Photo: WorldScoop forums
Skoda and SEAT don't sell in the North American market, but the Volkswagen Group they are part of does have other brands that do. PSA, on the other hand, the maker of Peugeot and Citroen - and more recently Opel/Vauxhall, but more on that later - is completely absent from one of the automotive industry's most lucrative areas.
The French are determined to change that, but since this isn't something you can rush head-in and expect to succeed, they have a plan. That means it'll be a while before you see any Peugeot or Citroen dealerships in the U.S., but when you do, they might be there to stay.
Just the other day, PSA announced the launch of Free2Move - a smartphone app available on both the iOS and Android operating systems is designed to enable users to compare the cost and location availability of several alternative transport solutions such as Zipcar, TravelCar or Car2Go. The service is restricted to the Seattle area for now, but it will go nation-wide eventually.
That's phase one of PSA's strategy for the North American market. Phase two is launching a car-sharing service that, together with the Free2Move app, will provide the French company with plenty of data about the American client's preferences. This way, PSA can avoid the hit-and-miss method it definitely can't afford and go for a more targetted approach.
Talking to Auto Guide, Groupe PSA North America CEO Larry Dominique revealed that the carmaker is already developing its next vehicles with the U.S. regulations in mind. Once data on the North American customer has been collected and studied, we can expect to see Peugeot and Citroen cars tailored to meet their needs.
Buying the Opel brand from General Motors earlier this year seemed like a weird move from PSA, but knowing the French company's intentions, it would make sense to use Opel's knowledge of the U.S. market.
Dominique says we're looking at a "ten-year project" here, underlining just how different and potentially difficult the North American clientele is. But with over ten million cars sold each year, that's a market PSA can't afford staying away from for much longer.
Just the other day, PSA announced the launch of Free2Move - a smartphone app available on both the iOS and Android operating systems is designed to enable users to compare the cost and location availability of several alternative transport solutions such as Zipcar, TravelCar or Car2Go. The service is restricted to the Seattle area for now, but it will go nation-wide eventually.
That's phase one of PSA's strategy for the North American market. Phase two is launching a car-sharing service that, together with the Free2Move app, will provide the French company with plenty of data about the American client's preferences. This way, PSA can avoid the hit-and-miss method it definitely can't afford and go for a more targetted approach.
Talking to Auto Guide, Groupe PSA North America CEO Larry Dominique revealed that the carmaker is already developing its next vehicles with the U.S. regulations in mind. Once data on the North American customer has been collected and studied, we can expect to see Peugeot and Citroen cars tailored to meet their needs.
Buying the Opel brand from General Motors earlier this year seemed like a weird move from PSA, but knowing the French company's intentions, it would make sense to use Opel's knowledge of the U.S. market.
Dominique says we're looking at a "ten-year project" here, underlining just how different and potentially difficult the North American clientele is. But with over ten million cars sold each year, that's a market PSA can't afford staying away from for much longer.
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