Lancia is back in Belgium, and was indeed also present at the Brussels Motor Show with the New Ypsilon hybrid & full electric. The Ypsilon Rally4 HF was also showcased, marking the return of Lancia in Rally in 2025. The HF took a central place on the Lancia stand, and as it was developed and fine-tuned by Miki Biasion, the motorsport legend and World Rally Champion with Lancia. Miki was also present at the Belgian event.
The HF Rallye version wans unveiled on the Lancia stand at the 101st Brussels Motor Show…
The renaissance of Lancia is very important for Stellantis, and a well balanced internationalisation process is under way. It is an essential part of of Lancia’s Renaissance, which includes an initial network of 70 new showrooms in 70 major European cities.
Charles Fuster presenting the Lancia Ypsilon HF on September 10th last year in Aartselaar…
The first markets involved are France, Spain, Belgium-Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and, by 2025, Germany. All of these showrooms will feature the brand’s new corporate identity, which reflects the four pillars at the foundation of its strategic plan: quality, electrification, sustainability, and an innovative sales model.
Lancia celebrated its return to Belgium-Luxembourg last September with the inauguration of six showrooms in Aartselaar, Overijse, Kortrijk, Ghent, Gilly and Bertrange, and the recent addition of locations in Drogenbos, Hasselt, Namur and Herstal. as well as 14 service points. Your servant was present at the inouguration in Aartselaar, and you find my report in our columns.
Reason enough for us to have an interview with Charles Fuster, VP Global Marketing and Communication.
Hans Knol ten Bensel
HKTB: My question turns around the strategy of the brand in the coming one or two years.
CF: When we started with saying “Lancia is Back” three years ago, we said that we have three pillars for this comeback. First of all, there is the product line up. And we are keeping our promises, with the introduction of the Ypsilon, and after six months we launched the HF version, which you see here on our stand in Brussels. The return is super positive, by journalists and the public.
Lancia goes with its new Ypsilon from mainstream to premium…
The further product is the Lancia Gamma, which will roll of the production line in our factory at Melfi. It will come in 2026. The second pillar is to build a new brand identity, we have now 160 new showrooms in Italy, all refurbished. Back in the day Lancia was presented in a corner in the showroom, now we have a dedicated showroom and dedicated sales people.
The elegant Ypsilon at the Brussels Motor Show…
The third pillar was then to launch Lancia in Europe. This is our internationalisation process, and in November we have officially relaunched Lancia in Belgium, the Netherlands, France and Spain.
HKTB: What will you do in 2025?
CF: This year, it will be the first full year of the Ypsilon, and the HF which will hit the market this spring and summer. With this car, we are back into Rally Motorsport. We start in Italy in April, with the Italian Cup, next year the European Championship, and at the end of 2025 we start getting ready for the launch of the new Gamma.
HKTB: What do you expect for the Ypsilon in the Belgian market?
CF: The Belgian public loves Italy. They also love cars and motorsport. When you put Italian cars in the rally scene, you end up with Lancia, so our ambition is quite strong here. I think we can do well, 10 years ago we were doing well in Belgium, so we expect the same results more or less.
DS Automobiles made headlines at the 101th edition of the Brussels Motor Show by presenting its beautiful N° 8 to the public. This car will undoubtedly make its mark in the D segment, with its stunning looks, comfort and up to date EV technology. This car also means a lot for DS Automobiles. So we thought that an interview about the strategy of the brand would be very interesting , and we thank the dynamic PR department of Stellantis Belgium for arranging this interview. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The DS Automobiles N°8 made its debut on the Brussels Salon…
HKTB: It is always quite a challenge to combine the typical DS styling language with the imperatives and constraints modern cars in this D segment have to respond to and offer in terms of safety, performance and space efficiency.
SD: Indeed, we have to show that in terms of elegance and French “savoir faire”, we offer something remarkable. We have shown this with the ASL (Aero Sport Lounge) concept car, which was designed by exterior designer Thomas Duhamel. We wanted to bring a dynamic saloon.
A designers’s drawing of the Aero Sport Lounge Concept Car…
HKTB: What is now on the European and global market the strategy of DS Automobiles?
SD: The strategy is to occupy a strong presence in the premium segment, with an emphasis on electrification in a market which is now fully involved in this energy transition. We want to keep this exceptional French character, with a “savoir faire” in the use of the materials, performing the art of elegantly rendering details, with this attention to styling and design down to the very details, which is not immediately found with our competitors.
We bring elegance, not only in the contours and proportions, but also in the light signature of the car. This makes the car stand out in traffic. This has worked well from the first DS3 onwards and is the unique hallmark of DS Automobiles. Of course we keep this on our new N°8, and this signature will be found further on our future cars.
HKTB: The adoption of numbers is also a step..
SD: Indeed, it is a further evolution, an eye-wink towards further sophistication… What is also important is the reference we make to French coach-building tradition with a dual tone paintwork, a sophistication which is not immediately found on other cars in this D segment.
Your servant together with Sébastien Decarris at the Brussels Show in front of the Ds N° 8…
HKTB: Indeed, the styling language is also a continuation of the angular tradition so typical in French coachbuilding, like the iconic Voisin cars…
SD: En effet! Indeed, when we work on the design of DS cars, we indeed talk about Voisin… and then, there is the comfort, which is also very important for us. It is more than just a “must have”, it is crucial. It concerns the suspension, the seats, and also the thermal comfort. It is especially important in EV cars, and we worked hard on it. For instance, we introduced neck-area heating, which is hitherto only seen on cabriolets…
HKTB: As DS also puts forward “the art of travel” or “l’art du voyage”, I personally would like to see an infotainment software which delivers automatically audio info about the region(s) and cities you are travelling through, and where you can choose political, social or cultural history…
SD: It is an idea we are working on. Of course, in the first place we want to reassure the client driving an EV car, and inform him about charging possibilities on his trip.
