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PSA, GM Discussing A Return For Peugeot And Citroen Products In The USA
by
Derek Kreindler
(IC: employee)
Published: July 10th, 2013
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No, the headline is not just empty click-bait. According to La Tribune, GM and PSA are looking at bringing some current Peugeot and Citroen products to America. The only catch is that they’d be commercial vans.
Derek Kreindler
More by Derek Kreindler
Published July 10th, 2013 9:50 AM
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Peugeot gets access to the US market, but to do so it must partner with GM. I'm not sure if that's a pyrrhic victory or snatching defeat from the jaws of success.
I think the most significant aspect of this article has been overlooked. WHAT ABOUT THE CHICKEN TAX? This supposed want or deal might be a ploy to start pressuring the US on the dumbass chicken tax. Again.
Just read the article in French. What's going on is that PSA has a factory, Sevelnord, where they manufacture light commercial vehicles and minivans. North Americans, think of the new Ford Transit. The factory was up to recently a joint venture with FIAT. Not sure why 2017 is mentioned above. Without FIAT, PSA has surplus capacity and is looking to sell vehicles produced there through other companies' sales channels. Toyota has stepped up and is rebadging current vehicles as Pro Ace. Toyota is also investing 750 million euros -- of which 400 million euros is for R&D -- in the next generation of vehicles. It is this next-gen range that interests GM. Although it's early days, they are discussing selling them in North America as one of GM's brands. How and where these will be assembled is not yet decided, it's very early days. The article goes on, tangentially, to state that PSA and GM signed an alliance in 2012 the result of which is that PSA is developing replacements for compact cars and "crossovers" (which the writer helpfully defines for the French-speaking readership as "faux 4x4"s). Opel will develop some other cars on a PSA platform. Sub-compacts will be developed together on a PSA platform, and they will work together to develop a new motor, based on PSA technology. The scope of all these plans is Europe-only. The article hints that the scope may extend into the Americas.
" PSA and GM signed an alliance in 2012 ..... The scope of all these plans is Europe-only. The article hints that the scope may extend into the Americas." Great for PSA! They know that no matter how much they drag GM down, the US Treasury stands ready, willing and able to bail GM out again.