PAS to launch four new models in Chinese market next year

Shanghai. December 21 (Gasgoo.com) – French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen is planning to launch four models in Chinese market next year, namely two hatchbacks 307 and 206, a new Elysee and a five-door C4, Beijing News reported today.

Hatchback 307 and new Elysee will be launched in the first quarter next year. New Elysee will have much improvement in body design and configuration; it will compete with Volkswagen’s Bora.

The five-door C4 will be locally produced in China in the second half next year. Like C-Triomphe, five-door C4 will be equipped with either a 1.6 Liter engine or a 2.0 Liter engine; the model will compete with the Focus of Ford and Octavia of the Skoda.

PSA 407 and new C5 will not be launched until the year after the next because PSA Peugeot Citroen does not have a platform to produce them until 2009.

Currently, PAS has a 50-50 joint venture with Dongfeng Motors in Wuhan, the capital of central China’s Hubei province. The joint venture has a capacity to output 150,000 units annually. However, when a new plant starts production in 2009, PSA says its annual capacity will be increased 450,000 units.

The joint venture currently offers 8 models in Chinese market, Citroen C2, Elysee, Fukang (ZX), Picasso, Xsara, C-Triomphe, Peugeot 206 and Peugeot 307.