November 26, 2011
Laughed a few years ago for its old image, the Citroën is taking the risk to compete with the German champions "premium". His weapon: the DS line. After the small DS3, then exit in May of the DS4, Citroen attacks from that weekend with his DS5, a preserve of Audi, BMW and Mercedes: the niche of A4, 3 Series and C Class .
The challenge is to "transform the success of the DS3," said Frederic Banzet, the CEO of the brand. The small city chic, launched in March 2010, has already passed to 135,000 copies, which is "way above the targets set," he says. The brand has even encroached on the beds of the Mini, DS3 by selling 56,400 in the first nine months of the year in Europe, against 122,000 for the range of pocket BMW free online credit report.In addition, the DS4, launched in late May, recorded nearly 30,000 orders.
Particular victim of the price war in Europe, because manufacturing costs are higher than those of its rivals, who have relocated further to the east-PSA seeks to increase its profitability with higher-end models. The DS3 is sold as 1 500 to 2 000 euros more than C3, manufactured on the same platform.
Bet more difficult
But for the DS5, the bar is far higher. Citroën is legitimate because if the segment of small and compact cars, which account for most of its volume, is much less the case with that of larger cars, where the previous launch high-end, that of C6, ended in failure.
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