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-   -   Peugeot to re-enter India with the CK Birla Group (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/indian-car-scene/183647-peugeot-re-enter-india-ck-birla-group-5.html)

It is really sad to see Peugeot struggling like this to re-enter India. One of the best cars we ever got, in terms of solidity and comfort, in the 1990’s was the Peugeot 309 GLD. Such a good car. Absolutely made for our bad Indian roads. Extremely comfortable and with very decent handling.
I love these French Marques. I wish Citroen would come in with its Cactus and similar. And I wish Renault would bring in the lovely Megane. And poor Peugeot, I wish them luck on their journey into India.

well aren't they 'struggling' because they want an entry into the market with minimum capital outlay. They want to acquire HM/GM facility for a pittance (most possible) and maybe piggyback on their dealer network.

Peugeot 309D

I have driven this vehicle around the years 1999 - 2002, not sure of the year but the Lancer was present in India at the same time. I then had a TATA Safari & a Cielo.

I found the Peugeot to be quite crude compared to both the Cielo and Lancer.

People praised the 309 even then and I felt claustrophobic in it. The gear stick shook and it was just not refined. I guess diesel and fuel effeciency meant a lot of fuel savings but that was about it.

And then they dumped India while others like even Mitsubishi have fought on. Why should Indians trust this brand again, however good their current cars may turnout.

@ACM; Again the same issue. They brought the car in without any of the additional bells and whistles. Remember almost all mid- high-end cars entering India have a lot of additional 'goodies' since they are pitched at a higher end in India. A 309D in Europe will be considered as a high lower end vehicle.

Peugeot, Citroen owned DS 7 cross-back spied testing in India, likely to be the first SUV to be launched in India from the group.

A premium crossover the DS 7 Crossback sits on PSA's EMP2 platform, which also underpins the Citroen C5 Aircross and the Peugeot 5008 SUVs.

Not yet clear on which variant is slated for launch in India.




Link

Isn't Birla already holding Mitsubishi India?

Citroen C5 Aircross SUV spied in India.



Source:

Looks like a ‘DC’ modified Duster from the front.

Citroen C5 image gallery from AutoCarIndia.

Link

PSA Group to launch Citroen brand in India by end-2021

According to a media report, France-based PSA Group has plans to launch the Citroen brand in India and the first model could go on sale by end-2021.



It is unclear which model the carmaker plans to introduce in India. However, recent spy images suggest that Citroen could be evaluating the DS7 Crossback and C5 Aircross SUVs for India.

The PSA Group has already formed a joint venture with the CK Birla Group and has set up a production facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu. The factory was built to manufacture powertrains and transmissions for domestic and export markets.

This is not the first time that the French carmaker has explored the Indian market. In the 1990s, Peugeot had launched the 309 sedan.

Source: Autocar India

Link to Team-BHP News

Makes sense as the Peugeot brand carries too much baggage in India. As I'd mentioned before, if Peugeot were to come to India, mobs would be waiting at the airport to claim back their deposits :D. Peugeot running away from India without refunding the 309 booking deposits cost the brand dearly.

But this will be a challenge as well. No one knows Citroen in India. The handful that do know the brand would be hard-pressed to name any standout characteristics. What does Citroen stand for? It's just another average European brand IMHO. And some of their designs are truly WEIRD.

Not going to be easy building a new brand from scratch, especially for the French who usually don't have a clue about the Indian market. Good luck!

Only way for them to stand out would be offering something that isn't sold by anyone else (electric, hybrid, super powerful car etc.). They need a unique product, else it's going to sink like the Titanic.

PSA Group confirms launch of Citroen brand in India.


Source:

Citroen C5 Aircross offers range of exterior customisation option in both interiors as well as exteriors. It comes with turbo petrols and diesel engine options which are quite powerful. The interiors are premium enough for the competition. Design is a love it or hate it design.

We are not sure whether it is planned for India, but it can beat the competition. Let's wait and watch how a relatively new brand makes its ground in India and how much ground work they have done to understand our market.

Attaching some pictures.

My first knowledge of Citroen brand came from this advert video, when we were studying and living in hostels. Cool background music.


https://youtu.be/4n7HU3N8rds

Citroen does make very interesting and quirky cars! The design language is a standout feature for sure.

I just hope they do not end up watering down the design and the quality aspects. Renault is doing this now and what we see from Renault India are built to cost kind of cars.

I think Citroen should take the positioning that Kia might end up taking. Premium in quality and approach, but not necessarily pricey. They should target to play in the 10-20 lakh space initially.

A lot of action is happening there and it might be too early for them to launch a fully localised sub compact or compact car, which is needed for the 5-8 lakh kind of price point.