- We asked which Stellantis brands should be axed; results overwhelmingly support preserving Jeep.
- Chrysler brand was the firm you most wanted to see snuffed out, with DS coming in second.
- We ran the poll after Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares warned of closing loss-making divisions.
We asked you which Stellantis brands CEO Carlos Tavares should put to rest, and the results are in. And we have to admit, we were shocked that one car brand in particular was by far the most popular candidate to be canned. While news stories focused on Maserati’s shaky standing, you overwhelmingly voted to ditch Chrysler.
Almost one quarter of you think Chrysler should go, and we can see why. The brand that sold muscle cars before muscle cars were really a thing and turned families on to the modern minivan has been criminally ignored in recent years. With the death of the 300C in late 2023, its sole remaining vehicle is the ageing Pacifica, and the badly-needed Tesla rival it’s working on won’t be here for a couple of years.
Related: Stellantis Won’t Kill Maserati Despite Plummeting Sales
In second place with 17 percent of the votes is DS, the posh Citroen spinoff that’s failed to get any traction. And no wonder. The DS name trades on the glamorous, stylish and innovative car of that name launched in the 1950s, but the modern lineup shares almost none of those qualities.
Third-place (11 percent) goes to Vauxhall, which sells badge-engineered Opels exclusively to Brits. The public’s familiarity with the brand ensures it lives on in the UK, though we can understand how anyone living elsewhere might think it pointless.
And despite residual fondness for its past masters like the Delta Integrale, Stratos and Fulvia, and the promise that the brand is finally getting some much needed investment, Lancia is snapping at Vauxhall’s heels in our poll, garnering 10 percent of the vote and fourth place.
Abarth got 8 percent of the hate, but loss-making Maserati, which many industry watchers have speculated is one of the brands most likely to get the boot, though Stellantis says it’s safe, finished mid-pack with 5 percent.
The remaining brands, namely Opel, Fiat, Dodge, Citroen, Ram, Peugeot, Alfa Romeo and Jeep, finished in that order with between 4 and 2 percent of the votes, making Jeep the brand you least want to see put out to pasture.
We launched the poll after Tavares warned that he wouldn’t hesitate to offload Stellantis brands that continued to lose money. He was speaking in the wake of Stellantis releasing disappointing half-year results that showed the company’s profits had dropped 48 percent in the first six months of 2024.