HKTB: On the charging infrastructure, are you considering the idea to build a dedicated “DS Automobiles” charging network?
SD: We offer our clients an infrastructure via the “free to move” network. We want to reassure the client in the first place with the car we offer him, i.e. having a long range and an outstanding fast charging capacity. (Up to 160 kW) We wanted to reassure the client, giving him peace of mind with a long(er) range. We think that having a long range is more important than the possibility of (ultra)fast charging. The automobile is for us (and our clients) first and foremost an object of freedom, of “liberté.” This means that you have to offer a range of around 500 km and more on the motorway.
HKTB: Quality and workmanship is of course also very important in the premium segment. Where is the N°8 built?
SD: It is built in Italy, at the plant in Melfi. The N° 8 is running on the STLA Medium platform, and this is decisive in the industrial strategy and where the cars will be produced.
HKTB: The batteries are also important…
SD: Indeed, they are produced by ACC, (Automotive Cells Co, with as stakeholders SAFT, which is wholly owned by TotalEnergies, and Stellantis and Mercedes – note from the author). We planned from the outset a premium car with a maximum 750 km range, using batteries manufactured in the EU.
HKTB: Will the N°8 be future proof and be able to accommodate new developed batteries and electric motors during its production run?
SD: Certainly, the platform is able to receive newly developed components during the production life of the N°8. We have a modular strategy and the platforms are designed to accommodate them. This concerns the batteries as well as the electric motors. For all the models of the DS Automobiles range, we were from the outset prepared for its electrification, it is an essential element of our policy and you see this now unfold in the D-segment.
HKTB: Let me first congratulate you with your new responsibility, and thank you for granting this interview. You have already built up quite a career in the automotive world…
BDM: Indeed! I made my first steps at Renault, then joined the Group D’Ieteren, where I worked in the Marketing department at Porsche, and then took a new challenge by joining Electric by D’Ieteren, putting their product in the market. Then, as I was launching a new product in a premium (electric) automotive market, it was a logical step for me when an iconic brand like Lancia was (re)launching itself in our market, to take up also this challenge and this is how I landed here as a marketing director for Lancia and Alfa.
HKTB: Lancia is a unique premium brand with a noble Italian elegance and spirit, embedded in a rich history…
When I heard that 9 dealers will represent the Lancia brand in our country, with 1 in Luxemburg, it intrigues me to know how they will receive and approach the client and give him this premium impression and “feel” the moment he enters the showroom. What kind of support do you provide to these dealers?
BDM: Indeed, our support goes further than just marketing, and contains other aspects. For instance, the appearance and “look” of the showroom itself. We prescribe a premium level here. But there is also the sales person, i.e. the person who makes the first contact with the client. So we have established a training programme, where learning how to establish a good “face to face” contact is very important. We also have to address any doubts the client may have about the quality of our Italian cars, and therefore we offer an extended guarantee for the entire duration of the contract on our products.
HKTB: Do you work together with Italy to develop this training program for the sales staff?
BDM: Indeed, we have a very good collaboration. They communicate about their best practices, and of course we also have in Belgium our own training team. We have also developed a specific sales course, not only focusing on the technical aspects of the car, but also pointing out which elements constitute a premium brand.
HKTB: And the philosophy of the brand…
BDM: Of course. This has also a special appeal for them. The Italian elegance, the rally successes, there are many aspects. The history of Lancia is also very important.
HKTB: Can you tell us a bit more about the geographical distribution of the dealerships, for instance, there is no dealer in Knokke…
BDM: Indeed, there might come one in 2025… The first idea is of course to spread the dealerships across Belgium, and the person who lives in Knokke or rather has his second residence there, lives usually also in one of the main Belgian cities.
HKTB: You have a dealership in Courtrai…
BDM: Indeed! The (first) locations have been chosen in function of the potential sales volumes. We need motivated dealers who want to invest in the brand, and therefore we need to offer them an opportunity to grow…
HKTB: What about the dealerships who previously sold the Lancia Ypsilon, now some years ago?
BDM: These dealers will still exist for after sales service. Presently there are only two dealers in this situation. They can service the new Ypsilon, even when they don’t have the car in their showroom.
HKTB: The car has many technical similarities with other cars in the the Stellantis group, not to mention the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa …
BDM: Indeed, but when it comes to selling and servicing the Ypsilon, the approach is to maintain its strictly Italian character, which is reflected in the dealer strategy…and which is to be applauded!
HKTB: Do you have a cooperation with the Netherlands?
BDM: We are different, but we work together, as the Ypsilon is launched simultaneously in both countries.
HKTB: Within the Stellantis group, DS is also a brand which addresses a premium client base. Is there a “cross fertilization” concerning client approach, an exchange of best practices in this field?
BDM: Not really. Indeed, we have three premium brands in the group, Alfa, DS, Lancia. We can share some training programmes on how to sell a premium brand, but then for Lancia and Alfa the passion for the automobile, its elegance and its design are rather more important. It is more “Italian”.
HKTB: Can you tell a bit more about the plans and potential for the fleet market for this Ypsilon?
