DETROIT – Stellantis‘ Dodge and Ram manufacturers CEO Tim Kuniskis is retiring after a virtually 32-year profession with the automaker and its predecessors, the corporate introduced Friday.

Kuniskis, who has led a number of of the carmaker’s manufacturers in North America, is greatest recognized for main Dodge for many of the final decade or so. He’s thought of the “father” of Dodge’s high-performance Hellcat fashions and “the unofficial spokesman” for American muscle vehicles.

Throughout his tenure, Dodge reestablished itself as a quintessential American muscle automotive model. The model did so with autos such because the greater than 700 horsepower Challenger and Charger Hellcat fashions and controversial Challenger Demon drag race vehicles.

Kuniskis will likely be changed by Chrysler model CEO Christine Feuell, who will lead Ram along with Chrysler, and Matt McAlear, who will likely be promoted from Dodge’s gross sales result in model CEO and a member of Stellantis’ high govt workforce. The appointments are efficient June 1, the corporate stated.

The adjustments come as Stellantis carries out a restructuring, together with layoffs and price slicing. It has struggled with U.S. gross sales, which declined 1.2% final 12 months in a market that grew 12.3%. The corporate was the one main automaker to report a yearly decline, in response to Motor intelligence information.

“I wish to take the chance to warmly thank Tim for his ardour, dedication and contributions to Stellantis and in defining the imaginative and prescient of the long run electrified Ram and Dodge manufacturers. I want him nicely in his retirement,” Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares stated in a launch. “I’m assured that Chris will proceed the work of Tim in main the enduring Ram model. Matt will deliver a contemporary perspective, whereas persevering with to attract on the heritage of our iconic Dodge model and main the transition of the model towards a sustainable future.”

Whereas the corporate didn’t put money into all-new merchandise for Dodge, Kuniskis, a salesman and marketer, was in a position to develop consciousness and gross sales of the model’s Charger, Challenger and Durango autos through the years. Dodge typically sparked curiosity by rising V-8 engine efficiency or saying new “buzz” fashions.

Kuniskis has been a member of Stellantis’ high govt workforce because the firm was established by means of a merger of Fiat Chrysler and French automaker PSA Groupe in January 2021. He additionally served on the highest board for Fiat Chrysler, beneath late CEO Sergio Marchionne.

Kuniskis’ departure is the most recent in a string of adjustments to the corporate because the automaker was established. Latest adjustments have embody a shuffle of Jeep’s high executives; North America head Mark Stewart leaving to turn out to be CEO of Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co.; and a shakeup late final 12 months of the corporate’s worldwide operations just like the South America and Asia-Pacific areas, together with China.