In a dramatic courtroom showdown, Stellantis, the global auto giant behind Peugeot, Fiat, and Chrysler, saw its colossal €770 million ($805 million) claim crash and burn as the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) ruled that it had failed to prove it overpaid for safety components due to a decade-long price-fixing cartel.
The tribunal’s verdict delivered a seismic jolt to the case, concluding that Stellantis’ allegations against parts suppliers Autoliv Inc. and ZF Group lacked sufficient evidence to demonstrate any financial harm.
The Cartel Allegations: A House of Cards?
At the heart of the legal battle was the claim that a covert cartel operation—involving industry heavyweights Autoliv and TRW (now part of ZF Group)—had driven up the cost of essential safety features like seatbelts, airbags, and steering wheels.
Stellantis leaned heavily on the European Commission’s prior rulings, which had slapped a €368 million fine on Autoliv and ZF Group in 2019 for collusion while selling components to BMW and Volkswagen. But the tribunal wasn’t convinced that Stellantis was similarly affected.
