Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa is reportedly considering a strategic realignment that could reduce DS Automobiles to a Citroën equipment line. German publication Automobilwoche reported the possibility, but Stellantis rejected the account, saying there are no efforts to fold the independent premium brand into Citroën. DS Germany chief Christine Schulze Tergeist has also described the brand’s future as independent and electric.
Created in 2014 to challenge established German premium marques, DS has struggled to build the success it sought. China was once a key target, and DS said in 2021 that it intended to remain there despite low sales. The brand’s Chinese-market ambitions have since faded: its official website no longer lists models for China.
Europe has also been difficult. Automobilwoche reported that DS sales fell about 22% in the first half of 2025 to 16,044 vehicles. In France, sales dropped 25% to 7,824. Germany was a rare bright spot, with 1,696 sales, up 6.7%, although the brand’s market share remained small.
A potential consolidation could reduce the cost of maintaining a separate marque and draw on existing group synergies. DS models already share platforms, technology and production lines with other Stellantis brands, including for electric vehicles. Stellantis also has Alfa Romeo, Lancia and Maserati competing in premium and luxury segments, adding to the strategic question of how many distinct brands the group can sustain.