BDM: We know that in Belgium the premium is very much fleet oriented, but as the Ypsilon is a city car, we reckon that about 50 % will be sold in the fleet market and indeed 50 % will find its way to private clients, who will opt rather more for the hybrid version.
HKTB: There will also be a follow up in the Lancia model range with the Gamma…
BDM: Indeed, and next year also there will be the more engaging HF version of the Ypsilon.
HKTB: Are the dealers exclusively Lancia?
BDM: No, they are also Alfa. They are so-called multibrand, but they will have a specific showroom, dedicated to the brand. The showrooms of the different brands have also to be clearly separated, and indeed the sales people are also specific. There is a dedicated sales person for the brand, who has an intimate knowledge of the brand.
HKTB: Are you going to engage with Lancia in cultural and other events? Will you for example sponsor in the future events like the Concours Reine Elisabeth?
BDM: Not in 2024, we now concentrate on the launch of the brand; but the retailers will probably organize or sponsor (local) events. There will be however specific events for the fleet clientele.
HKTB: I am (also) an artist myself and have a keen interest in artistic events, and I could see Lancia sponsoring events in the cultural sector…
BDM: This is a very good suggestion! Maybe in 2025. But you can always contact me, I am always open to new ideas and suggestions! The first event is now the opening of our retailers. The 22nd of May, the Luxembourg retailer will open its doors…
Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxemburg have always been “home” for Lancia. Indeed, our roads were marked 4 to 5 decades ago by the presence of the elegant Fulvia’s, and connoisseurs were at the wheel of the Flaminia’s, not to speak of the beautiful Superleggera’s and later, last but not least, the 4WD Lancia Delta “Integrale”, which still makes the hearts of aficionados beat faster.
The rear lights of the new Ypsylon are reminiscent of the legendary Stratos, with also the “Y” Calice symbol worked in…
Even your servant fell for the brand with the elegant chromed “calice” on its radiator, namely a Dedra 1,8 i.e. By then, Lancia was already part of the larger Fiat concern, and it proved to be an utterly reliable and pleasant companion for four years in my stable, and I still remember it fondly. It already had the beautiful dark blue body paint and equally blue Alcantara interior and seats.
Given this enthusiasm, it is hardly surprising that Stellantis decided to pick the Benelux as one of the ideal places in Europe to have the renaissance of the brand, in line with the “Stellantis Dare Forward” strategic plan.
The Lancia Ypsilon is the much loved debutante…
The Ypsilon has maintained the brand alive in Italy, and has been highly popular there over the years. Not that the new Ypsilon has anything in common with its predecessor. It carries the Lancia Pu+Ra Design (the name a combination of ‘pure’ and ‘radical’), the one-of-a-kind Lancia design language with a timeless touch. The new Ypsilon It is available as a pure EV and in hybrid form. The 156 HP EV with a 51 kW battery has a WLTP measured range of 403 kilometers, the 3 cylinder, 100 HP 48 V hybrid caters for a wide(r) public and can be bought at an attractive base price of 24,000 Euros. The EV has the same technical basis as the Peugeot e-208 and the Opel Corsa Electric, but it certainly has quite different looks.
Lancia presented us their Ypsilon at the launch in a very attractive top notch “Edizione Limitata Cassina” version, whith an iconic “Lancia Blu” color for interior and bodywork, ”panno” wool upholstery for the seats executed in “cannelloni” pattern and as icing on the cake, one is seduced by an iconic “tavola” or small round table in the centre of the dashboard, sitting on top of the centre console. This brings you in the unique S.A.L.A. or “living room” atmosphere, which the Lancia designers created in collaboration with Cassina.
The abbreviation S.A.L.A., meaning living room in Italian, actually stands for Sound, Air, Light, Augmentation and is the new name used for the infotainment system. Its command module sits as a disk on top of the dashboard. We will come back on this system more in detail when we will get acquinted with the Ypsilon, hopefully soon…
This Cassina edition is exclusive: only 1906 units will be produced, and the number is actually also quite symbolic, as 1906 is the year Vicenzo Lancia was born…
The Benelux customer can now order this Ypsilon, and besides the top Cassina and the “base” version, one can also opt for the premium LX version. LX is also symbolic, as it is the Latin acronym for 60, created in 1966 to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the brand.
Even the base version is well equipped, with multifunctional steering wheel, automatic airco and keyless entry/start/lock. There is also one 10,25 inch digital instrument screen and an equally big central touchscreen. Of course Apple CarPlay and Android Auto is also provided.
A new dealer and sales network
The renaissance of Lancia comprises also an all-new network made up of 9 new showrooms in Belgium, 6 in the Netherlands, and 1 in Luxembourg, with 12, 6, and 1 after-sales service points respectively. You can order also your new Ypsilon online, if you wish.
Should you opt for a “pure” EV, it is good to know that Lancia offers “Free2move Charge”, a simple, complete, and integrated ecosystem that allows worry free charging at home and gives you access to 600,000 charging points across Europe. Lancia offers also the Easy Wallbox Home Charging solution and has interesting financial renting offers in store, worked out in collaboration with Stellantis Financial Services.
Last but not least, we had at the presentation an interview with Barbara de Mol, Marketing Director for Lancia and Alfa Romeo, about Lancia’s dealer/sales and marketing approach in our country. It to be published soon, so stay tuned!
In the Stellantis Group, Fiat occupies of course a very important place, and therefore we made this interview about its future plans at the recently held press conference… Just read on!
HKTB: I propose to start this interview with the LCV market, which is very important for Fiat.
