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New Stellantis layoffs mean over 3,000 jobs set to go in Italy

The gates of the Stellantis factory in Mirafiori, Turin, Italy. (Getty Images)   MILAN — Stellantis, the maker of Fiat cars, on Wednesday signed further deals with unions in Italy for voluntary layoffs, meaning the automaker could cut its workforce by a total of over 3,000 roles in the country. New deals were reached on Wednesday for over 1,000 layoffs at facilities in Italy, including Melfi, Pomigliano d'Arco and Termoli, both for line workers and other functions, the FIOM union said in a statement, although it has not itself signed the agreements. The cuts are being driven in part by the transition to cleaner energy in the industry. They add to similar deals announced on Tuesday for Stellantis operations in the city of Turin, with as many as over 1,500 voluntary layoffs, and for the engine making facility in Pratola Serra, with 100 additional jobs involved. A deal has not yet been signed for the Cassino plant, another large Stellantis assembly facility in Italy. The company has proposed 850 voluntary redundancies for that site, FIOM had said on Tuesday, but a final deal with unions is expected to settle on a lower figure. Another agreement is expected to cover the Atessa van making plant in central Italy. A spokesman for Stellantis confirmed the new deals signed on Wednesday, under a framework agreed with unions last week. "They are part of the initiatives implemented by Stellantis to address the effects of the ongoing energy and technology transition process ... including on employment," the spokesman said. They are on a strictly voluntary basis and mostly aimed at employees close to retirement age or willing to take new professional opportunities, the spokesman reiterated. Stellantis employs about 43,000 people in Italy, including about 15,000 in the area of Turin, in Italy's northwest, the historic home of Fiat, which merged with Peugeot-maker PSA to create Stellantis. Voluntary redundancy packages have been the main tool used by Stellantis to cut its workforce in Italy, which amounted to around 55,000 people when the group was formed in early 2021. The carmaker, which on Wednesday reiterated Italy had a central role to play in its global operations, is in talks with the Italian government on conditions allowing it to boost its annual output in the country to 1 million vehicles, from about 750,000 last year.  

Mopar's 80 years told through vintage ads

It's more than just car parts. Mopar started in 1937 an antifreeze brand, and 80 years later Fiat Chrysler's now-iconic aftermarket division is known for everything from muscle cars to smart phone apps. This is reflected in its advertisements over the years, which show off the brand's capabilities at different moments. Rediscovered from deep in Mopar's archives as it kicks off a year-long celebration of its history, the ads are snapshots of the former Chrysler Corp. and the mood of America at those times. A colorful, free-spirited 1972 ad hawks T-shirts. A plainer 1964 spot shows off Mopar's expansive portfolio with the tagline, "sorry, we ran out of space!" There were too many parts to show them all. Another 1960s ad explains Mopar's new wire and cable products in what was likely a magazine spread or multi-column newspaper entry. Going back farther, an ad from the 1940s touts radios through wind-in-your-hair exuberance, while a later placement shows a Ward Cleaver-type waxing his hardtop. Slightly more recently in 1989, Mopar used its muscle-car heritage to encourage restoration and customization just as nostalgia for that era was growing. "The Mopar brand holds an unparalleled place in the automotive world, possessing name recognition, scope of service, and passionate enthusiasts unmatched by any other service and parts organization in the industry," Pietro Gorlier, Mopar's global chief, said in a statement. While those advertisements highlight its earlier days, Mopar is using its 80th year to look forward, noting its modern service offerings, competition in motorsports, and special edition models, like a custom Ram Rebel. These ventures have advanced the Mopar's scope and elevated its awareness with consumers, who often don't know what brand of aftermarket products their car uses. Yes, Mopar still wants to sell as many car parts as possible, but as these ads show, it's always been more than that. Related Video: Featured Gallery Vintage Mopar Ads Marketing/Advertising Chrysler Fiat Automotive History

4 ways FCA-PSA merger could be a plus

DETROIT — In a merger deal announced overnight, Fiat Chrysler stands to gain electric vehicle technology while PSA Peugeot Citroen could benefit from a badly needed dealership network to reach its goal of selling vehicles in the U.S. The merger would create the world's fourth-largest automaker with a combined market value of around $50 billion. Neither company would comment. Experts say the two automakers will be able to share car, SUV and commercial vehicle designs, helping each other fill weaknesses and share costs that will make them a strong global player. "We view the combination of these two companies as reasonable given global competition, high capital intensity, and industry disruption from electrified powertrain as well as autonomous technologies," Morningstar analyst Richard Hilgert wrote in a note to investors. Here are four areas that could be crucial to the two automakers' success: Technology For years, Fiat Chrysler has lagged its rivals in electric vehicle technology, with its former CEO once trying to discourage people from buying its only fully electric car in the United States, the Fiat 500E, because he lost money on each sale. The company has made progress on gas-electric hybrids and may have plans for more fully electric vehicles, but PSA has valuable technology that FCA can use, said Navigant Research analyst Sam Abuelsamid. Peugeot was relatively late to the electric vehicle game but is now working fast to catch up, notably with fellow French rival Renault. CEO Carlos Tavares has made a point of stressing the company's need to adapt to changing technology at car shows and earnings calls. Last year he announced plans to offer 40 electric models across its lineup by 2025. "Electrification hasn't been a huge part of their play up until now," Abuelsamid said. "Between the two of them, I think they could generate some scale for whatever they're doing, sharing component costs, development costs across electrical platforms," he said. More electric vehicles also would help FCA meet pollution and fuel economy regulations in Europe. As far as autonomous vehicles, neither company is among the leaders, Abuelsamid said. But that's a technology that's years into the future, giving them time to share the huge expenses and catch up together. FCA also has alliances with other companies such as Google spinoff Waymo that could bring autonomous vehicle technology to the market when ready, Abuelsamid said.