7:34 am, April 16, 2026
Stellantis has reported a solid start to 2026 with higher numbers of shipments, potentially showing new CEO Antonio Filosa’s turnaround plan is underway.
First-quarter shipments rose 12% year-on-year to 1.4m units. The growth was driven primarily by North America and Europe, with both regions delivering double-digit gains.
In Europe, shipments rose 12% year-on-year, supported by strong demand for new small car models built on the carmaker’s Smart Car platform.
The Citroen C3, Vauxhall/Opel Frontera and Fiat Grande Panda saw volumes surge by around 85%, adding roughly 48,000 units.
Sales also surged for Leapmotor International – the 51/49 joint venture between Stellantis and the Chinese carmaker. Shipments came to around 27,000 in Q1, boosted by strong demand for the tiny T03 EV in markets including Italy.
The results came as news emerged that Stellantis could be looking to revive a partnership with Dongfeng, which would see car production shared in Europe and China.
North America saw the strongest improvement in Q1, with shipments rising 17% to 379,000 units — an increase of around 54,000 vehicles compared with the same period last year – while South America and the Middle East & Africa all posted strong gains.
The first-quarter results suggest that new CEO Antonio Filosa’s recovery strategy is making ground.
The carmaker experienced a difficult 2025 after posting a significant loss amid restructuring and investment in new technologies and powertrains.
Looking ahead, Stellantis said it expects revenues to grow in the mid-single digits in 2026, with margins remaining under pressure in the short term.