AP: Indeed, it is very important, and we have even reserved a specific brand for it, Fiat Professional. This means that we have also a dedicated network for this brand. Indeed, we have dealers who sell exclusively commercial vehicles. This means that they offer a service which is fully tailored to the needs of a professional client. For him, our vehicles are an instrument for his job, and so his needs are for example different time schedules for service and maintenance, and sometimes also assistance on Saturdays too.
Fiat has fully renewed its LCV range…
HKTB: I assisted a few years ago at the launch of the first electric Ducato…
AP: Indeed, this was the first phase in the electrification of our LCV range. Now we have a new Ducato which has been designed from the ground up for BEV use. This Ducato has an attractive range of some 400 kilometers. But the use of a fully dedicated BEV platform enabled us also to be more cost effective and reduce the price by not less than 25 pct and meet the needs of our professional clientele by offering multiple load and bodywork configurations.
HKTB: When we come back to the passenger cars, the new 600 will also be very important to introduce electrified and BEV mobility to a wider public?
AP: Our most important BEV car for the moment remains the 500. The latest generation of our iconic 500 is exclusively BEV, whereas the previous generation is still produced and offered in hybrid form. It is very important to note that our most popular and important car is now BEV only, not many mainstream manufacturers are doing this!
AP: This goes of course also for the Belgian market: the new 500 is exclusively electric. Now we come to the 600. This is a segment B car, and everybody knows that in this segment, a big share of the volume is still consisting of IC or “thermal” cars, let’s say that of the approximately 130,000 cars sold in this segment, only 7,000 are electric.
This is why we decided to offer the 600 also in hybrid form, besides the BEV version. Its hybrid drivetrain allows you still to drive on E-power in town for some 50 % of jour journey. The first hybrid cars will be available to the public around mid summer. This car will be available at a price around 24.000 Euros, which is quite attractive.
HKTB: Finally we have also Abarth. Being an engineer, this brand will certainly passionate you…I still remember the bialbero’s, the 850 TC’s…
AP: Indeed, as soon as you sit behind the wheel of an Abarth, you feel younger and invigorated… it gives you energy, even if you drive only at a speed of 30 km/h! There is this unique spirit…
HKTB: How do you see the energy transition for the “Abartisti”?
AP: We have already an electric version of the 500, and we will continue along this path. I understand that many enthusiasts of the brand are still somewhat skeptical, but even if you want a sporting car, its electrification is inevitable. I can assure them that they will find a car which is responsive, handles beautifully, will be full of character.
In the new 600 Abarth which will be launched this year, they will find all these unique qualities too. I cannot give more details at this moment, just that this car will be powerful with 240 HP… But in looks, feel and touch, it will be very much a pur sang and sporting automobile. The car is not only developed by Abarth, but also by the people of Stellantis motorsport.
HKTB: Will it be a car for the engaging, sporting driver, will it have performance controls like a formel E racing car, so the expert and talented driver can increase the handling and outright power of the car?
AP: I cannot give you any more details of the car at this moment, except that it will be very powerful, with 240 HP…
“On BEV-mobility In the B segment, we will indeed be the spearhead for the StellantisGroup.“
On the recently held Stellantis Press conference where it unfolded its strategy, results and future plans for its brands, we had the opportunity to talk with the leading managers of the several brands. As Citroën is the linchpin of the group in terms of European volume sales, we were keen to talk with Pierre Voineau, more specifically about a very important EV for Citroën, the new ë-C3.
Just read on…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
HKTB: The new electric C3 will be a very important car for Citroën on our market…
PV: Indeed, it is the most important model launch for the Citroën brand over the last decade. Of course, the C3 is the most popular car here in Belgium, and has been already over the last few years. We also want to revolutionize the EV market with this car, making it accessible for everybody and at the same time producing the car in Europe…
We are at the crossroads of a decisive moment both for the Citroën brand as well as the car market in general.
HKTB: For you it is also a mini-SUV, the C3 has grown taller…
PV: Indeed, we have injected the DNA of an SUV into the well known C3, but we did not make the car any longer or wider. This was very important. The car does not take up more room on the road than the present C3, just by a few centimeters at most. But we heightened the ground clearance of the car by 3 centimeters, and raised the roof line considerably with 10 centimeters. The passengers sit higher and indeed the front end is more imposing with a styling reminiscent of the OLI prototype you saw in Paris. The OLI embodies the strategy of the brand in terms of the total technical concept and styling in the long term, but indeed, some elements are already incorporated in this new C3.
HKTB: Which extra market segments or client groups do you want to attract besides the existing Citroën buyers?
PV: We will not in the first instance attract other client groups. It is rather the mobility itself which changes. With this, the needs of our existing client base also evolve. Now the need arises for cheap EV mobility, and we respond to that.
HKTB: The problem for you as a brand and certainly for a big automotive group like Stellantis is that the public charging infrastructure is still insufficient to meet all the mobility requirements. What do you put forward strategically here as a brand and a large group?
PV: We have Free2move eSolutions within the Stellantis group, which accompanies the client from A to Z in purchasing and installing his home charging point. When the client is in a particular situation and has no home or office charging point, or otherwise, it is good to know that in the spring we will also offer a thermal version of the C3.
Having said this, we will also have a special application, called e-ROUTES, on our electric C3. The route planner knows how many kilometers you need to travel, it will calculate a stop at say 20 % of the battery left, indicating the position of a charging point and also whether this charging point is available. It will indicate the recharging time needed, depending on the power of the charging station. One can charge up to 100 kW by the way. This will give the customer peace of mind when traveling over longer distances. With a battery of 44 kW and a range of some 320 kilometers one responds to almost all needs. On average, customers don’t travel more than 80 km per day.
