Fiat Chrysler, PSA to emerge as Stellantis following merger next year

(Reuters) - The combined company resulting from the merger of Italian-American carmaker Fiat Chrysler Automobiles <FCHA.MI> and France's Peugeot owner PSA <PEUP.PA> will be called Stellantis, the automakers said on Wednesday.

Stellantis is derived from the Latin verb "stello", which means "to brighten with stars," the companies said.

The names and the logos of the group's constituent brands will remain unchanged after the deal's projected close in the first quarter of 2021.

In December, Fiat Chrysler and PSA agreed to combine in a $50 billion all-share deal to create the world's fourth-biggest carmaker, and unite brands such as Fiat, Jeep, Dodge, Ram and Maserati with the likes of Peugeot, Opel and DS.

The process of identifying the new name for the merged company was supported by Publicis Group <PUBP.PA>, the companies said.

(Reporting by Shreyasee Raj in Bengaluru; Editing by Aditya Soni)