The back-and-forth continues between Stellantis and Frank B. Rhodes Jr, great-grandson of Walter Chrysler, founder of the American brand. Rhodes Jr had asked Stellantis to sell the brand and bring it back to where it deserves, creating an all-American group that would have included Chrysler, Ram, Dodge, and Jeep. Although it was an idea much appreciated by enthusiasts, Stellantis would hardly have given up its most important brands.
And indeed, the group has declared that it has no intention of selling any of the brands. These words are totally opposite to Carlos Tavares’ statements from a few weeks ago, where he said he was considering the possibility of selling some of the brands that are currently registering fewer sales in the market. Although no names were mentioned, the most likely to be sold seemed to be Chrysler, which has only one vehicle in its range, and Maserati, which has been struggling lately.
Frank B. Rhodes Jr disappointed by Stellantis’ refusal to sell Chrysler
The statement released by Stellantis reads: “Stellantis recognizes the interest in its North American brands and reiterates the Company’s commitment to its entire portfolio of 14 powerful and iconic brands, each of which has been given a 10-year timeframe to build a profitable and sustainable business. Like the Jeep and Ram brands, Chrysler and Dodge are at the forefront of Stellantis’ transformation towards clean mobility, benefiting from the Group’s cutting-edge technology and scale. The Company is not pursuing the spin-off of any of its brands.”
In a statement released to the media, Rhodes Jr said he was disappointed by this response: “I was very disappointed to learn that Stellantis has issued an official statement in response to my proposal. Since I sent a letter to Carlos Tavares and Christine Feuell (CEO of Chrysler and Ram), I expected the courtesy of their response would be delivered directly to me. Instead, I found out about the statement through my media friends. I hope there will be direct communications in the future.”
Rhodes Jr also added: “My formal statement will be ready by Tuesday.” At the moment, only the Pacifica minivan is present in Chrysler‘s range, but new vehicles are expected to arrive in the coming years. However, there is no official roadmap at the moment. According to many enthusiasts, Stellantis is ruining not only Chrysler but also the other American brands, and this is demonstrated by the recent Consumer Reports report, which indicates Stellantis’ American brands as the least reliable in the market.