Note from the editor: This new app, developed by Free2move Charge, is a trip planner that utilizes real-time data from the car and charging points on the driver’s planned route. e-ROUTES is available via an exclusive smartphone app. It is compatible with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. To access e-ROUTES services, customers will need to use their MyCitroën account, either through the app on their smartphone or the car’s touchscreen, using the mirroring function.
HKTB: EV driving also needs a different state of mind and driving style…
PV: Indeed, one will embrace a different, anticipative, more leisurely and “zen” driving style… What’s more, we focus at Citroën also on comfort: the new electric C3 has a so-called Progressive Hydraulic Cushions® suspension, ensuring that you enjoy the legendary ‘magic carpet ride’ feeling of comfort on the road, thanks to the use of progressive Hydraulic bump stops.
Note from the editor: Two stops are used on each corner of the vehicle in conjunction with the shock absorber and spring instead of mechanical stops – one for compression the other for decompression.
PV: We also have a manual airco on all the equipment versions of the C3, including a rear-end sensor. This combination of e-refinement with comfort and lavish standard equipment has great appeal and indeed the European wide orders for the new car at the end of December last year amounted to not less than 20,000. This year, we have chalked up already 1,000 orders in Belgium only. On BEV-mobility In the B segment, we will indeed be the spearhead for the Stellantis Group.
PV: I would like to comment also a bit more on the interior of the C3. Just look at the display. It reflects vehicle information onto a glossy black section between the top of the dash panel and the bottom of the windscreen. This smart solution ensures there is no duplication of information as there would traditionally be between a Head Up Display system and instrument cluster, and ensures drivers can easily access all the key information they need without taking their eyes off the road. The new multi-function steering wheel is also smaller, and so does not obstruct the head-up display.
Owners of the ‘You’ model have as standard equipment the ‘My Citroen Play with Smartphone Station’ dedicated App to access music, radio, calls and navigation via their own device.
HKTB: The clever use of the smartphone was also a solution found on the OLI prototype… actually, this C3 has everything of a compact “grande routière”…
PV: Indeed, as said, standard on ‘You’ models and features a built-in smartphone holder that allows drivers to ‘dock’ their device and auto launch the dedicated new App using NFC (Near Field Communication) wireless technology. Via this app, owners use their device to access shortcuts to Phone, Radio, Navigation and Music App services. The ë-C3’s steering wheel controls ensure drivers keep their hands on the wheel, and the ‘Home’ button makes it easy to navigate back to the homepage of the App.
Indeed, the Management and PR team of Stellantis Belux, welcomed recently the Press and B2B to a, called ‘House of Innovation’.
A fitting initiative, set up in the absence of the Brussels Motor Shows, keeping the tradition in our country of a traditional show period and at the same time providing a platform for unveiling the latest innovations, concept cars and the future direction of the Stellantis brands.
Needless to say we were very keen to attend this event, giving your servant also the opportunity to have several interviews with the managers of several brands, which we will present soon on our columns. Here in this first report about this “Kickoff Press conference” we will focus on the future strategy of Stellantis and its plans for the Belux market. Just read further!
Hans Knol ten Bensel
The event started with an inspiring introduction by Florian Kraft, CEO of Stellantis Belux…
…followed by interactive brand presentations and workshops. “This event symbolizes our continued pursuit of innovation and progress in the automotive world. We are excited to share our latest developments and our vision for the future with the press and our valued customers and partners,” said Florian Kraft, CEO.
Florian Kraft first pointed out the four core targets of the Stellantis “Dare Forward strategic plan 2030.” This plan will move Stellantis into a sustainable mobility tech company.
The first target is reducing its carbon footprint by 50 % in total CO2 emissions per vehicle compared with 2021, on the path to achieving carbon net zero in 2038. This then includes not only from well to wheel, but also throughout the entire supply chain.
The second target is setting the course for 100% BEV sales in Europe and 50% in the United States in 2030. The third is achieving number one position in customer satisfaction. The fourth is doubling net revenues while transforming our business models and sustaining double-digit operating margins. How Stellantis will achieve this, will be the subject of a future report in our columns. Stay tuned!
Ambitions for 2024…
Looking ahead to 2024, Stellantis Belux has set itself several goals. In terms of network, the company aims to ensure a successful transition to the New Retailer Model using its existing network. Indeed, Stellantis is progressing at full speed in the execution of its Dare Forward 2030 Strategic Plan, with the ambition to be #1 in customer satisfaction in all markets, in products and services. Indeed, the customer experience will be at the core of this retailer model.
Customers will be able to take advantage of a multi-brand and multi-channel approach with a wider range of services. Dealers will have a new and efficient business model aimed at benefitting from Stellantis’ 14-brand portfolio, creating synergies, optimizing distribution costs and offering additional sustainable mobility solutions, says Stellantis. So far for the aims, let’s explain this further in more concrete terms.
In September last year, Stellantis launched the reorganization of its European dealer network, starting with four specific markets before extending it further across Europe in 2024. Stellantis announced it was ending its previous sales and services contracts with European dealers for its 14 brands and moving toward a new distribution framework based on an agency model. What is this agency model?
Under this model, the manufacturer becomes the retailer while the dealer remains the physical touchpoint with the customer. The agent/dealer receives a commission on each sale and no longer individually sets prices or discounts.
As the dealer does not have to purchase the cars from the manufacturers anymore, he does not carry significant commercial risks and has less administrative costs as billing and payment towards the customer is done by the manufacturer. It protects also the profitability of the retailer. Because, as everybody knows, profit margins on new car sales can fluctuate.
