Wuhan-based joint venture DPCA well prepared for complete business resumption

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- Dongfeng Citroen, an auto brand operated by the Wuhan-based joint venture Dongfeng Peugeot Citroen Automobile Co.,Ltd (DPCA), announced on Feb. 24 its annual target, strategy and product roll-out plan designed for 2020, which was regarded as a year full of both challenges and opportunities.

Even though companies were forced to prolong their business shutdown due to the sudden coronavirus outbreak, DPCA has been working on ensuring employees' safety and health, adjusting marketing policies, improving consumer-care services, and mostly importantly, paving the way for the complete business resumption, Li Jun, DPCA's executive vice president, said at the online dealer convention of Dongfeng Citroen.

For now, all functional departments have restarted operation as normal and DPCA's Chengdu plant, where the sales mainstay C5 Aircross SUVs are produced, has rolled out new vehicles, added Mr. Li. In a word, DPCA is now well prepared for the comprehensive resumption of operation and production.

(photo source: Dongfeng Citroen)

Meanwhile, Vincent COBEE, CEO of PSA's Citroën unit, stated the brand will roll out in China market such new model as the C5 Aircross PHEV and the C3L this year and more fresh products next year to imbue Citroën with greater vitality.

Besides, an all-new D-segment car model, which will be Citroën's first made-in-China sold-to-world product, is scheduled to be launched in 2021, according to DPCA's president Massimo Roserba.

In 2019, DPCA saw its full-year sales plunged 55.17% year on year to 113,579 units, according to the sales report from Dongfeng Motor Corporation. Much of the blame has been laid on the adjustment in the discontinued production caused by the adjustment in product portfolio and the restriction imposed by the stricter China Ⅵ emission standard, said Roserba.

To revive sales and prop up the brand's transformation, DPCA launched in last September the “Yuan Plan”, which said the joint venture aimed to roll out 14 new models over the next three years and would strive to fulfill the 400,000-unit annual sales target in 2025.

Both parent companies—Dongfeng Motor Corporation and PSA Groupe—announced in Jan. their extended partnership to show the resolve in jointly developing China market. Under the latest agreement, the cooperation expiry year has been delayed by 10 years to 2037 and the joint venture is given the exclusive right to partner with PSA's brands in China.