Merger of carmakers creates Stellantis

Fiat Chrysler and PSA Group have announced Stellantis will be the name of the pair’s combined company when they complete their 50-50 merger agreement.

Stellantis is rooted in the Latin verb “stello” meaning “to brighten with stars”.

“It draws inspiration from this new and ambitious alignment of storied automotive brands and strong company cultures that in coming together are creating one of the new leaders in the next era of mobility while at the same time preserving all the exceptional value and the values of its constituent parts,” say the companies in a joint statement.

The name will be used exclusively as a corporate brand, with a logo to be unveiled later, while the names and logos of the group’s constituent brands will remain unchanged.

The merger of the US-Italian and French carmakers will bring together marques such as Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, Maserati, Ram, Peugeot, Opel and DS.

According to the statement, the process of identifying the new name for the merged company began following the announcement of the NZ$76 billion deal in October 2019. The deal, officially signed in December, is set to create the world's fourth-largest carmaker.

PSA’s chief executive Carlo Tavares, pictured left, will lead the new group and Fiat Chrysler’s John Elkann, pictured right, will be chairman of Stellantis.

Bosses expect the merger to be completed in the first quarter of 2021 following approval by both companies’ shareholders and satisfaction of antitrust and other regulatory requirements.