With the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE, the Lancia journey towards the future begins, drawing inspiration from the past
The advantage for the car manufacturer is a direct contact with the customer, which it did not have so far….
The manufacturer can now determine end-customer discounts themselves, in this way achieving price consistency and avoiding competition between dealers of the same brand. They can optimize costs through centralization, and profit from the scale effect of transferring responsibilities from individual dealerships to the bigger sales organizations on national levels.
The new Alfa Romeo Stradale: the future is already a pur-sang reality…
It also is more in line with today’s consumer preferences, which would rather see fixed prices and an equally simple buying process as they experience in e-commerce.
Stellantis is moving towards this model in big steps now. In September last year, Stellantis announced that the revised retail model will be fully effective from Sept. 4, starting with Austria, Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Stellantis is not the only one to prefer this agency sales model. BMW and Mercedes opt for it too…
The BEV line up at Peugeot: towards a leading position in the B and C segment…
Stellantis market position in Belux …
In terms of sales, Stellantis Belux aims to regain the lost market share in 2024 and further strengthen its position. In 2023, Stellantis Belux achieved a global market share of 17.2%, with more than 100,000 units sold. On the LEV (Low Emission Vehicles) market, Stellantis Belux occupies a fourth place with an 11.6% market share. The BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) and the PHEV (Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) occupy a fourth place with respectively 10.5% and 12.8%.
Stellantis Belgium confirms its strong position with a pole position in the segment A and with not less than six models of Stellantis (Peugeot e-208, Peugeot e-2008, Opel Corsa Electric, Jeep Avenger, Opel Mokka Electric, DS3 E-tense) in the TOP 10 of the segment B (BEV), representative 66% of the part of the segment.
Introducing petrolheads to the joys of E-power: the Abarth 500 E, waiting for the imminent 240 HP 600 E…
Last but not least, Stellantis Belux is the leader in the segment of the LCV (Light Commercial Vehicle) with more than 30% of market share, of which more than 50% is electrified!
In terms of product innovation, Stellantis Belux will continue its electrification, where it currently leads in the A-B segment and LCV, and further expand it to the C segment with models such as the Opel Astra, Peugeot 308 and 3008 and Citroën C4.
As is tradition in January, the Stellantis brands start the year with super attractive “salon conditions” on their range. This applies to both private and professional customers and to electric and ‘thermal’ vehicles.
We made on this event interviews with Pierre Voineau, Managing Director Citroën Belgium & Luxemburg, (see photo here above), Asterio Perez, Managing Director of Fiat, Abarth and Fiat Professional in Belgium and Luxemburg, and last but not least Eric Laforge, Head of Jeep Brand Enlarged Europe.
This will be followed by a special report on the magnificent prototypes which were displayed amongst the 36 cars on this conference.
In the magnificent surroundings of the Italian embassy in Brussels, we talked with Milosz Tomanek about Lancia’s return to the Belux market…
At the presentation of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE and the announcement of the return of Lancia in Belgium, we had an interesting talk with the Director of the Premium Cluster Belux at Stellantis, on the opportunities of the iconic brand on the Belux market…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
Q: The Belgian market has much potential for Lancia, but due to its long absence, the question arises what is now your client base and what is your approach to re-enter our market? We have the Dutch approach, where the market is already very digitised. Both countries have a very large fleet market, and this will also be the challenge for Lancia…
MT: Indeed, the fleet market is with around 70 pct of the total volume very important. For the premium segment, its share is even 80 pct. When we want to re-launch Lancia, we have to establish ourselves in this fleet market too. This is also the reason why we have electrified the new Ypsilon, and are offering a plug-in hybrid version as well as a full electric variant.
When we want to re-launch a brand, we have also to take the right steps to grow. We have to start from a solid base. The B segment is quite large in Belgium with a total volume of not less than 125.000 cars. We also have the private client. His market importance has admittedly diminished over time, but he exists. When a new model is launched by an Italian brand, it is the private client who is the first to show substantial interest.
Driven mostly by family members or acquaintances which had previous ties with the brand. When it was rumoured that Lancia would come back to Belgium, many private clients reacted eagerly to the news. This shows clearly that Lancia still stirs emotions and interest amongst many. Clients which are looking for emotion, design, a sporting touch, elements which are intrinsically part of Lancia. We must certainly not overlook this segment.
Q: I also think that the interest of the private client forms the basis for the subsequent appeal of the brand in the fleet market. Don’t you agree?
MT: Indeed, this is why the private client constitutes the basis of our market approach.
Q: Will you adopt for Lancia a similar service model which Stellantis uses for the other premium brands in the group, like DS for instance? MT: What you are saying now is somewhere the essence of the premium approach, but we have three brands with their own, specific identity. If you put the three brands in a showroom, the clients will invariably go to the niche or corner of their brand. But of course, what DS has established and built over the last few years is valuable. We have to offer a credible and worthy alternative of the German brands. Having said this, we have to offer a client experience which is at least as good as what the German competition is offering. But we don’t have to merely copy their approach. The client has to discover the identity of the brand in his service experience. Therefore we cannot simply copy what DS or Alfa does for its clients, but we take the right elements which are in line with the identity and character of the brand. Last but not least we have to offer a proper atmosphere of the reception and showrooms of the dealerships.
