Photo: Toyota
On a fateful day in 2001, Toyota and Groupe PSA decided to make city cars together at the Kolin plant in the Czech Republic. Two generations later, both parties agree that the A-segment isn’t profitable enough to keep churning out the Aygo, C1, and 108.
According to insider information from Les Echos, the partnership will continue with commercial vehicles, which will be produced in France and Spain. Groupe PSA factories will handle production for Toyota at the Sevelnord and Vigo assembly plants as part of the new agreement.
Toyota is understood to buy the Kolin plant in the Czech Republic from Groupe PSA, but there’s no telling what the Japanese manufacturer wants to make at this facility. The transition will be complete by 2021, when the two parties will end production of the Aygo, C1, and 108.
Even though we tested the Aygo and loved it for what it is, Toyota is struggling to sell more than 84,000 per year in Europe. Citroen and Peugeot do worse than their Japanese partner, having sold 53,292 and 55,831 examples of the C1 and 108 in 2017.
Over in Germany, the Aygo starts at €9,990. It’s a lot of euros for an A-segment car, more so when Dacia offers the Sandero subcompact hatchback from €6,990. The C1 retails at €9,240, and for some reason or another, the 108 is the most expensive of the lot. Pricing for the Peugeot kicks off at €10,290, which is too much for an entry-level specification.
All three share the 1.0-liter VVT-i three-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission. There’s also a 1.2-liter available in select markets, and higher trim levels can be had with the x-shift automated manual transmission.
Looking at the bigger picture, Europe is going through changes as far as consumer preference in automobiles is concerned. Volkswagen, Renault, and Peugeot continue to dominate the market, but passengers cars keep losing ground to crossovers and SUVs. There’s even an increase in demand for pickup trucks, with Ford catering to the needs of off-road enthusiasts with the Ranger Raptor.
Toyota is understood to buy the Kolin plant in the Czech Republic from Groupe PSA, but there’s no telling what the Japanese manufacturer wants to make at this facility. The transition will be complete by 2021, when the two parties will end production of the Aygo, C1, and 108.
Even though we tested the Aygo and loved it for what it is, Toyota is struggling to sell more than 84,000 per year in Europe. Citroen and Peugeot do worse than their Japanese partner, having sold 53,292 and 55,831 examples of the C1 and 108 in 2017.
Over in Germany, the Aygo starts at €9,990. It’s a lot of euros for an A-segment car, more so when Dacia offers the Sandero subcompact hatchback from €6,990. The C1 retails at €9,240, and for some reason or another, the 108 is the most expensive of the lot. Pricing for the Peugeot kicks off at €10,290, which is too much for an entry-level specification.
All three share the 1.0-liter VVT-i three-cylinder engine and five-speed manual transmission. There’s also a 1.2-liter available in select markets, and higher trim levels can be had with the x-shift automated manual transmission.
Looking at the bigger picture, Europe is going through changes as far as consumer preference in automobiles is concerned. Volkswagen, Renault, and Peugeot continue to dominate the market, but passengers cars keep losing ground to crossovers and SUVs. There’s even an increase in demand for pickup trucks, with Ford catering to the needs of off-road enthusiasts with the Ranger Raptor.
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