Background: Citroen wants to get out of the niche
More than just extravagant
Citroën 2CV
© press-inform – the press office
Citroen wants to go back to old successes. In many markets, the French carmaker has been getting rid of its models for years, especially with substantial discounts. That should change, because the switch to electric models offers new possibilities. Citroen wants to keep an eye on particularly small electric models.
Carlos Tavares formed the Stellantis Group from FCA and PSA with an iron hand, leaving hardly one tire unturned. Each of the numerous brands should have its own character and that is just as difficult as with the main competitor Volkswagen and its conglomerate. A lot has already happened at Peugeot, DS or Opel, but Citroen in particular is not yet as sharp as the brand’s loyal fans would like and that is exactly what should change in the next two years. First of all, Peugeot’s unequal twin brother wants to be electrified by the end of 2024, although hybrids, unlike some competitors, should continue to have a chance. In the medium term, this should ensure a sales share of at least five percent throughout Europe. Quite surprising: Citroen wants to sell 70 percent of its vehicles in Europe. Under its new CEO Thierry Koskas, the French carmaker only wants to sell around 100,000 vehicles in the Middle East, Africa, India, Asia / Pacific and South America regions.
The sales increases in Europe should primarily be realized by the current portfolio with some new models such as an electric C3. With the C1, C2 and C3, Citroen once had three inexpensive small cars on offer, which were rounded off at the top with the C6 luxury class sedan or the C8 Eurovan. But those times are long gone. A particularly simple and clearly structured product range should make it easier for the customer to decide on a model and, in particular, an equipment variant. In the future, the brand with the double chevron will only have three equipment variants and a maximum of five packages per model. Last but not least, the aim is to get the customer to simply configure the vehicle of their choice on the web and buy it online with just a few clicks. The simpler offer structure should also be reflected in a particularly favorable sales price, which should make discounts largely superfluous. The question remains whether this works better than with other volume brands. At the very least, Citroen would like to completely omit the relevant sales discounts on some test markets and then roll this out across Europe. It shouldn’t be easy because of the competition in the company’s own company, because many customers who Citroen is courting would also like Peugeot, Fiat or Opel.
According to the specifications of traditional small car predecessors such as 2CV, Ami 6, Visa, AX or Saxo, Citroen wants to stick to a cheap entry-level model even under the difficult specifications of an electric car. The A segment, like the 2CV or Saxo, can’t be made with a power plug, but the French are working with the support of the Stellantis Group on a low-priced electric entry-level model that is positioned in the B segment for less than 25,000 euros. The new Citroen e-C3 is scheduled to be launched in the second quarter of 2024 and will offer a fully networked electric range of more than 300 kilometers. So far, only the sister brands have offered Opel with the Corsa Electric, Fiat with the 500 E and Peugeot with the e-208 small electric car. However, these are all around or even over 30,000 euros. The new Citroen e-C3 wants to push this price down significantly and thus open up new customer groups.