One of my tasks is to find the synergies, but always with an eye for the specific identity of the brand. We don’t want to be merely a corner within the Alfa showroom, we want to offer a complete client experience, but then of course we will use the best practices learned with DS and Alfa Romeo. One must not forget that despite their iconic and long history, these brands are relatively young for the Belgian market in terms of a substantial market presence. But the brands nourish each other, this is also important for our distribution network.
There will be 10 dealers this year which will have also Alfa or even the three premium brands under one roof, and we see that proven best practices are shared for the three brands, inspiring but not cannibalizing each other in their specific client approach.
Q: We will see the Ypsilon in a full electric and electrified hybrid version, also to enable a smooth transition for the existing Ypsilon owners to this electric age, which is certainly indicated for senior clients who live in urban areas and apartments…
MT: Indeed, there is a philosophy behind this. We will not dictate what the client has to buy. We will listen to the client, but at the same time we have to project what the client of the future will buy. We notice that the market is getting more mature what full electric purchases is concerned, and political decisions now cause a rapid expansion of this segment. But this switch is slower for clients living in urban areas.
Thanks to the financial strength of the Stellantis Group, we could carefully work out our renaissance strategy and roll it out judiciously step by step. This consistency has helped me when I started up the team and the retailers were identified. Credibility was already created. One should keep in mind that irrespective of the fact that a brand has been absent of the market for 5 or 10 years, you only have one chance to (re)launch a brand successfully. You have to do it right. I am convinced we are doing it the correct way…
At the occasion of the presentation of Lancia Pu+Ra HPE at the Residence of the Italian Ambassador in Bruxelles, we took the opportunity to have an interview with the young and inspired exterior designer of the Lancia Pu+Ra HPE… it proved very interesting indeed!
Q: The Lancia design department has been producing now a wonderful and iconic car which embodies the styling language of future Lancia’s. You are responsible for exterior design, can you tell us what is your vision on design, and why have you chosen to join the Lancia design department?
Also can you tell us a bit more about your design education, your school, and even more important, what do you want to create and establish as a designer…
MT: I understand your point. It is a very good question. Before I studied design, I did different things. It was rather more manual and mostly on focused on the mechanical aspect. I came to design out of curiosity. Then I started in Italy my studies in transportation design in Turin, at IED, Istituto Europeo di Design. There I developed an understanding of the meaning of Design. What is Design? Why do we have to do this? The reason why I chose Lancia is simple: what Lancia stands for in terms of form language coincides with my ideas about Design. So I understand fully what they want to convey.
Q: This means you are taken by the Lancia spirit?
MT: Indeed, completely!
We have included in our design language elements stemming from architecture, fashion, everything that surrounds us in our modern world, it is truly eclectic in its inspiration. All this, we have the chance also to embed all this into our heritage. Because this viewpoint, this approach, we have used it also in the past. It is of course a dream for a designer to work in this environment…not everybody has this history and has tried so many wonderful things in its past.
Q: When we come to the design language of the Pu + Ra, the emphasis lies on well rounded shapes and surfaces.
MT: Indeed, this concept car is really a synthesis and includes the logic of the design of our future cars. The contrast between the soft curves and the hard edges will be seen in future Lancias, it will be indeed our design bible. It will be our reference book or bible, so to say.
Q: You will also embody with your design a distinct premium level…
MT: Indeed, we will be very serious and thorough in lifting our design language well into the premium level. This will reflect itself in the quality of the chosen materials as well as the shapes. In our design, we want to express also the (sporting) heritage of our brand. So we look for compactness, agility, efficiency. The Pu+Ra is compact in its overall dimensions, like the historic Lancias.
Q: Will we see these design elements already in the future Ypsilon, because there the design is already established and fixed now…
MT: The design elements shown here in the Pu + Ra HPE will be seen in the forthcoming Lancia’s we announced here today…,For instance, the iconic “Calice”, Chalice or Cup in the front of the car will also adorn the front of these Lancias.
Q: It will be so to say the light signature of the Lancia’s…
MT: Indeed… also the choice of the materials conveys quality and durability. This is also a credo of Lancia, and we express this with the use of durable materials.
Thank you very much for this interview.
We will soon follow with an interview with Mr. Milosz Tomanek_Premium Cluster Director Belux. Stay tuned!
We met already Mme Béatrice Foucher at the presentation of the DS 4 last year in Chantilly, where she presented the strategy of DS Autombiles at the “DS Week” event…
DS Automobiles is carving a fine niche for itself in the premium segment. Your servant appreciates the refinement, comfort and last but not least the style of these fine DS automobiles. You can understand that we were delighted to meet Mme Béatrice Foucher at the presentation of the DS 4 in the “DS week” last year in Chantilly. Then, the entire press presentation of this noble automobile was in line with its qualities: we were not only able to meet Mme Béatrice Foucher personally at dinner, together with the communications people of the brand at lunch, we also had interesting workshops with the designers, engineers and last but not least the craftsmen and artists who make the DS 4 into the hand made four wheeled gem it is. You can read more about this event in our columns, see https://autoprova.be/2021/09/05/we-had-a-first-drive-with-the-elegant-ds-4-the-electrified-future-has-arrived-at-ds-automobiles/
At the Brussels Salon this year, we were again invited to have an interview with her. Just read further…
Hans Knol ten Bensel
A prototype of the DS 4 was displayed in Chantilly, symbol indeed of French “Savoir faire”…
HKtb: I have to congratulate you on your client approach and your philosophy to extend the refinement of your cars, not only in its external styling, but also in the interior.
