A change of hands at PSA …
https://europe.autonews.com/move/psa-names-former-renault-nissan-execs-head-citroen-ds-brands
https://europe.autonews.com/move/psa-names-former-renault-nissan-execs-head-citroen-ds-brands
INCHCAPE To Show Us How To Sell Citroens?
- Thread starter Greg
- Start date
Not surprised about the 3008. Everyone I've been able to ask about it love it and say it's very reliable "despite it being French". I tell them Peugeot topped the reliability index last year (or was it second?).
I would love a 5008, but the 508 is just soooo beautiful. I'm still struggling to find anything that is as roomy inside and small outside as the C4 Grand Picasso. Maybe when the kids are bigger... Then I'll finally be adding to these sales figures.
5008 is fairly close to the Picasso in layout and size. I looked over a 5008 GT recently, which was 7 seats, HDI engine, an opening roof, LED-Vision headlamps etc.. Very different in style to a Picasso, the 5008 is certainly worth considering as an alternative. The Picasso, even with lots of options wouldn't reach the price of the 5008 GT. The less expensive 5008 GT Line is petrol only I believe. There are a few 5 seater 5008s out there too, so be sure you don't mistakenly buy one of those if you really need 7 seats.
Yeah I guess that's the point - what's the point buying something so similar? But they are also not 4wd IIRC, the only reason I'd buy an SUV. It's also just as slow. I'd like something with a bit more oomph.
With regard to price, that's the benefit of such low selling volumes - people who love the cars will pick up a bargain as a few have already mentioned!
For the select few .. the ability to pick up a bargain.
Taking a long term view how long can ( will ) a large international company either tolerate such low volumes without either picking up the poison chalice and making a real effort OR discard the troublesome marque completely
I am of the opinion that OZ needs FACTORY involvement NOT just a separate importer with many fingers in many pies.
VW did it here, Renault did it here and look how they are now more popular in this market.
Another point is the range. There is nothing I really want to buy....or would risk buying in a dealer less desert.
The Aussie consumer just won't take the risk without local presence....I am seeing new Peugeot wagons on local roads though, so it CAN be done.
The 3008 hybrid seems like it will also be good; very expensive though https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqiI4rbX_wc
In the last few days I have seen a number of C3 and C4 Cactus, more than I have seen over a whole year. Maybe they sold the remaining cars at half price?
After all the recent images of burnt and blackened eucalyptus, its nice to see the odd cactus is still thriving.
John
After all the recent images of burnt and blackened eucalyptus, its nice to see the odd cactus is still thriving.
John
I was going to post the same. I saw them delivering vehicles there as I drove by on the weekend.
It used to be Officeworks. The entire underground car park was being filled with stock. Lots of vans.
It used to be Officeworks. The entire underground car park was being filled with stock. Lots of vans.
One should never presume with mathematics 
Citroën
C3 6
C3 Aircross 3
C4 Cactus 1
C5 Aircross 3
Total: 13
Peugeot
2008 14
208 0
3008 70
308 13
5008 15
508 16
Expert 2
Partner 7
Total: 137
Citroën
C3 6
C3 Aircross 3
C4 Cactus 1
C5 Aircross 3
Total: 13
Peugeot
2008 14
208 0
3008 70
308 13
5008 15
508 16
Expert 2
Partner 7
Total: 137
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Yes, NorthShore Peugeot (part of the Peter Warren Group and ex-Mildren) stopped selling and servicing Pugs (and presumably Citroëns but did anyone ever buy one from them?) in January.
With those sales figures, one would think the same. Just how long will PSA keep Citroen on the books for the Australian market?
I'm still waiting to see what Jarvis Peugeot & Citroen are going to do with it's Adelaide dealership. The land on where it currently stands, has been sold, I haven't heard on where it's being relocated.
Remaining cactus's have to be regarded as a bargain buy
Well, it is good that they were able to sell the land. Pity they couldn't sell the cars.
John
The Peugeot January figure of 137 is rather close to the average monthly sales figure of 120 units of 70 years ago when Peugeot commenced volume deliveries of the 203 in Australia. Give that few were delivered in January 1950 a monthly average taken over eleven months would have been 130, closer to the modern figure. Over thirty years ago Wheels magazine commented on how steady Peugeot sales in Australia had been since 1950. A polite way of saying they had flatlined. Looking back the total Peugeot sales for 2019 were remarkably close to the sales peaks of the 203 in 1955, the 403 in 1960 and the 504 in 1973. One might hope they don't go trying to equal the troughs.
Yes indeed. And what is the plural of Cactus I wonder....
Mind you, only a bargain if kept for quite a while as the first year or two of depreciation will be huge I guess.
