Jeep, Alfa boss declares war on bad quality

Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa has declared war on sub-standard quality across the automotive giant's portfolio of 14 brands.. He says the strategy he has put in place to tackle the well documented problems many of the group's high-profile nameplates have faced in recent years is starting to bear fruit.. In an overnight presentation of Q3 2026 results from the company's Amsterdam HQ, Filosa said, "During the quarter, we continued to make progress in the early execution of our FaSTLAne 2030 plan, launching new products, accelerating partnerships as planned and delivering meaningful improvements in manufacturing and quality."    Speaking with Automotive News Europe in a post-presentation interview he referenced the roughly 80 'war rooms' established across the business, including engineering, quality and manufacturing personnel working with the group's suppliers to iron out long-standing issues..

Recalls, including a global call back of over 1.3 million Jeeps in June this year for an imminent fire risk, have not only cost the company in terms of physical rectification, but brand reputation.. That recall, where owners were advised to park their vehicles outside and away from structures, put a massive dent in Jeep's already fragile credibility, with over 9000 Wrangler and Gladiator models (built between 2020 and 2024) impacted in Australia.. And the Automotive News Europe report included feedback from HSBC Analyst Michael Tyndall, who said..

"There is no end in sight to (the) recalls." "Stellantis had 18 more recalls in the third quarter, cumulatively impacting 3.4 million vehicles, with many requiring a dealer visit to be fixed." The Stellantis Group houses European brands Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, Fiat (+ Fiat Professional), Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall with US nameplates including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram.. Citing a specific problem with a 12-volt battery system that, among other things, caused the unit to drain and leave vehicles unable to start, Filosa said, "Fifteen months ago we were behind the competition.. "In the next two months, the quality of this specific system, which is in every one of our cars in North America, will be top quartile." Stellantis has built up its in-house engineering strength in recent years, adding thousands to the head-count, with the hiring campaign on-going..

And on top of that, Filosa said AI (Artificial Intelligence) will be part of the company's armoury to address vehicle issues that have raised expenses for repairs and warranties.. Despite the still frequent recalls, Filosa said the group remains "very happy" with its brands, with none up for sale, adding, "We just need to put our heads down and work relentlessly on execution.".