8:33 am, May 19, 2022
Stellantis is to adopt an agency model in its European dealer network from next year, the firm has announced.
The group is not planning to renew existing contracts with its dealers from Belgium, the Netherlands and Austria when they expire in June 2023.
The move will affect dealers representing all 14 Stellantis brands as the firm looks take more control of sales transactions and prices.
An agency model will also be adopted for the group’s van and premium brands in all markets across Europe.
It comes three months after Stellantis confirmed plans to roll out agency agreements with its UK dealers representing Alfa Romeo and DS Automobiles.
Bosses are now planning to implement the new structure in all of Europe’s ten largest markets by 2026, Reuters reports.
As part of the arrangement, dealers would earn just a five per cent fee on new cars sold, although retailers could eventually earn different fees for different brands.
Maria Grazia Davino, head of sales and marketing for the enlarged Europe region, said: ‘We will start in June next year with all our van brands and with our premium brands – Alfa Romeo, DS and Lancia – in all markets, and on three pilot markets, Austria, Belgium and the Netherlands with all our brands.
‘We will anticipate all that we can, but this is our schedule at the moment.
‘Our direction is to envisage a five per cent fee for our retailers on new cars sold, we’re working on this hypothesis.
‘We are into a transition of course, then we’ll see.’
Stellantis follows Mercedes-Benz and Volkswagen in transitioning to agency sales.
Some 50 per cent of its cars and vans are expected to be sold under agency sales by 2023.
Volkswagen, meanwhile, confirmed to Car Dealer it intends to implement an agency model for the sale of its pure electric cars.
The German carmaker is also considering rolling out the model to its other brands.
