Only in Southeast Asia, sales fell by 29.2% in 2017

The 4008 and 5008 seem to show signs of recovery in China

In the next two years half of the Peugeot range will be electrified

In 2017, Peugeot broke its sales record in almost 130 years of history, with 2,134,850 units adding cars and light commercial vehicles. It surpasses its previous best records in 18 countries, both in terms of volume and quota, and it is at the forefront of all its rivals in Europe in the van segment, a very important part of its business. However, not everything has been a bed of roses, because in a region as relevant as Southeast Asia, with China at the head, its sales fell by 29.2%, to 249,223 cars.

Despite that alarm, Jean-Phillippe Imparato, its CEO, calmly assumes the result: “We started to see signs of recovery in China and the latest models launched, the 4008 and the 5008, have been very well received. In addition, we have done a solid job to make the dealer network profitable and we have been able to clean the vehicle stock. ”

Peugeot 4008

This point was vital for the survival of distributors, because the Chinese market is so changeable that many manufacturers find that, after having produced a high number of units of a successful model, the trend varies and demand plummets . “And a brand can not live without its dealer network.”

The head of Peugeot does not disclose the company’s operating margin. But let us see that profitability is on the right track: “70% of our sales are higher versions of the range, both in the more expensive models and in the small ones”. As for the coexistence of the three generalist brands of PSA (Peugeot, Citroën and Opel), says that one is focused on a customer and defends better in certain countries. “What we can not do is step on the plots where one dominates others,” he says.

Peugeot 5008

On the strict limits of CO2 emissions established by the EU for 2025 and 2030, and that have been strongly criticized by other manufacturers, says to be in full agreement with the decision of the regulator. And he is convinced that his brand will fulfill them without major problems: “In the next two years half of our range will be electrified and by 2023 we will reach 80%, but protecting the DNA of our cars, which must remain fun to drive” .

In the doubt whether there will continue to be diesel versions in the smaller cars, given the increase in price to comply with emission limits, it is blunt: “Everything is possible, our next car in the B segment, which I can not announce when it will be released, it will be gasoline, diesel or electric 100% with an identical base “.

EL Mundo – JAIME HERNÁNDEZ – Jan 24 2018