PSA group plans second India innings with sleek, eco-friendly Citroën cars

At the ongoing Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), the PSA Group that has just announced its intention of bringing its brand Citroën to India by the end of 2021 has set up a tiny pavilion, much smaller than the rest in the show. It is also using the occasion to showcase its electric mobility concept alongside its avant-garde designs and styles. In an industry where size matters and in a show where private mobility, not public transport solutions drive footfalls, the automaker is deliberately bucking the trend. 

Disruption is the name of the game at GIMS for Citroën, one that it is hoping to play on the cluttered streets in India. Linda Jackson, chief executive officer, Citroën in a telephone interview from Geneva said that their presence at the show reinforces their overall approach to a new market. That is to create differentiation and relevance for the brand. 

In the past differentiation has meant fluid styling and an ability to be present across the range of wheels. But today consumers look beyond speed and style and hence the increased focus on character and tone. 

The brand narrative for Citroën is sleek design on eco-friendly wheels, which Jackson believes will work for the Indian market. However she is quick to point out that the brand is malleable enough to mould itself according to the needs of local users. Jackson says one of the reasons “Citroën is a very a modern and fresh brand” and will work in this market as it has done globally. 

This is the PSA Group’s second innings in India. PSA which sells three brands —Peugeot, Citroën and DS — had a partnership with the erstwhile Premier family resulting in the joint venture Peugeot PAL India. However, it pulled out in 2001. Now as it brings a new brand from its family into the country, the advantage is that it is travelling down familiar roads. 

The downside is that the group is late to the party. But Avik Chattopadhyay, co-founder at brand consulting firm Expereal says despite being a late entrant Citroën has a fair chance in India. “Quirky design and greater focus on cross-overs and SUVs give it a better chance in the Indian context than the Peugeot which is more about the sedan,” he says. 

Jackson refuses to be drawn into the details of marketing and branding strategy  but says it will be a disruptive one.  Like it has done in other markets, Citroën will be setting up its trademark Urban Centres. These are experience zones where people can simulate a drive and also test drive vehicles in varied terrains.

Meant to be interactive, the aim is to allow visitors a taste of the brand. Citroën has 20 such centres globally. “Urban Centres are an example of how we enter the market. We prefer this over large dealerships,” she said. India will also get Citroën’s global signature, “Inspired by you” model. This is the way in which the global brand folds itself into the local culture. 

While the company is readying itself for a market that does respond to a global ethic when it comes to design, the challenge is that Citroën is entering India’s 3.3 million-odd passenger vehicle market at a time when it is at the cusp of several changes. A leap frog to stricter emission norms, more stringent fuel emission and safety legislation. Besides, the competition will get stiffer by the time it drives in.   

“This (India) is a market which is always seeking uniqueness,” says Rohit Kumar, vice president, automotive research at Kantar IMRB. It could be in the form of a head turning design, connected or any futuristic technology. They are a crucial element in most of the consumer surveys in the country, he says.  Kumar points that with Citroën being a relatively unknown brand in India, it needs a strong brand building exercise.  “Positioning it as a practical car with futuristic technology and a contemporary styling will work,” says Kumar.