Determined to return to the North American market, the PSA of Portuguese Carlos Tavares has already defined the strategy it will use. Basically, it takes advantage of the knowledge that its most recent acquisition, Opel, already has about the US, to, from there, develop the models with which it will attack North America.
The information was, moreover, confirmed by the CEO of PSA, who, in statements during the Automotive News World Congress, in Detroit, revealed that the first products for the American market will be developed with the support of Opel engineers. Which, he assured, "are able to guarantee that the cars to be launched in the USA comply with all the necessary regulations to be able to be sold in this market".
Although the Portuguese has refused to reveal the name of the brand belonging to the PSA group with which he thinks to enter North America, Larry Dominique, CEO of PSA North America, has stated for some time that the decision regarding the brand has already been made. . Being that and contrary to what was initially advanced, it may not be the DS.
Models for the US are already being developed
Still on the models, Carlos Tavares stated that the models in question are already in the development phase, although without revealing when they will be able to reach the American market.It should be remembered that Opel is aware of the specifics of the American market, having developed and exported models that were sold in the USA, such as the Cascada, Insignia, among others, while still under General Motors. Where, however, they were marketed with the Buick logo — in the past, we've seen Opel sold in the US with the defunct Saturn symbol and even Cadillac.
Three-phase return strategy
Regarding the strategy itself with a view to the group's return to the American market (Peugeot left in 1991, Citroën in 1974), Tavares revealed that the offensive started at the end of 2017, with the launch of the Free2Move mobility service, in the city of Seattle. This will be followed, according to Reuters, by a second phase, based on transport services, on vehicles belonging to the PSA group, as a way to help create a greater and better perception of what the group's brands are, with the American consumer.
Finally and only in a third phase, is that PSA admits selling vehicles of the group's brands, in the USA.