Stellantis' CEO Tim Kuniskis Retires after 32 Years

Tim Kuniskis, the CEO of Dodge and Ram, is retiring after 32 years with Chrysler. His retirement will be effective on June 1. Christine Feuell, the CEO of Chrysler, will now lead Ram, while Matt McAlear, a current Dodge sales executive, will become the new CEO of Dodge. Kuniskis, also known as the creator of the Hellcat V-8, is retiring after spending 32 years with the company. Stellantis, the parent company of Dodge, announced this change last Friday. Kuniskis will retire at the end of the month. He was the CEO of Dodge and Ram for the last three years. Kuniskis is known for steering Dodge towards performance and muscle cars during his time as CEO. He introduced the powerful 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat in 2015, which set the stage for even more powerful vehicles like the Ram 1500 TRX and the Hellcat-powered Durango. While other car companies were moving towards electric vehicles, Dodge and Ram continued with powerful V-8 engines until Stellantis intervened. This led to the introduction of electric models like the Charger Daytona and the Ram 1500 REV. Kuniskis also unveiled the 1025-hp Challenger Demon 170 before retiring. Kuniskis' retirement marks the end of an era for Dodge and Ram. The brands are transitioning to electric vehicles, with Dodge phasing out gas-powered models like the Charger and Challenger. Ram sales have declined, and a Michigan factory is being retooled to produce updated full-size pickups. Despite Kuniskis' departure, Stellantis aims to continue the legacy of Dodge and Ram under new leadership. The company is launching 25 new models this year, including 18 electric vehicles, as part of a restructuring effort.