A few weeks ago, when I heard the name Stellantis, I thought it was some new medical drug for the treatment of acidity or constipation. In my mind, the name also rhymed with Atlantis, a fabled island in the Atlantic Ocean that, according to legend, sank beneath the sea! Anyway, now the world knows that Stellantis is the new auto company formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA, completing a more than two-year effort to form one of the world’s largest vehicle manufacturers. According to reports, the merger of FCA and Peugeot creates the world’s fourth-largest automaker with 400,000 employees in 130 countries and 30 manufacturing plants with 14 brands.

According to the company, Stellantis draws on the Latin “stello,” meaning “to brighten with stars”, and surely hopes to be a stellar performer. “We believe that Stellantis needs to be great rather than big,” said Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis. The merger is estimated to save about Euro five billion a year by converging vehicles and powertrains, jointly procuring parts and integrating sales and marketing functions. “You can trust our management in our execution capability,” Tavares said while launching its stock on the New York stock exchange. “We are here to get the job done,” he said.

He also assured the FCA employees that he doesn’t expect any layoffs due to company’s new global scale. But history tells a different story. One auto analyst, Sam Abuelsamid, says mergers end up with fewer jobs somewhere down the line, if not right away. “American jobs are probably less at risk, but I do expect that we will see some job losses in Europe than North America,” said Abuelsamid. To be sure, the auto industry is driving toward an uncertain future, where cars increasingly run off of batteries and software, with the internal combustion engine may be headed for demise. Bloomberg Intelligence service said, “Stellantis faces a mixed outlook as US stimulus plans may buoy Chrysler versus a more uncertain outlook for Peugeot in Europe.

Chrysler’s History

The American Big Three OEMs – GM, Ford, and Chrysler – all have a checkered history, but none as varied as that of Chrysler! GM, due to its dominant size and anti-trust regulations, is not a candidate for merger and acquisition (M&A). Ford, due to its family ownership, is not an easy candidate for M&A also. That leaves Chrysler, the smallest of the three, as a feasible M&A candidate for foreign OEMs, seeking to gain US entry.

Chrysler was founded by Walter Chrysler in 1925, when the Maxwell Motor Company (est. 1904) was re-organised into the Chrysler Corporation. In the 1930s, the company created a formal vehicle parts division under the MoPar brand.

In 1978, under the leadership of Lee Iacocca, Chrysler sold its loss-making European division to Peugeot!

In 1979, the company was on the brink of going out-of-business and was rescued by the US government through $1.5 billion in loan guarantees.

In 1987, it acquired American Motors Corporation (AMC), for much-needed production capacity and the Jeep brand, which has helped Chrysler tremendously.

In 1998 Daimler-Benz and Chrysler formed a 50–50 partnership. Chrysler Corporation then was legally renamed DaimlerChrysler Motors Company LLC. On May 14, 2007, DaimlerChrysler AG sold 80.1 percent of its stake in the Chrysler Group to Cerberus Capital Management, and DaimlerChrysler Corporation became Chrysler Holding LLC.

Towards the end of 2008, amid the great depression, Chrysler announced that they were dangerously low on cash and may not survive past 2009, and announced a plan to file for bankruptcy and permanently shut down all operations. On March 30, 2009, American Government provided an additional USD six billion to support Chrysler, contingent on the company finalising an alliance with Fiat. While the merger negotiations were still going on, Chrysler did file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection at the Federal Bankruptcy Court in New York in April 2009.

On May 24, 2011, Fiat paid back USD 7.6 billion in the US and Canadian Government loans. In July, Fiat bought the Chrysler shares held by the United States Treasury. With the purchase, Chrysler once again became foreign-owned, this time an Italian company, to be known as FCA US LLC. And now, Chrysler again has a new name! How long will it last? (MT)

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German automotive luxury brand BMW India and BMW Motorrad India have opened pre-orders for the ‘100 Jahre Nurburgring’ edition vehicles to mark the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Nurburgring racetrack in 2027.

The limited collection includes five BMW M car models – the BMW M2 Coupé, BMW M3 Sedan, BMW M4 Coupé, BMW M5 Sedan and the BMW M5 Touring – alongside the BMW M 1000 R motorcycle. The release marks the entry of the BMW M5 Touring into the Indian market.

