Diesel revival: Stellantis could choose the Fiat engine instead of the Peugeot engine, for all models!

While Stellantis has just made official the return of diesel in several European modelsnew information has already been added to the picture. And it's important. For behind this simple return to diesel may in fact lie a major technical change: the gradual end of the French BlueHDi engine in favor of an Italian Fiat base. Nothing has yet been officially confirmed, but several concordant sources describe an industrial strategy that goes much deeper than a simple catalog adjustment. Stellantis would not be content to simply reintroduce diesel engines. The group is said to be preparing its new generation.

From BlueHDi to Multijet

Since the creation of the Group, most compact and family models have been based on the 1.5 BlueHDi developed historically by PSA. This was the benchmark diesel for Peugeot, Citroën, DS and Opel. But this engine has come in for criticism, particularly concerning its reliability. Officially, it was to remain in production until the end of the decade. Unofficially, Stellantis decided to shorten its future.

The replacement has already been chosen: an evolution of the Italian 1.6L and 2.2L Multijet, an architecture well known to the Fiat group and renowned for its robustness. This new version would be entirely redesigned to meet future Euro 7 standards, and would become the common diesel base for all the Group's European brands. In other words, the Group's internal balance would change: the diesel benchmark would no longer come from France, but from Italy.

A diesel... hybrid!

But it's not just the engine's origin that's most interesting. It's its philosophy. Future 1.6L and 2.2L Multijet engines will no longer be traditional diesels. They would be systematically electrified. Stellantis is said to be preparing a 48-volt mild-hybrid system combined with the eDCT6 dual-clutch gearbox already used on Peugeot's petrol hybrid engines.

The principle is simple: a small electric motor integrated into the transmission, capable of assisting the internal combustion engine, recovering energy during braking and even enabling short trips in electric mode. The expected result: lower fuel consumption, reduced CO₂ emissions and compliance with Euro 7 standards. It would therefore be an intermediate technology between conventional combustion and hybrid, perfectly suited to long trips and professional fleets, precisely where electrics are still struggling to convince.

Towards a range-wide rollout

According to this information, these new diesels will not be reserved for a few specific models. They could become the Group's transversal engine in Europe. There's talk of their arrival as early as 2026 on new models, possibly family SUVs, including the Lancia Gamma and DS7, and large sedans, before much wider distribution. This also explains why Stellantis is relaunching the diesel today: it's a transition to a new generation rather than a simple step backwards.

A market-driven strategy

The context helps to understand this turnaround. The growth of electric vehicles is slowing down, corporate fleets are still driving a lot, and Chinese competition remains focused on zero-emission vehicles. As a result, diesel still has an economic advantage in certain applications. Stellantis therefore seems to be adopting a pragmatic stance. Rather than imposing a single technology, the group is preparing a sustainable coexistence of electric and hybrid vehicles.

If confirmed, this would be more than just the return of the diesel: it would be the birth of a new-generation diesel: electrified, Euro 7 compliant and industrialized on a large scale. A strong industrial choice, and also a symbol. After several years dominated by French engines within the group, Stellantis could now draw on its Italian technical heritage to ensure the energy transition. All that remains now is to await official confirmation.