I see from the details in Europe 2019, from its launch, in the first 6 months the C5 aircross sold 50,000 units in Europe.
I'm not sure of the population difference is between Europe and Australia, however I have assumed roughly 8%.
So, working on the Euro. stats there should have been 4,000 sold in Ausie.
Whats wrong???
I'm not sure of the population difference is between Europe and Australia, however I have assumed roughly 8%.
So, working on the Euro. stats there should have been 4,000 sold in Ausie.
Whats wrong???
Population of Europe: c740,000,000
Population of Aus: c25,000.000
A a percentage, Aus percentage is about 3.37% of Europe’s.
So if Europe sold 50,000 in a given, Aus “should sell” 1685 cars in the same time frame.
Of this doesn’t take into account the fact that Australia is situated in Asia, not in Europe and therefore the market is naturally weighted towards Asian product. Not does it take into account that there is no domestic support for French brands as there is in France. When there was domestic support for cars in Australia, it was for Holden Mitsubishi and Ford, and that’s why we bought lots of Holdens Mitsubishis and Fords, at the same time the French were buying lots of Renaults Peugeots and Citroëns.
Nor does any of this take into account the fact that there are barely a handful of dealers in Australia for Citroën, and that the automotive press seem to have a pathological desire to continue to treat Citroën and Peugeot as some sort of bizarre comedy routine, instead of what they are in the rest of the world (a normal car driven by normal people.) It’s not a pathological hatred, but it is a pathological dismissal. And of course every review mentions the small dealer network, high depreciation and relatively high dealer service costs. Over and over again. And then they say “quirky” again.
It’s a no win situation I reckon.... to get French cars back on the map in Australia would require a huge cultural shift in the mindset of Australians. From comic relief to ordinary car. I thought over the past few years that maybe there was a glimmer of hope for this, what with Renault making decent inroads, and then the new importer at PCA. Unfortunately, Renault is sliding backwards, Peugeot is sliding backwards and Citroën is barely standing: but let’s face it, Holden is sliding backwards, even Mazda is sliding backwards.
The only people making solid inroads are the Chinese - MG of all people!! Seriously! Everyone else is trying to keep their head above water in a rapidly deteriorating market place.
In other circumstances it could be better, but the overall “basically we’re in a recession” market makes it incredibly difficult for someone like Citroën to make any inroads. Particularly with a “premium price for a product that isn’t really premium” sort of approach - works in a healthy robust market, where people are a bit flush and like to take a risk, I reckon; but in a suffering market where people have no money it just means people won’t buy your cars.
But I don’t think there’s a way around that for Citroën. I don’t think they can simply sell cars cheaper here.
Population of Aus: c25,000.000
A a percentage, Aus percentage is about 3.37% of Europe’s.
So if Europe sold 50,000 in a given, Aus “should sell” 1685 cars in the same time frame.
Of this doesn’t take into account the fact that Australia is situated in Asia, not in Europe and therefore the market is naturally weighted towards Asian product. Not does it take into account that there is no domestic support for French brands as there is in France. When there was domestic support for cars in Australia, it was for Holden Mitsubishi and Ford, and that’s why we bought lots of Holdens Mitsubishis and Fords, at the same time the French were buying lots of Renaults Peugeots and Citroëns.
Nor does any of this take into account the fact that there are barely a handful of dealers in Australia for Citroën, and that the automotive press seem to have a pathological desire to continue to treat Citroën and Peugeot as some sort of bizarre comedy routine, instead of what they are in the rest of the world (a normal car driven by normal people.) It’s not a pathological hatred, but it is a pathological dismissal. And of course every review mentions the small dealer network, high depreciation and relatively high dealer service costs. Over and over again. And then they say “quirky” again.
It’s a no win situation I reckon.... to get French cars back on the map in Australia would require a huge cultural shift in the mindset of Australians. From comic relief to ordinary car. I thought over the past few years that maybe there was a glimmer of hope for this, what with Renault making decent inroads, and then the new importer at PCA. Unfortunately, Renault is sliding backwards, Peugeot is sliding backwards and Citroën is barely standing: but let’s face it, Holden is sliding backwards, even Mazda is sliding backwards.
The only people making solid inroads are the Chinese - MG of all people!! Seriously! Everyone else is trying to keep their head above water in a rapidly deteriorating market place.
In other circumstances it could be better, but the overall “basically we’re in a recession” market makes it incredibly difficult for someone like Citroën to make any inroads. Particularly with a “premium price for a product that isn’t really premium” sort of approach - works in a healthy robust market, where people are a bit flush and like to take a risk, I reckon; but in a suffering market where people have no money it just means people won’t buy your cars.
But I don’t think there’s a way around that for Citroën. I don’t think they can simply sell cars cheaper here.