Alexandre
The soap opera continues for the plant Stellantis in Termoli, Italy, which until recently produced FIRE and Firefly (GSE) combustion engines. After months of speculation, the news is in: the FIRE production unit, which produces FIRE and Firefly (GSE), will be idle for several months.
FIRE engines: a fading heritage
FIRE engines have long been a symbol of reliability and innovation for Fiat, powering iconic models such as the current Fiat Panda and the old Fiat 500. However, with the accelerating transition to electric, these engines seem to have become obsolete in Stellantis' strategic portfolio. Although its successor, the FireFly engine, produced in the same plant, still has a place of choice in vehicles such as the Alfa Romeo Tonale and certain Jeep models, the move towards a more electric range, and towards Puretech hybrid internal combustion engines (Alfa Romeo Junior, Fiat Grande Panda, new Lancia Ypsilon), is gradually reducing demand for Fiat engines.
Towards the end of production
Last Septemberrumours suggested that FireFly production would cease on October 1.. If these speculations were just the beginning, Stellantis's recent decisions confirm the establishment of a Contrat de Solidarité Défensif (CDS) for 887 workers at the Termoli plant from November 11, 2024 to August 1, 2025. This contract provides for a reduction in working hours to avoid immediate redundancies, a measure which reflects the impact of falling demand for these FireFly engines.
According to the unions, this decision follows a meeting between staff representatives and Stellantis management. The CDS, adopted for the FIRE unit and associated departments, allows work to be distributed over a larger number of employeeswith partial wage compensation for lost hours. However, this solution merely postpones a problem that seems inevitable: a gradual reduction in activities and headcount.
Social and economic consequences
The announcement of this production cut comes just a few months after the suspension of a Gigafactoryinitially planned to transform the Termoli plant into a production center for batteries for electric vehicles. This project represented hope of retraining for employees, but its suspension has heightened concerns about the future of the plant. While the CDS may temporarily ease the situation, by avoiding a total shutdown of production, it is seen by many as a transitional step towards a reduction in activity that could be long-lasting.
The plant's workers, already affected by repeated production stoppagesare facing growing uncertainty about their future. FIOM-CGIL secretary Gianluca Falcone describes the situation as "really bad". The unions are calling for a fair rotation of working hours and quarterly meetings to assess the effectiveness of the CDS and ensure transparency in the management of this crisis.
Where do FIRE/FireFly fit into the Stellantis range?
The FIRE/FireFly, in its various configurations, still equips some end-of-cycle vehicles, such as the Jeep Compass, Renegade, Fiat Panda, Fiat 500X and Tipo. However, with the transition to more modern, electrified models, the use of these engines is diminishing, especially in Europe. It should be noted that the Fiat Panda, although extended until 2030, could see its demand for FireFly engines diminished by the appearance of new hybrid and electric versions. As for the Fiat 500 hybrid, now called the Fiat 500 Torinowill use a combustion engine produced at Termoli. In the medium and long term, the transformation into a Giga-factory will remain the only solution for the survival of the Termoli plant.
The Fire and Firefly worked well. Better to replace them with Puretechs, which don't work so well.
Two comments: You say that the Fiat 500 hybrid will use a new engine, but that's not quite true. It will use a pure tech engine with a chain, but with all the other defects.
It's just a desire on the part of Tavares, to whom Agnelli is still giving too much power, in view of the bill that will be presented after his departure.
Fiat CEO Olivier Francois has confirmed that the future 500 hybrid will use an engine produced in Italy at Termoli. Unless the puretech is now produced in Termoli, it will be the gse.
As the proud owner of 2 Fire engines, a 1995 Punto Cabrio and a 2020 Panda, I don't understand this determination to denigrate these simple, puncture-proof engines.
Even without particularly "eco-friendly" driving, my average fuel consumption is between 5.5 and 6 /100 km.
But on national and departmental roads rather less ëand a little more on freeways.
Is it really that much more than the C1 108s equipped with the puretechs that are the source of recurring problems?
It seems to me that Tavares wants the Italian car industry in particular, and indeed the whole of Stellantis, to die, given his determination to make suicidal decisions.
A estratégia é simples....arruinar com os construtores tradicionais europeus para se tornarem um mero concessionário de viaturas chinesas....os contratos já estão até assinados
If Tavares had decided to keep the Firefly engines on the Fiat 600, Alfa Junior, Lancia Ypsilon and Jeep Avenger, the Termoli plant could have been running at full capacity.
Unacceptable, it goes against all common sense.... always for these people to gorge themselves, nothing to do with ecology of course, we must stop buying their products, period......
I couldn't agree more. FIAT fire and JTD engines are the best on the market in their categories. I've owned about fifteen FIATs despite the constant denigration from the specialist press, the same press that used to praise pure tech. By cutting costs and raising prices, Mr. Tavares has put Stellantis in a difficult position.
When will carmakers put an engine builder in charge of their company?
I had a fiat Punto 1 TD 1.7 turbo ,Fiat Idea 1.4 Fire ,Fiat Croma 1.9 Mjtd 150 cv boite auto and a Lancia Musa 1.9 Mjtd 100 cv I never had any problem with these Fca engines .
At the time of the merger Tavares should have kept the Fca engines on the new Fiay ,Lancia, alfa and Jeep by adapting them to the CMP base ,this is possible since in Brazil, 208 , c3 already have Firefly .
Preferia de longe comprar um Junior ou um ypsilon com o motor de 4 cilindros 1.3 Firefly Multiair, em vez do manco 1.2 Puretech com um " desenrasque " de corrente de distribuição... aliás, gosto globalmente do novo Junior, apesar de alguns pequenos detalhes, mas para já, o maior entrave é mesmo o motor, já que 100% elétricos, no momento, não me interessam.
Die Puretech Motoren sind der letzte Mist. Die meisten schaffen noch keine 100000km ohne Probleme. Stellantis hätte besser mehr Geld in die Fiat Motoren gesteckt, und sie in allen Modellen verbaut.