Dongfeng Peugeot to enter Chinese SUV market by end of year

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai May 10) - Dongfeng Peugeot is planning to enter the SUV market this year, joint venture General Manager Stéphane Le Guével stated in an interview with dfdaily.com. The JV is also planning to manufacture a new SUV model in China. The following is an excerpt of the interview.

dfdaily.com: "At this year's [Beijing] auto show Dongfeng Peugeot showed off the 508, which boasts both a beautiful design and strong performance. What has its market performance been like?"

Mr. Le Guével (pictured above): "Regarding the 508, we set down two goals. The first was to improve the quality of the [508] brand. Looking at feedback from consumers, we have succeeded in attaining this goal; consumer feedback regarding the 508 is extremely positive. The second was sales. For this, we have decided to give the 508 more time to gain stable foothold in the market. To attain a steady market position requires a set amount of time. We will compare the 508's sales with that of [other] models. We have full confidence that the 508 will be able to achieve its sales goal for the year."

dfdaily.com: "What changes is Dongfeng Peugeot making to its marketing structure this year?"

Mr. Le Guével: "The strategy we decided on today [revolves around] making innovations in the market. We believe that the market debut of the [508] Roland Garros (pictured below) will help us improve our brand image. We hope that the Roland Garros will bring something unique to the market. There are two things that set [it] apart: the Roland Garros name and its limited production number."

dfdaily.com: "What import and production plans does [Dongfeng Peugeot] have for its SUV model?"

Mr. Le Guével: "Growth for SUVs in the Chinese market has been very rapid over the last two years. Dongfeng Peugeot will definitely not ignore this market. Before the end of the year we will enter the SUV segment. [We] plan to introduce a Chinese-made SUV."