FRENCH REVOLUTION
BRIGHTEN WITH STARS That’s the meaning of ‘Stellantis’, and FCA and PSA each ignited quite a few. Richard Bremner points to the brightest iaisons, some dangerous, some inspired and many unexpected, have long created drama in the automotive industry. Half a century ago, no pundit could have imagined modest, middle-class Peugeot being a lead player in an industrial combine including the mighty (it was then) Fiat, America’s third-biggest car maker (it was then) Chrysler and
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Opel and Vauxhall, twinned then cast off by General Motors. Almost as wild would have been the idea of Fiat swallowing Chrysler, Jeep and a pick-up brand called Ram. Yet that’s exactly how things turned out, with Stellantis formed from the merger of the PSA Group (which grew out of Peugeot) and FCA (Fiat and Chrysler merged). So how did its various brands get here, and what are some of their most memorable creations?
JEEP
LANCIA
RE N EGADE This charismatic compact SUV is Jeep-ish, yet with a sense of guilty-secret appeal.
F U LV I E T TA C O N C E P T A super-desirable hint of what could have been, this 2003 coupé still looks good. Since ignored.
WRANGLER True to its flat-panelled, rugged heritage. Not brilliant but honest and appealing for it.
YPSILON The last Lancia, a 10-year-old city hatchback, had a strong 2020 in the only place it’s still sold: Italy.
MEMORIES OF FCA
FIAT
FIAT Driving the 500 out of a Turin football stadium on the launch. So pretty and surprisingly well made. But to drive… so-so.
PUNTO Fiat invented the supermini with the 127 in 1971, and its Punto descendant was often the best seller in Europe. It’s amazing that the firm abandoned such success, despite tight margins.
TIPO A fine example of Fiat’s bipolarity: the charming 500 on one side, the dull and underdone Tipo on the other.
L AN CIA The disappointment of being told by then Fiat marketing boss Olivier François that making a profitable go of Lancia was impossible, despite much research. Maybe that has changed now.
500 A fine piece of retro engineering that has succeeded beyond Fiat’s wildest dreams, doubtless saving the brand.
12 4 S P I D E R FCA’s on-off commitment to models caused this pleasingly effective Fiatand-Mazda mongrel’s early death.
ALFA ROMEO
ALFA RO M EO Reading FCA’s astonishing 2014 indictment of its management of Alfa Romeo, presented at an investors’ conference. Its corrective goals have been only part-realised. JEEP Driving the current Compass and feeling swamped by its averageness.
8C COMPETIZIONE Beautiful proof Alfa can easily sell a car for over £100k, but proof ignored.
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MITO Punto-based supermini with a shield for a grille was pretty but fell short.
G I U LIA Q UAD R I FOG LI O Magnificent, albeit too late to rescue Alfa. Lesser Giulias are superb too.
