Stellantis is pursuing stronger partnerships with Chinese automakers Leapmotor and Dongfeng to relaunch Cassino and Maserati, signaling a shift from rivalry to collaboration as Europe seeks to boost production and competitiveness.

Maserati’s relaunch is part of Stellantis’s plan to leverage Italian manufacturing strengths, with Chinese partnerships offering new European industrial projects and helping preserve Italian production capabilities.

The move aims to revitalise plants in Spain and France and could extend to Maserati, using Chinese collaboration to grow European operations.

However, there are concerns about technology transfer, intellectual property, and localization, with the risk that key supply-chain roles could be dominated by Chinese partners.

French and Italian policymakers are weighing how to protect jobs while leveraging Chinese tech, with unions pushing for enduring European production rather than mere assembly.

The EU is weighing the Industrial Accelerator Act, which would require roughly 70% local content for subsidies and public procurement to spur local production and future battery manufacturing.

BYD and other Chinese automakers are targeting European manufacturing, with plans for mass production in Hungary and potential sites in Spain or France, influenced by subsidies and Made in Europe rules.

The broader trend shows European brands seeking Chinese partnerships to gain access to advanced EV tech, batteries, software, and platforms, while Chinese firms gain proximity to European markets and tariff advantages.

European auto plants face underutilization and idle capacity, prompting a push toward industrial alliances with Chinese groups to boost volumes and protect European manufacturing bases.

Local impacts include potential supplier job losses and regional economic effects around Cassino, prompting officials to manage employment and community outcomes carefully.

Carmakers across Europe facing headwinds are increasingly turning to Chinese partners to salvage operations, including examples in Italy and beyond.

European automakers see Chinese partnerships as both a survival tactic and a path to higher European sales, while aiming to preserve local supply chains and knowledge.