New product and investment is part of a strategy to reinvigorate Stellantis and it’s iconic vehicle brands in Canada. 

Stellantis has been the headlines recently, with a good deal of focus on the future of its Brampton Assembly plant, that has been idled since the last LX/LC cars (Dodge Charger/Challenger) rolled off the line in 2023. And while the brand has seen market share decline over the last decade—fresh new products in core markets, like the new Jeep Cherokee and the reintroduction of the iconic HEMI V8 in the Ram 1500, are signalling that things are turning around, and that’s been reflected in growing sales over the last few months. Autosphere recently caught up with Stellantis’ new CEO in Canada, Trevor Longley. Here’s what he had to say: 

Autosphere: Congratulations on your new position. Where do you see this role taking you, and what are some of the plans for Stellantis in Canada going forward?

Trevor Longley: In coming into this role at Stellantis here in Canada, there is a lot to be excited about in terms of the products and the brands we represent. I grew up in Canada when Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep were powerhouse brands and true household names. They still are, but the market has changed a lot since then, particularly over the last decade. With that in mind I think there is a real opportunity to shine new light onto our portfolio of brands and products. We have a large and committed dealer network and I’m looking forward to helping our dealers grow their business and for us, as a management team and an OEM, to be a change agent in making that happen. The question is, how do we help them do that? I feel it’s through a combination of things, but a core element is having and bringing to market products that customers want and focusing on developing vehicles and technology that not only helps us resonated with our existing client base but also capture new customers.

AS: Can you tell us about some of the core products that are part of this focus?

TL: A big one for us is the new Jeep Cherokee which we’ve introduced as a 2026 model. Cherokee falls right into the heart of the single biggest vehicle segment we have in this country. It represents a quarter of the overall new vehicle market and we’ve been absent from that segment for several years which has had a significant impact. The new 2026 Cherokee aims to address that and we feel have a competitive product with the new model, and we’ve taken that a step further by offering it with a standard hybrid powertrain that combines a turbocharged ICE engine with twin electric motors. For us, this is really our first foray into the true hybrid segment, by offering product that comes 100% as a hybrid. To me, it demonstrates our commitment to being at the forefront of this technology and vehicle electrification.

AS:Tell us a little about the return of the HEMI V8 to the Ram 1500 lineup, I’m sure that’s going to resonate very well with both dealers and customers?

TL: The 3.0-litre Hurricane inline-six is a great engine, and it’s proved itself to be extremely capable, but there is a magic to the HEMI and for decades, it’s been intrinsically linked to our Ram, Dodge and Chrysler brands. We saw that discontinuing the HEMI V8 in the Ram 1500, caused some customers to lose interest and not consider our offering, because of their affinity for that engine. That’s been rectified for the 2026 model year, and we feel the HEMI not only represents the return of a legendary powertrain, but serves as a great compliment to the Hurricane. Having halo models like the Ram TRX and also the DC650 street truck, as well as the Rev broadens the Ram 1500’s appeal. The Rev combines serious truck capability with a range extending electric powertrain and we think this approach is the way forward when it comes to electrification on the full-size pickup path, since it delivers all the payload and towing capability truck buyers expect, while pushing us forward to a lower emissions future.

AS: There’s been lots of talk about the future of Stellantis in Canada in terms of manufacturing, especially since Chrysler has been such an integral part of Canadian landscape and culture since the 1920s. We’d love to hear your thoughts.

TL: There are a lot of things currently happening. I would call them externalities and decisions. A key one is Brampton Assembly and we are currently looking at a long term strategy for that facility. I also think it’s important to note that Stellantis has made some very major investments in Canada over the last few years. Since 2022 we have invested nearly $8 billion and that’s something that’s it isn’t frequently talked about. When you look at it in terms of the investment relative to the size of the market, it’s incredibly significant, especially considering that our $13 billion investment in the U.S. has been highly publicized. While we continue to work through a solution for Brampton, we’ve added a third shift at our Windsor Assembly facility, adding an additional 1700 people to our workforce there. We’ve also been hiring engineers and R&D team members at our research facility. We are still very committed to battery R&D research and were the first ones to announce a big automotive battery facility in Canada. That said, the reality is that policy and the market has shifted, and that has impacted our operations. When it comes to Brampton, we have employees there and we want to continue to have a future in the city and find a solution, but when we look at what’s happening overall, our commitment to Canada and Canadians continues to be strong, and there’s been no shortage of investment in our operations in this country.

AS: This year, the Canadian International AutoShow was a huge hit, with record attendance in February. Is there anything you’d like to mention regarding CIAS 2026 from Stellantis’ perspective?

TL: CIAS is always a great event for us and we had some exciting product that Canadians could sample at the AutoShow. We had the Jeep Recon BEV, as well as the new Cherokee and the Ram trucks we previously mentioned, as well as the made in Canada Charger which is offered in both coupe and sedan, and in R/T or Scat Pack versions. For 2026, we revised our popular Camp Jeep attraction at CIAS, and there is nothing like it at the show, where consumers get to see first hand the real capabilities of our Jeep branded products. It’s a unique opportunity to demonstrate and teach people about the various technologies that make Jeep vehicles what they are, including sway-bar disconnect and advanced 4×4 capability. It’s a great, unique, and interactive experience that not only excites our customers but also our dealers.

AS: Anything else you’d like to mention?

TL: I think just the opportunity to share our story. There is real momentum happening at Stellantis. Our sales have been growing in Canada over the last few months and we feel our products are resonating with Canadians and are positioned right in the market. We are focused on doing the right thing for our customers and our dealers, so that they can grow sales and continue to be an important part of the communities in which they operate. I’m excited about the future, about our brands and our commitment to Canada.