Stellantis responds to market rumors: will not split the group, will not sell the Maserati brand

Daily Economic News Reporter | Sun Tongtong
Daily Economic News Editor | Pei Jianru

On March 13, Stellantis Group Asia-Pacific Executive Committee Member and Vice President of Communications Wang Chao responded to rumors about “Stellantis Group potentially dissolving” and “Maserati brand possibly being sold” by telling the Daily Economic News: “The Maserati brand is not for sale. There is no factual basis for the claim that Stellantis Group plans to split up. Such assertions are purely speculation and fabrication.”

Image source: Photo by Zhang Jian, Daily Economic News (file photo)

Additionally, there are reports that Stellantis Group is exploring cooperation plans with Chinese automakers, hoping to inject funds into European operations through Chinese capital. The group has already contacted Xiaomi Group and Xpeng Motors to discuss restructuring plans for Stellantis’ European business. One possibility is Chinese companies taking stakes in Maserati or other brands. Against the backdrop of Chinese automakers seeking to expand their presence in Europe, both sides are also discussing the use of Stellantis’ production capacity in Europe.

In response, Wang Chao stated: “As part of Stellantis Group’s normal business operations, we are engaging in discussions with excellent industry companies worldwide on various topics. Stellantis always aims to ‘provide the best mobility solutions for customers.’ We do not comment on speculative reports.”

Despite the official denial of rumors, Stellantis Group still faces certain operational challenges. Financial reports show that in 2025, Stellantis achieved a net revenue of 153.508 billion euros, down 2% from 156.878 billion euros in 2024.

Image source: Company provided

Stellantis stated that the revenue decline was mainly due to two factors: first, adverse effects from foreign exchange fluctuations; second, a decrease in net vehicle prices in the first half of 2025. Although overall sales increased slightly for the year, it was not enough to offset these negative impacts.

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said, “The group’s full-year performance in 2025 reflects that we overestimated the speed of the energy transition, and also highlights the need to realign our business around customer needs, allowing all customers to freely choose among electric, hybrid, and internal combustion engine models.”

Industry analysts believe that Chinese automakers’ technology and capital could help Stellantis improve its European operations, especially in electric vehicle technology and software.

Currently, Stellantis has established a partnership with Leap Motor, forming a joint venture called Leap International, in which Stellantis holds a 51% stake. Stellantis also owns 15% of Leap Motor, making it a key strategic shareholder.

Under this cooperation framework, models like Leap C10 have successfully entered Stellantis’s mature European dealership network. By the end of 2025, Leap plans to have over 750 sales outlets in Europe through this channel. The two sides have also finalized plans for localized production, with Leap’s first global model, B10, scheduled to be produced in the fourth quarter of 2026 at Stellantis’s Zaragoza plant in Spain, alongside other group models, with an annual capacity of 300,000 units.