but companions in everyday life and motorsport alike.

From Sketches to Icons

Born in Rome in 1905 to Piedmontese parents, Giacosa was a mechanical engineer with the soul of a humanist. His classical education instilled a lifelong sense of proportion and clarity, which would later become hallmarks of his engineering approach.

He joined Fiat in 1928, rising through the ranks to become Technical Director by 1946. Under his leadership, Fiat created the cars that would define postwar Italy: the Topolino, 1400, 600, Nuova 500, and more.

Giacosa didn’t just design cars—he designed for life. He imagined a world where vehicles served people, where technology enhanced accessibility, and where even the smallest car could carry big dreams. He authored textbooks, registered over 60 patents, taught future engineers, and penned his memoir “I miei 40 anni di progettazione alla Fiat”—a testament to the method and meaning behind his designs.

Looking Back to Move Forward

This year, the baton is symbolically passed from Giacosa’s classics to their modern-day heirs. The all-electric Abarth 600e, Fiat’s most powerful Abarth ever, and the new Fiat 600 Hybrid took part in the 2025 Mille Miglia as support cars, bridging generations of innovation.

By revisiting Giacosa’s legacy, Stellantis isn’t just preserving history—it’s reminding us of the values that made Italian automotive design world-renowned: ingenuity, elegance, simplicity, and soul.

Visit the Exhibition

The Dante Giacosa tribute exhibition is open to the public with a standard Heritage Hub admission ticket. Visitors can explore the legendary vehicles and learn about the man whose vision continues to influence automotive design to this day.

Source: Stellantis

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Stellantis Faces Rocky Road in 2025 as U.S. Sales Plunge 11 Percent

While many automakers, including Ford and Kia, are riding high on strong U.S. sales through the first half of 2025, Stellantis finds itself in the opposite lane—drifting into dangerous territory. The multinational conglomerate, home to brands like Dodge, Chrysler, Alfa Romeo, and Jeep, reported a troubling 11 percent decline in total U.S. sales over the first six months of the year. Even more alarming, second-quarter sales dipped 10 percent, highlighting deep-rooted challenges across several core brands.

Dodge: From Muscle Car Icon to Sales Freefall

Nowhere is Stellantis’ slump more pronounced than at Dodge, where sales have nearly halved. From January to June 2025, Dodge moved just 47,481 vehicles—down a staggering 49 percent from the 92,735 it sold during the same period last year. The second quarter told a similar story, with a 48 percent drop year-over-year.

Much of this decline stems from Dodge’s bold but risky decision to discontinue its legendary internal combustion-powered Charger and Challenger models. In H1 2024, these muscle car stalwarts accounted for nearly 50,000 units combined. In 2025, what’s left are clearance sales: just 1,630 Chargers and 1,501 Challengers, remnants of old inventory.

The brand’s bet on electrification isn’t paying off—at least not yet. The all-new Dodge Charger Daytona EV has yet to find its footing, with just 4,299 units sold so far this year. Meanwhile, the compact Dodge Hornet, intended as a volume-seller, also saw its numbers cut in half—down 52 percent to 5,647 units. Only the aging Durango provided a glimmer of hope, with sales up 4 percent year-to-date and 16 percent in Q2.

Alfa Romeo and Chrysler: Caught in the Crossfire

Luxury brand Alfa Romeo isn’t faring much better. U.S. sales are down 34 percent for the year, including a steep 51 percent dive in Q2. The Giulia sedan, Stelvio SUV, and new Tonale crossover have all suffered significant double-digit declines, indicating waning consumer interest or insufficient market positioning.

Chrysler, meanwhile, continues to rely almost entirely on the Pacifica minivan, and it’s proving to be an increasingly shaky foundation. Year-to-date, the brand is down 22 percent, with Q2 numbers plummeting 42 percent. Pacifica sales alone fell 29 percent to 50,335 units—an alarming figure for a brand with just one mainstream product on offer.

