Stellantis could find itself at the center of an unprecedented industrial reshuffle, with BYD publicly confirming its interest in underused European plants and, unexpectedly, also in the Maserati brand. The comments came from Stella Li, executive vice president of the Chinese group, on the sidelines of the Future of the Car conference organized by the Financial Times in London.
According to the latest reports, BYD is holding talks with Stellantis to evaluate the possible use of plants that currently operate below full capacity. The most frequently mentioned sites include the Cassino plant in Italy, La Janais in France and a facility in Germany.
Maserati and Stellantis factories draw unexpected interest from BYD
The group led by Antonio Filosa has already shown openness toward collaboration with Chinese automakers through its partnership with Leapmotor, which includes production activities in Spain and the possible transfer of the Madrid site to a dedicated joint venture. Filosa himself has reportedly suggested that further industrial agreements should not be ruled out.
The most surprising element, however, concerns Maserati. Stella Li described the Trident brand as “very interesting,” while clarifying that BYD has not started any negotiations. Still, the mere possibility of Chinese interest in one of Italy’s most iconic automotive luxury names shows how deeply the industry’s balance is changing.
Stellantis is not the only major European group involved in these dynamics. Volkswagen is also among the manufacturers with which BYD has reportedly opened talks, confirming a strategy aimed at establishing deeper roots in Europe’s production network rather than simply relying on exports.
For Stellantis, the issue remains especially delicate because it involves Italian and French plants already at the center of intense political and union debate. Sharing or handing over production capacity to a Chinese automaker would have seemed unthinkable only a few years ago, but industrial overcapacity and slowing demand are redefining the limits of what is possible and, above all, necessary.