BF: Indeed, that is our “raison d’être”, it is a combination of technology and the French “savoir faire” or know-how. Indeed, after having admired the exterior, customers must open the door of our cars, like for instance the DS4, see the new leather, the new solutions in the interior we developed in the DS3, the new DS7. From the next year onwards, we are going to create what we call collections, like there exist in the world of fashion.
The stunning interior of the DS prototype seen last year in Chantilly. Look at the contours and wood lined finish of the seats. A harbinger of things to come?
HKtB: We see here on the Salon, the very stylish DS E-Tense Performance 600 kW prototype, are there details of this car we will see in the production models?
BF: This will be more for the exterior than the interior, its bodywork lines which will be seen on our cars from 2024 onwards.(See our photo below of this prototype)
HKtB: But you emphasize the “savoir faire” Français, the French art of life…in automotive mobility.
BF: Indeed, that’s it. This lies in the materials we use, the art of treating them and producing exquisite textures. The French know-how in terms of stock market value lies now in the companies producing luxury goods, who have an established international reputation. This know-how is internationally recognized and appreciated, and this we put into our cars. Indeed, we see the car as a part of the interior one lives in, a part of one’s private home, and so the satisfaction and the reason people buy our cars is this choice of materials which appeals to them.
The reasons why our clients buy a DS is first of all the design, both as well exterior as interior, as this is a car which tells something about them. The second element is the elegance and the luxury and last but not least, the comfort. These are the three aspects which make people purchase a DS. The level of satisfaction is very high; clients are very pleased with their choice.
HKtB: Are your clients mostly women?
BF: No! When we look at the statistics, we have the same share of male clients than the other premium brands, even for the DS3, which appeals only slightly more to women. The reason why our clients buy a DS is because it’s a French premium brand, they like a different car in this premium segment, and indeed, the (male) clients show the car to their spouses, they enter the car, and they fall for it. So indeed we have a female clientele “on the second row”, they have a strong influence in the choice of the car which doesn’t show in the statistics.
HKtB: When cars are too feminine, women (and men) don’t necessarily buy it…
BF: Indeed, but as soon as the cars embody a social statement, as premium cars do, the (sexual) codes are not important. We put forward the codes of “savoir faire” Français, of luxury, of refinement, which appeals to both men and women.
HKtB: Indeed, a Cartier watch also appeals to men…
HKtB: The successes of your involvement in the Formula E racing does not really translate into the image of the brand…it did not create the “Audi” effect.
BF: You mentioned Audi. Now their Quattro was a car entering in rallies with iconic figures behind the wheel. Rallies are very popular. We are a young brand, dating from 2014, we chose the Formula E because it tells the story of our brand, with its fast and early move towards electrification. Formula E is not as popular as F1 for example, but it is iconic and indeed quite amusing and interesting.
I mention also here that the DS 7 360 or the DS9 is built by the DS Performance team. This means that besides the drivetrain which is shared with Peugeot, everything else is specific, it has a unique “feel” on the road and offers an exceptional handling. We also optimized the regeneration also on this car, which clients consider important. But indeed, we don’t have decades of sporting history to tell here…
HKtb: Also the typical DS client is not the one who drives (very) fast or seeks the ultimate in performance…
BF: Indeed, this is what we want, and that’s the reason why we call it also “the art of the voyage”. The quality of the time you spend in the car is important. The satisfaction enjoying the comfort of a car being surrounded by noble materials. Of course, you have not less than 360 HP. I can use them if I want it, but what is offered here with this car to me is comfort and refinement. One has more than enough power at hand, but it is not an issue.
HKtb: Are your clients young, and is connectivity important for them?
BF: Our clients are not young, which is the case for all premium brands, if one looks at the B to C statistics, they are between 58 and 60 years old, the B to B is younger, from 45 to 50 years, let’s say. Everybody wants to be seen as an amateur of technology, being a “technophile”, because one thinks that if you don’t love technology, you are missing out. So everyone wants a car which is up to this. It is a social statement of modernity. I tell to my teams, the value of a car is nowadays 50 % hardware and 50 % software.
HKtB: This digitalization takes still further steps, like is shown by BMW with its “Neue Klasse” with screen wide displays and dashboard instrumentation and touch knobs and buttons reduced to the minimum, as the underlying digital menus are doing the rest.
BF: Our philosophy is very clear and we showed it also on our concept car, it is to say that what makes the value of our cars is that when you open the door, you have the impression to enter in a Bugatti. We have refinement, savoir faire, and this we want to stress even more in the future. Of course we consider also the increasing digital infotainment needs, as a modernist social statement, but we want this digital element to disappear when the client wishes so. If you enter the car, there is nothing on the screen. Only when you put the contact, the screen appears. That is our philosophy and our goal. Because at a certain point, showing a plethora of screens is not premium. The faculty of having the information appear and again discreetly disappear is premium. This is the direction in which we work. Of course, we need the technology to make this happen.
HKtb: What I would also look for in future DS automobiles is incredible sound…
BF: We made a partnership with Focal, installed in our higher equipment versions like the Rivoli line, which reaches already very good sound quality… of course we have now more silent, electrified or fully electrified cars, which makes this even more important. Everybody works on this, and we also work with partners who have built an enviable reputation in pure sound management. You will see more in the future…
HKtb: When I travel on a motorway, in a certain region, I would like to tune in on my sound system for cultural, historic or general information about where I travel.
BF: This fits in our philosophy of cultivating “the art of the voyage”, and this is also want the digitalization to bring us. My name I Beatrice, and I want to know about the culture, or art places to visit in the region or city where I travel. This is what connectivity should give me.
Autoprova - for the Connaisseur 