A significant moment came in yesterday’s Stellantis future strategy presentation when CEO Carlos Tavares spoke of the company's “pride” at being a legacy car maker. 'Legacy' has long been seen as a dirty word among auto maker investors, many of whom see companies with outmoded operations, outsized payroll and a creaking industrial base in comparison with more nimble start-ups.
Yesterday’s event, held in Amsterdam, Stellantis’ official corporate home, was partly about convincing the assembled analysts and journalists that this conglomeration of historical brands - now a year old - was worth more than its sluggish stock price suggested.