Tim Kuniskis, CEO of Stellantis‘ Dodge and Ram brands, will retire after nearly 32 years with the company. He will step down June 1.
Stellantis announced the news Friday and detailed corresponding executive moves. Chrysler brand CEO Christine Feuell will lead the Ram brand and will remain in charge of Chrysler. Matt McAlear will take over as CEO of Dodge after serving as the brand’s sales lead.
Kuniskis, whose tenure with Chrysler and its parent companies dates back to 1992, held many roles. He was head of Fiat in North America in 2011, and he oversaw Jeep and Alfa Romeo in 2018.
Also significant is that Kuniskis was Dodge’s spokesman for the muscle car. Under his leadership, Dodge emphasized the performance aspect of the Charger and Challenger.
It was during Kuniskis’ time at Dodge that the company introduced the 707-horsepower Hellcat V8 engine. Last year, Dodge unveiled the Challenger SRT Demon 170, which produces 1,025 horsepower.
“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,” said Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares in a press release.
“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.”
Kuniskis introduced a new era of Dodge vehicles
Kuniskis’ departure comes after he unveiled the next generation of Dodge’s muscle cars, a lineup without V8 engines.
Back in March, Kuniskis and Stellantis showed off the all-electric 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona. This move, which was part of Stellantis’ push toward electrification, hinged on two main models — the Charger Daytona R/T and Charger Daytona Scat Pack.
The R/T produces 496 horsepower. The Scat Pack boosts the output to 670 horsepower and boasts a zero to 60 mph time of 3.3 seconds.
Kuniskis also unveiled two new Charger models powered by internal combustion engines.
The Dodge Charger SIXPACK H.O. features a 3.0-liter Twin Turbo Hurricane high-output engine that produces 550 horsepower. The Dodge Charger SIXPACK S.O. has a 3.0-liter Twin Turbo Hurricane standard output engine that produces 420 horsepower.