Bright Spots: Ram, Fiat, and a Resilient Jeep

Not all news from Stellantis is grim. Ram posted a modest 2 percent increase in first-half sales to 203,984 units, buoyed by its popular line of pickups. Fiat, long a niche player in the U.S., recorded an impressive 95 percent surge, largely attributed to growing demand for its 500 city car, likely helped by rising urbanization and interest in compact electrics.

Jeep’s performance is mixed. While overall sales were down 5 percent year-over-year to 289,398 units, the brand showed signs of recovery in Q2, with a slight 1 percent bump thanks to a steady demand for SUVs and off-roaders.

Leadership in Transition

Amid this downturn, Stellantis has installed new leadership. Antonio Filosa, officially named CEO in June, is now tasked with engineering a turnaround. Insiders suggest Filosa has been quietly steering the American operations for months, but now the spotlight is firmly on him.

The challenges ahead are clear: revitalize Dodge’s transition to EVs, reposition Alfa Romeo and Chrysler to regain relevance, and build on the momentum of Ram, Fiat, and Jeep. Whether Stellantis can stop the bleeding—or worse, prevent a deeper collapse—will hinge on swift strategic moves and a clear vision for its future in the U.S. market.

For now, the numbers speak volumes. Stellantis is on the back foot, and if a rebound is coming, it needs to start soon.

Source: Stellantis

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Stellantis Reboots SRT: The Muscle Car Comeback Begins with Tim Kuniskis at the Helm

Stellantis is back on the warpath to reclaim its muscle car credibility—starting with the long-awaited revival of its legendary Street and Racing Technology (SRT) division.

In recent years, Stellantis has lost favor with hardcore car enthusiasts. The final nail in the coffin for many was the retirement of the iconic Hemi V8 and the subsequent push to label electric vehicles as the new wave of American muscle. The automaker’s attempt to rewrite muscle car DNA left fans cold—and skeptical.

But that tide may finally be turning.

This week, Stellantis confirmed the resurrection of SRT, a name that once symbolized pure, unfiltered performance. From the snarling Neon SRT-4 to the ferocious SRT Viper, the badge has graced some of the most visceral American machines of the past two decades. Though the department was officially dissolved in 2021, a single vestige remained: the Hellcat-powered Dodge Durango. That lonely survivor may soon have company.

The Right Man for the Job

Leading the SRT renaissance is none other than Tim Kuniskis, the man behind some of Dodge’s wildest recent creations—including the quarter-mile-crushing Challenger SRT Demon 170. Kuniskis, who stepped down from Dodge in mid-2024 only to reappear as Ram CEO later that year, will now oversee Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and SRT. It’s a massive portfolio, but for those who’ve followed his career, he’s exactly the kind of mad genius the brand needs.

“We’re getting the band back together,” Kuniskis declared. “SRT is another box we needed to check as we head into a product launch cadence enabling more performance than we’ve ever seen before. We’re working with our product development and technology organization to select the best engineers in powertrain and vehicle dynamics to build a team worthy of the SRT name.”

What’s Next for SRT?

Stellantis says the reinvigorated SRT division will oversee two key pillars: the Direct Connection performance parts program and North American motorsports operations for Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. That includes an NHRA drag racing comeback and Ram’s entry into the NASCAR Truck Series starting in 2026.

It’s a clear sign the company is not just bringing back SRT as a marketing exercise—it’s reestablishing performance at the heart of its American brands.

While it’s too early to say what specific vehicles will wear the SRT badge next, expectations are sky-high. With electrification and hybridization reshaping the performance landscape, fans are eager to see how SRT blends modern tech with old-school muscle.

Your Move, Kuniskis

For now, the enthusiast community is cautiously optimistic. Stellantis made the right move by tapping Kuniskis to lead this reboot, but the next few years will determine whether SRT can truly return to glory—or become another nostalgic footnote.

So, gearheads—what’s your all-time favorite SRT vehicle? And what would you like to see come out of this new era under Kuniskis? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Stellantis