Stellantis North America Chief Operating Officer and Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa speaks during the Stellantis press conference at the Automobility LA 2024 car show at Los Angeles Convention Center in Los Angeles, California, on Nov. 21, 2024.
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DETROIT — Stellantis’ top priority for the U.S. this year is to grow its retail market share after several years of declining sales in its largest, most crucial market.
Antonio Filosa, head of the embattled automaker’s North American operations since October, said Stellantis aims to grow U.S. retail sales and market share this year with the assistance of a revamped U.S.-focused leadership team and by mending bonds with dealers, including offering additional incentives, and releasing new products.
“This is obviously what we need to do,” Filosa said Friday during a media roundtable at the Detroit Auto Show. “U.S. retail market share is our main priority.”
Stellantis’ U.S. sales, including retail and fleet, have declined every year since 2018. That includes sales by Fiat Chrysler, which merged with French automaker PSA Groupe in 2021 to form Stellantis.
The company’s overall U.S. market share fell from 12.6% in 2019 to 9.6% in 2023, according to annual public filings.
Leaders of Stellantis’ U.S. auto brands during separate interviews Friday said they’re facing a a grow or die mentality for 2025. They also expressed optimism about the company’s recent changes and direction.
“We’ve got very aggressive strategies,” Bob Broderdorf, head of Jeep in North America, told CNBC. “If you shopped us six months ago, it’s a very different story right now.”
Stellantis’ sales, as well as bottom line, have been hit hardest by declines of Jeep and its Ram Trucks brands in recent years.
Dodge CEO Tim Kuniskis unveils the Charger Daytona SRT concept electric muscle car in Pontiac, Michigan, Aug. 17, 2022.
Michael Wayland / CNBC
Ram boss Tim Kuniskis, who unretired from the automaker last month, has promised to adjust the brand’s strategy, production and products to assist dealers and sales.
“We had a bad year. There’s no way to sugarcoat it,” Kuniskis said, citing a slow ramp-up of its redesigned Ram 1500 pickups. “I’m very bullish on this year … The real part is balancing between the volume and the margin.”
Ahead of the merger and under former CEO Carlos Tavares, the company focused relentlessly on profits over market share. Sources previously told CNBC that Tavares’ emphasis on cost cutting, a goal of achieving double-digit profit margins under his “Dare Forward 2030” business plan and a reluctance, if not unwillingness, to listen to U.S. executives about the American market led to the company’s current situation and, ultimately, Tavares’ departure last month.
Filosa on Friday acknowledged the company has made “many mistakes” in recent years. He said the company neglected the importance of the North American market, specifically the U.S.
Filosa said Stellantis may make additional changes to its U.S. operations, depending on potential regulations of the incoming Trump administration, which has threatened changes to all-electric vehicle incentives and tariffs on Canada and Mexico — both countries Stellantis relies on for the import of vehicles.
“We are working, obviously, on scenarios,” Filosa said, adding that could mean additional jobs in the U.S. “But yes, we need to await his decisions and after the decision of Mr. Trump and his administration, we will work accordingly,” Filosa added.