Tim Kuniskis, father of the Hellcats, returns to Stellantis

Tim Kuniskis, the executive perhaps most influential in spreading horsepower across Stellantis’ U.S. brands, has returned to the automaker after retiring in May.

Kuniskis spent more than three decades working with various brands within Stellantis’ North American portfolio prior to retiring, most recently serving as CEO of Dodge and Ram.

He returns to Stellantis effective immediately, as the new CEO of Ram, a company spokeswoman told the Associated Press on Monday, adding that Stellantis wants Ram to have its own dedicated CEO.

After Kuniskis retired in May, Stellantis appointed Chrysler CEO Christine Feuell to oversee both Chrysler and Ram, while Dodge leadership was handed to Matt McAlear, the brand’s former sales chief.

2025 Ram 1500 RHO

Kuniskis’ return to Stellantis comes just days after CEO Carlos Tavares stepped down amid significant sales declines and disagreements with the board. Stellantis plans to name a new CEO in the first half of 2025. In the interim, the company will be led by John Elkann, the current chairman and a member of the Agnelli family, whose Exor holding company owns approximately 14.4% of Stellantis.

Sales of Ram pickups, Stellantis’ best-selling and most profitable product, have dropped nearly 18% this year as the company struggles with an oversupply of high-priced vehicles and a lack of in-demand hybrids. Many of Stellantis’ other brands face similar challenges, with the automaker reporting a 20% drop in global deliveries for the third quarter.

Shortly after graduating with a business degree from the State University of New York, Kuniskis joined Chrysler as a trainee in 1992 and worked his way up to various senior roles. While he has influenced numerous products during his tenure, he is best remembered for Dodge’s Hellcat line, which began midway last decade with the original Challenger SRT Hellcat and Charger SRT Hellcat.