Need proof that the French economy is improving? Here's the strongest statement that can be mustered – PSA Peugeot Citroen is making money. The company, which builds passenger vehicles under the Peugeot, Citroen, and DS brands, has struggled for years before getting a financial bailout from Chinese automaker Dongfeng and the French government. Now, the company is doing so well it's seriously looking at returning to the US market. And no, you're not suffering Daylight Savings Time-induced hysteria – you really did read that correctly.
The company is putting together an international expansion plan, which it will unveil on April 5. The two items at the top of that list, bizarrely, are the US and Iranian markets, Automotive News' sister site, Automobilewoche reports. The story cites DS brand boss Yves Bonnefont and the former head of PSA's now-defunct Detroit, MI office Richard Lucki.
For Bonnefont, America is a far more tantalizing idea than Iran. The fledgling DS brand would be a "natural candidate" for American consumers, Bonnefont said, and we agree. It'd be great alternative for consumers craving a funky, stylish, and premium brand without the cutesy styling or kitschyness of Mini.
Lucki, meanwhile, pointed to the danger posed by PSA's utter lack of presence in the US. The company's Detroit office was shuttered in 2013, and it's completely devoid of either a manufacturing structure or dealership network on American soil. That's going to make pricing tricky, but it doesn't mean the brand hasn't kept up on things in America.
According to Lucki, the company's Detroit office was maintained in the hopes of returning to America. It kept up on the dreary business of safety and emissions standards, but it also maintained relations with other automakers (and kept up appearances on US roads – the office had a then-new Peugeot 308 and a funk-tastic Citroen C6 sitting in its garage).
This is, of course, far from a done deal. But with it being given such serious consideration by the powers that be at PSA, you can bet that we're looking toward April 5 with much more anticipation.
The company is putting together an international expansion plan, which it will unveil on April 5. The two items at the top of that list, bizarrely, are the US and Iranian markets, Automotive News' sister site, Automobilewoche reports. The story cites DS brand boss Yves Bonnefont and the former head of PSA's now-defunct Detroit, MI office Richard Lucki.
For Bonnefont, America is a far more tantalizing idea than Iran. The fledgling DS brand would be a "natural candidate" for American consumers, Bonnefont said, and we agree. It'd be great alternative for consumers craving a funky, stylish, and premium brand without the cutesy styling or kitschyness of Mini.
Lucki, meanwhile, pointed to the danger posed by PSA's utter lack of presence in the US. The company's Detroit office was shuttered in 2013, and it's completely devoid of either a manufacturing structure or dealership network on American soil. That's going to make pricing tricky, but it doesn't mean the brand hasn't kept up on things in America.
According to Lucki, the company's Detroit office was maintained in the hopes of returning to America. It kept up on the dreary business of safety and emissions standards, but it also maintained relations with other automakers (and kept up appearances on US roads – the office had a then-new Peugeot 308 and a funk-tastic Citroen C6 sitting in its garage).
This is, of course, far from a done deal. But with it being given such serious consideration by the powers that be at PSA, you can bet that we're looking toward April 5 with much more anticipation.
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