One year after the first wave of assembly line stoppages in Europe, Stellantis is once again forced to curb production. The automaker announced the closure of six European plants in October, directly affecting strategic models such as the Fiat Panda, the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the recently launched Alfa Romeo Junior.
According to Les Echos, the Poissy plant in France will be closed for three weeks, between October 13 and November 3, with part of the workforce on short-time working. But that's not all: the Eisenach site in Germany, the Zaragoza and Madrid sites in Spain, and the Tychy site in Poland, will also be shut down for periods ranging from five to fourteen days. Finally, in Italy, the Pomigliano plant, which manufactures the Panda and Tonale, will remain closed for at least a fortnight.
Multiple causes
The reasons put forward by Stellantis relate first and foremost to weak demand. As Milano Finanza reports, the Fiat Panda line will be shut down from September 29 to October 6, and that of the Alfa Romeo Tonale until October 10. The Group cites "optimization of the production tool" in a context marked by the seasonality of the European market, which is experiencing a slowdown in orders on the B2B and RAC (short-term rental) channels.
But behind this official rhetoric, the reality is more worrying. According to sources close to the matter quoted by the Italian daily, Tonale's orders are collapsing, and even the Fiat Panda, Pomigliano's historic mainstay, is showing signs of weakness (Fiat registers -10 % in Italy). So much so, in fact, that Stellantis is planning to reduce the production rate from two to a single shift as early as November 2025.
A wake-up call for Alfa Romeo and Fiat
These massive stoppages, which represent 62 fewer cumulative days of production, underline Stellantis' difficulties in Europe. Also according to Les Echos, group sales fell by 8.1 % between January and July 2025, while Renault and Volkswagen grew.
The case of Alfa Romeo clearly illustrates the fragility of this strategy. The Tonale, which was supposed to boost volumes, has been struggling to attract customers since 2024. As for the Junior, presented as the model that was supposed to broaden the brand's customer base, its launch has been compromised by these temporary closures.
A long overdue "remontada
The automaker, Europe's second-largest group behind Volkswagen, had promised a "remontada" after a difficult 2024. But between image problems linked to massive recalls (Takata airbags, PureTech engines), the forced detoxification of tactical sales, and now the drop in output on its flagship models, Stellantis seems to be slipping.
As Les Echos summarizes, the aim is to avoid "a pile-up of cars on factory or dealer parking lots". But the real question is whether these stoppages do not reflect, at a deeper level, the group's difficulty in regaining the confidence of private customers, the most profitable sales channel.
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What a bunch of knuckleheads at the helm of this 14-brand group!
Pricing-Power galore since the CoVid19 period with insane vehicle prices, lower quality to save on junk, disastrously reliable internal combustion engines (ex-PSA) and even electric engines, etc, etc....
Eeeh yes, Stellantis is now paying for the Tavares era...
Customers are no longer coming back to the dealerships, confidence is lost and the European taxpayer will be able to pay for technical layoffs and future plant closures.
With the Agnelli family and, incidentally, the Peugeot family, profits are always privatized and losses shared at taxpayers' expense - bravo!
Meanwhile, Stellantis starts production of the new Panda in a new plant in Algeria and continues to invest in its production site in Morocco. We'll be able to send the bill on unemployment costs to the King of Morocco, that is, if our President of the Republic has the courage to do so...
Stellantis pays for Tavares' mistakes and this is just the beginning!
The Tonale and Junior have a choice of combustion engines that can't arouse any enthusiasm, and we know the drawbacks of PHEV or electric motors.
When you want to relaunch a historic brand like Alfa Romeo, you start by putting in engines worthy of the brand.
Alfa Romeo,no merece estar en ese grupo,debería fabricar coches deportivos de nivel y como mucho un Junior con un buen motor de combustión y electrico.
En resumen convertirla en una marca premium de verdad,sin mirar a los alemanes
The Tonale receives (was receiving, with customs duties the model's career under the Dodge badge is over) the Giulia's 2.0L 280hp engine, so it's perfectly possible to offer a powertrain worthy of the brand. It would just need a little road-holding preparation to commercially relaunch a low-cost model. Of course, the drastic reduction in color, seat and wheel options also comes at a price.
They only look at the economy at stellantis, no diversified engine offer, the only choice is a 3 cylinders puretoc 1,2 even Renault has more choice. The pretty Tonale also deserves a choice, with a 1.8-liter and a 2.0-liter diesel. You're driving a giulietta with a good engine, plenty of torque and all you've got is a solex engine with a hairdryer engine to help it along 😡
Clearly. I drive a Giulietta and see NO reason to switch to a Tonale, let alone a Junior.
Y además cerrando concesionarios. La estrategia de vender solo por internet no funciona.
La verdad es que cómo fan de las marcas Italianas salvó algún modelo (no más de tres) el resto es basura en tecnología, diseño y demás. Limpieza total de de dirigentes y variedad de modelos que e no canibalicen a otros. No me gustan los Renault (la marca) pero tengo ejen Suv de todo del s los segmentos y lindos. Empiecen por los diseños o desaparecen.
Damos gracias a nuestros mandatarios por esa visión de futuro y hundir nuestras industrias y nuestro campo.
Condiciones leonesas para nosotros para no contaminar-jajaja.
Y nos traen los coches y la comida de no se que países que nos mandan la mierda para nosotros y la factura también.
Traurig wie Fiat, Alfa und Lancia langsam verschwindet. Große Limousinen gibt es schon lange nicht mehr. Die Palette vom Fiat 125 bis Kappa waren im Einsatz und hatten einen italienischen Flair. Bleibt zu hoffen dass Stellantis die richtigen Entscheidungen findet. Vermutlich ist an der Qualität besonders zu arbeiten. Die Autos müssen dauerhaft funktionieren.
It's true that the so-called move upmarket sought by Tavares has mainly resulted in higher prices and forced standardization.
In fact, he applied to all the brands what he had done at Peugeot, admittedly with some success (well helped by Vidal and his teams). But Fiat, Lancia and even less so Alfa Romeo can be treated as Iitalian "Peugeots".
Elkan and his new joker Filosa (an Italian) seem to have understood the problem, but it will take at least a generation, i.e. 5 to 7 years, to restore an Italian soul to our favorite brands.
La culpa no es de Tavares. La culpa la tienen los funcionarios visionarios y demagógicos de la UE que no tienen ni idea de industria y que han embaucado a los marcas a fabricar molinillos eléctricos y al mercado a comprarlos!!! Aunque el mundo muy probablemente acabará eléctrico, la planificación ha sido catastrófica!!! Ya de paso.... como puedes instalar esa porquería de motores a una marca como Alfa Romeo!!!!
This is the result of the work of the Peugeot family and Tavares, who have passed on the most disastrous 1.6 and 1.2 engines on the planet, with all the hidden defect problems, airbag problems, etc. Customers won't be coming back for those who were with PSA/Opel.
For FCA, having cloned some of PSA's products or not having taken the time on their side to develop the Tonale and release it with larger engines from the former group (1.750 in hybrid or 2.0 GME in hybrid), it all falls apart.
The discontinuation of the Giorgio platform, the failure to clone Maserati products for Lancia and the abandonment of the Alfa V6, the old Maserati V6 and V8 Biturbo are the END!