Dodge and Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis is Retiring

by Chris Teague

Published: May 17th, 2024

dodge and ram ceo tim kuniskis is retiring

Tim Kuniskis, Dodge and Ram’s CEO, is leaving the house that Hellcat built. His tenure at Stellantis and its previous iterations spans 32 years, with his stint at the helms of Dodge starting in 2021 and Ram in 2023.

The 57-year-old will be succeeded at Dodge by Matt McAlear, Dodge’s sales operations leader. Christine Fuell, Chrysler’s CEO, will take over leading Ram. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares said, “I want to take the opportunity to warmly thank Tim for his passion, commitment and contributions to Stellantis and in defining the vision of the future electrified Ram and Dodge brands. I wish him well in his retirement. I am confident that Chris will continue the work of Tim in leading the iconic Ram brand. Matt will bring a fresh perspective while continuing to draw on the heritage of our iconic Dodge brand and leading the transition of the brand toward a sustainable future.”

Dodge’s lineup is remarkably slim following the Challenger and Charger’s discontinuation, but the brand plans to release an electric muscle car soon. Ram has an electric truck and another with a range-extending gas engine in the near future. It’s unclear how both brands will fare in the electric age, as they’ve typically aimed at the muscle car-loving crowd, which isn’t exactly the most EV-friendly demographic.

Stellantis’ global brand portfolio and resources will help it make the transition. Alfa Romeo recently released its first plug-in hybrid, which is also sold in the States as the Dodge Hornet. Though V8s are dead in the automaker’s lineup, powerful six-cylinder engines will take their place, and the company has noted that it plans to offer multiple propulsion options if customer demand is strong enough.

[Image: Stellantis]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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2 of 7 comments

TheMrFreeze on May 20, 2024

Makes you wonder if he's seeing something with Stellantis he doesn't like and wanted out as a result. As somebody with three FCA vehicles in their driveway, Stellantis is sounding more and more like DaimlerChrysler 2024 🤬

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TMA1 on May 20, 2024

I guess they're not expecting big things from a 5,800 lb sports car.

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