4 minute read
Exclusive: Stellantis UK boss speaks out
BIG INTERVIEW
PAUL WILLCOX UK Stellantis boss
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Steve Fowler
Steve _ Fowler@autovia.co.uk @stevefowler
THINGS move quickly in the car business. Within days of us catching up with Vauxhall managing director Paul Willcox, he had a surprise call from his boss, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares, asking him to unite all of the group’s brands in the UK under his leadership.
Previously, Willcox had been running Vauxhall, which accounts for over 40 per cent of Stellantis’s business in the UK and includes factories in Ellesmere Port and Luton. Meanwhile, Alison Jones oversaw the remaining eight brands. But with Jones moving to a global role within Stellantis, Willcox has been charged with bringing the UK operation even closer together and growing a total of nine Stellantis brands.
Auto Express caught up with Willcox for the second time in a week to talk about Stellantis, on top of his thoughts for the future of Vauxhall – which is still one of the UK’s biggest car brands.
“The new role is very broad, ” he told us.
“Obviously there are a lot of brands, so it’s not a simple job. All the brands are different, all the products are different. But for me, it’s a great opportunity. I’m excited about getting started.
“There’s a great opportunity to do two things. One is to deliver a massively improved customer experience – we think you can make it frictionless – and obviously to reduce costs. One of the biggest challenges the industry has is how do we reduce distribution costs? I’m not talking logistics, I’m talking the whole cost from the difference between the transaction to the customer and the bit in between, between that and the list price. That’s a huge transformation in terms of the business model. ”
Out of his new brands, which excite him the most? “I’ll say two. One is Peugeot, because I started my career there and it’s gone through a huge transformation, so I’m excited to get back into that.
“And if I’m really honest, Alfa Romeo. What a great brand! If you love cars, everyone’s got a soft spot for Alfa. There’s nothing like that brand, historically, today. The passion in there... ”
So where does that leave Vauxhall’s future? And what did Willcox think of the manufacturer when he was on the outside looking in?
“It was a business that had gone through a difficult period, ” he said. “Through the General Motors period, and moving into what was PSA at the time, I think it was a difficult transition. ”
One theme that constantly crops up when Willcox talks about his vision for Vauxhall is simplicity. “It’s simplicity, not being simplistic, ” he clarified. And that applies to both the retail process and the product.
“We had a very, very overly complex trim line-up, ” admitted Willcox.
Stellantis in the UK – tyi
Auto Express catches up with the former Vauxhall boss, who’s just been handed
the proposition, and very much easier for everyone to understand what the technology is – we’ve bundled tech in a way that’s easy to communicate.
“What we want to become is the most accessible, authentic British brand in auto, one that’s actively building products in the UK. Obviously, there are many brands in the UK making cars, but we’re the only one with a long history in the UK, and still building products. And that’s obviously something that we need to build on in terms of our history and our ability to lead the progression on electrification. ”
What does that mean for the two plants Willcox is responsible for?
“The transformation of Ellesmere Port is massive. And I think there’s an equal opportunity to do something in Luton as well. We’ve not got a plan signed off, but I’m very keen to electrify Luton. So, we are pushing hard. ”
With the Corsa being the best-selling car so far in 2022, after finishing 2021 in top spot, Vauxhall seems to be in a good position.
said Willcox.
“But it’s never been our goal. The important thing for me is consistency in what we do, not chasing objectives. ”
There’s much talk about the future of B-sector cars, with the Fiesta rumoured to be on borrowed time in Ford’s line-up. So, what about the future of the Corsa and the shape of Vauxhall’s line-up in years to come?
“Within the current line-up, we have a continuation – we expect to continue to sell within the sectors we operate. ”
With the Insignia no longer on sale, could Vauxhall go back into that market?
“What we need to do is focus our attention on delivery of our electrification story within the sectors we’re currently operating in, and we will have new concepts in different sectors. ”
And the Manta coupé-SUV, recently scooped by Auto Express?
“I think it would be a good addition, ” said Willcox. “The market’s changed dramatically in the last 30 years. Where we are today is not where we were even 15 years ago. I think consumers are looking for new concepts, and it’s going to change even more. ”
