Italy’s passenger car output falls to lowest level since 1955

Passenger car production in Italy fell to its lowest level since 1955 in 2025, as output at Stellantis’ Italian plants dropped by more than 20%, according to data released on Wednesday by the FIM-CISL trade union.

Stellantis produced a total of 379,706 vehicles in Italy last year. The passenger car segment was hit hardest, with production declining by 24.5% year-on-year to 213,706 units.

Bloomberg noted that this was the weakest result since 1955, when Stellantis’ predecessor Fiat was Italy’s largest carmaker and produced 230,988 vehicles.

Over the past two years, passenger car production in Italy has nearly halved from 521,104 units in 2023, underscoring the scale of the downturn.

At several plants, production was suspended for more than 100 days during the year. Almost half of the group’s workforce in Italy was placed on reduced working hours, according to the union.

The Mirafiori plant in Turin was the only Italian site to record an increase in output in 2025, supported by the launch of the new Fiat 500 hybrid. All other plants reported double-digit declines, while production at the Melfi plant in southern Italy fell by almost 50%.

The union expects a modest recovery in 2026, driven by higher production of the Fiat 500 hybrid and the launch of the new Jeep Compass, which is set to be manufactured in southern Italy.

• Stellantis was formed in 2021 through the merger of France’s PSA Group and Italian-American Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. In December 2024, Carlos Tavares stepped down as chief executive after leading the company since the merger.
• The Italian government has previously criticised Stellantis for shifting production to countries with lower labour costs, including Morocco. The company’s new CEO, Antonio Filosa, has pledged increased investment in its Italian manufacturing facilities.