The edition models feature specific paint finishes in Nurburgring Green and Sapphire Black metallic with green accents, incorporating the ‘100 Years’ logo, Nurburgring since 1927 lettering and the Nurburgring circuit outline.

Exterior details include carbon fibre roofs, model-specific graphics and green wheel accents across select models, while the M5 Touring features a steel roof with custom stripes. Interior specifications across the car lineup include black leather with green and white stitching, door sills, carbon fibre trims, M Carbon bucket seats with individual upholstery, and an M Alcantara steering wheel with a 12 o'clock marker.

The BMW M 1000 R motorcycle features a painted fuel tank with the Nurburgring outline, an airbox cover with ‘one of 100’ numbering, carbon wheels with green accent stripes, an Alcantara seat with embroidered ‘100’ logos and black components for the rear swingarm and frame.

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Honda Cars India (HCIL), one of the leading manufacturers of passenger vehicles in the country, has announced its wholesales for September 2026.

The company reported total sales of 6,955 units, down 16 percent YoY, as compared to 8,296 units sold for the same period last year.

In the domestic market, the company sold 4,465 units, down 19 percent YoY, as compared to 5,503 units sold a year ago. On the exports front, the company shipped 2,490 units, down 11 percent YoY, as compared to 2,793 units last year.

Kunal Behl, Vice-President, Marketing & Sales, Honda Cars India, said, We are pleased to see positive sales momentum for the Honda City and Honda Amaze during the month. We are also gearing up for the launch of new Elevate, which will further strengthen our SUV offering with a refreshed and enhanced package. With the festive season underway and an exciting product introduction ahead, we look forward to building stronger momentum in the coming months.”

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Kia India, one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported its best-ever monthly wholesale performance of 32,017 units in September 2026, representing a 41 percent increase compared to 22,700 units sold last year.

For Q3 of CY2026, the company recorded sales of 89,259 units, reflecting a 38.5 percent growth over 64,443 units for the same period last year.

In terms of YTD (January – September 2026) cumulative sales reached 253,008 units, marking a 22.5 percent increase from 206,582 units reported during the corresponding period in 2025.

Kia India attributed the robust performance to healthy demand across its portfolio incuding Seltos and Sonet models, alongside contributions from the Carens, Carens Clavis, Clavis EV, Syros EV and Sorento, which is offered in diesel and hybrid powertrain options. The company's powertrain options now span petrol, diesel, CNG, hybrid, and electric configurations across its product range.

Atul Sood, Senior Vice-President of Sales and Marketing, Kia India, said, "Our strong performance in September and across the third quarter reflects the continued trust of our customers and the strength of Kia’s evolving portfolio. The Seltos and Sonet continue to be key contributors to our growth, while the strong response to the Sorento and Syros EV reinforces our strategy of expanding into new segments and powertrain categories in line with evolving customer aspirations. As mobility needs become increasingly diverse, we are focused on providing meaningful choice across conventional, CNG, hybrid and electric powertrains, supported by ownership solutions that address real customer needs. We remain committed to building on this momentum through distinctive products, advanced technologies and differentiated experiences designed around the needs of Indian customers."

At present, Kia India operates a retail and service network comprising 915 touchpoints across 425 cities, alongside 137 certified pre-owned outlets across the country.

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Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM), one of the leading passenger vehicle manufacturers, has reported its total wholesales of 28,218 units in September 2026, comprising 25,027 units sold in the domestic market and 3,191 units exported.

For the YTD period (January – September 2026), the automaker reported cumulative total sales of 294,914 units, representing an 8 percent increase compared to 272,824 units sold last year.

Domestic sales for the 9-month period rose 9 percent to 269,619 units, up from 247,081 units in the previous year, while exports reached 25,295 units, compared to 25,743 units a year ago.

Sabari Manohar, Executive Vice-President of Sales-Service-Used Car Business, Toyota Kirloskar Motor, said, "September witnessed continued customer interest across segments, supported by our focus on quality, durability and reliability. As we enter the festive season, we remain committed to strengthening customer engagement and working closely with our dealer partners to deliver enhanced mobility experiences and address evolving customer needs."

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