It not only sounds like a place straight out of a sci-fi series, but the new name for the merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Peugeot S.A. – Stellantis – is rooted in the stars.

Stellantis comes from the Latin verb ‘stello’ meaning ‘to brighten with stars’.

According to a joint statement: “It draws inspiration from this new and ambitious alignment of storied automotive brands and strong company cultures that in coming together are creating one of the new leaders in the next era of mobility while at the same time preserving all the exceptional value and the values of its constituent parts.

“Stellantis will combine the scale of a truly global business with an exceptional breadth and depth of talent, knowhow and resource capable of providing the sustainable mobility solutions for the coming decades. The name’s Latin origins pay tribute to the rich history of its founding companies while the evocation of astronomy captures the true spirit of optimism, energy and renewal driving this industry-changing merger.

This is the next step in the merge process originally announced back in December of last year and the Stellantis name will be used exclusively at the Group level, as a Corporate brand.

The next step in the process will be the unveiling of a logo that, with the name, will become the corporate brand identity. The names and the logos of the Stellantis Group’s constituent brands will remain unchanged.

Completion of the merger project is expected to occur in the first quarter of 2021, subject to customary closing conditions, including approval by both companies’ shareholders at their respective Extraordinary General Meetings and the satisfaction of antitrust and other regulatory requirements.