It’s not an easy time to be an automaker. Profits across the industry are weak, so car companies must find any way they can to boost sales and make money. For PSA Peugeot Citroën, that means entering the fray of the North American automotive market, a move it describes as “necessary,” at this point.
The automaker would sell its DS-line of vehicles in North America, an upmarket Citroën sub-brand that consists of the DS3 supermini hatchback, the DS4 compact, and the DS5 crossover. ‘DS’ was originally planned to be only a range of vehicles, however since its inception it has become its own brand, using the DS logo in place of Citroën branding.
As Car & Driver reports, the DS brand has become successful by appealing to a certain sect of buyers that desire a premium automobile but tend to avoid the mainstream. They aren’t interested in brands like Audi, BMW or Mercedes-Benz, and brands like Alfa Romeo and Lancia are no longer making true luxury cars, so DS is all they have.
Moving DS into North America could be difficult, however. Citroën wouldn’t only be competing with BMW, Audi and Mercedes-Benz, but also Alfa Romeo and Cadillac, who are both making legitimate pushes at taking over the luxury market. There’s also Acura, Lexus and Lincoln, who are all much more established in the U.S. and Canada than Citroën.
It will still be quite a while before you see a production Citroën DS model on North American roads. Considering they’d first need to set up a marketing campaign and dealer network, Citroën’s North American invasion is at least three years away.
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