Stellantis is continuing to lean heavily into South America as a key pillar of its global business, and CEO Antonio Filosa made that clear during a recent visit to Brazil. With strong sales momentum and record investment flowing into the region, the automaker sees South America—particularly Brazil—as critical to its long-term success.
In 2025, Stellantis surpassed 1 million vehicles sold across South America, accounting for roughly 20% of its total global volume. That’s a significant share for a region that continues to show steady growth and strong profitability compared to other global markets.
Production at the Stellantis Automotive Industrial Pole in Betim. (Stellantis).
“Stellantis is absolutely committed to the strengthening and development of the South American automotive industry, a strategic region with high relevance to our success at the global level,” said Filosa. “In South America, we observe a continuous growth of business with an efficient execution, which gives us profitability and operational health, in order to offer freedom of choice to our customers.”
That statement reinforces just how important the region has become—not just as a sales market, but as a production and innovation hub. Stellantis has already committed R$32 billion (approximately $6.4 billion USD) to South America, marking the largest investment in the region’s automotive industry history.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa in São Paulo. (Stellantis).
A big part of that investment is focused on localized technologies. Stellantis is rolling out Bio-Hybrid powertrains developed specifically for Brazil, aimed at leveraging ethanol-based fuels while improving efficiency. At the same time, the company is expanding its electrification footprint, confirming local production of the Leapmotor B10 and C10 models, along with the development of a new REEV Flex system—something the company says will be a global first.
Looking ahead to 2026, Stellantis plans to introduce 16 new or updated models across its South American lineup. That aggressive product push is designed to maintain momentum and strengthen its already dominant position in key markets like Brazil and Argentina.
Stellantis Bio-Hybrid and eCVT Powertrain. (Stellantis).
Still, Filosa made it clear that challenges remain—particularly when it comes to maintaining a level playing field in Brazil’s automotive sector.
“We bet on the continuity of this virtuous cycle through our record investments, new products and technologies and the strength of our employees,” Filosa said. “In Brazil, we hope that the competitive gap will be analyzed so that the national automotive industry, including the entire supply chain, is sustainable and strengthened in the coming years. For this, it will be necessary to create sufficient equalization mechanisms to stimulate fair competition among all competitors.”
Production of the Jeep® Commander at the Goiana Automotive Pole. (Stellantis).
In simple terms, Stellantis is calling for policies that ensure fair competition between domestic manufacturers and global imports, helping protect long-term investment in the region.
For Stellantis, the message is clear: South America isn’t just part of the strategy—it’s a major driver of it.
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