Stellantis reorganizes design centers for Citroën, DS, and Opel under the FaSTLAne plan, unifying studios and appointing new leadership.
Design reorganization under FaSTLAne
Gilles Vidal has reorganized the design centers for Citroën, DS, and Opel as part of the FaSTLAne plan introduced by Stellantis in May 2026. Since joining Stellantis in October 2025, Vidal has focused on defining the design strategy for European brands.Unification of Citroën and DS design
The unification of Citroën and DS design studios was announced by Stellantis on September 8, 2026, under the leadership of Xavier Chardon. Marketing, communication, product, pricing, and customer satisfaction services are now shared between the two brands, except for design.Preparation for Paris Motor Show
The decision to unify the design studios came amid preparations for the Paris Motor Show, where Vidal focused on promoting nine concept cars and postponed the official announcement until after the event. The selection of a new head for the unified design studio was a key decision.New head of unified design studio
According to reports, neither Pierre Leclercq, head of Citroën design, nor Thierry Métroz, head of DS design, was chosen. Instead, Sandeep Bhambra, who followed Vidal from Renault to Stellantis, was selected. Bhambra previously led the design of the Renault Twingo and was a potential successor to Vidal at Renault.Succession plans for Opel design
The succession of Mark Adams, director of design for General Motors Europe since 2007, is also under consideration. Adams will turn 65 in December 2026, and Florian Huetl, CEO of Opel, indicated that the replacement must be fluent in German and familiar with the culture to integrate well.Potential candidates for Opel's design
Pierre Leclercq, who previously worked at BMW in Munich from 2005 to 2013, is a potential candidate to lead Opel's design center in Rüsselsheim, where a new design center is under construction. Thierry Métroz's future remains uncertain at this stage.
