Automotive portal of Southeast Europe - seeAutoBrief
Interview with Nicolas De Milleville, Peugeot-Citroen
seeAutoBrief: With its purchase of Chrysler, Fiat is returning to the American market. The USA is not the largest market anymore, but its still sizable, accounting for 11 million units. Peugeot has not been in the U.S. since 1992; Citroen, since the early-80s. Do you plan to return one day?
NICOLAS:I cannot speak to Peugeot's plans, but at Citroen we have chosen to focus on other markets: in particular, China, Brazil, and Russia. Every brand must prioritize. We're very busy there. We don't see the American market as a priority at this stage. We've been building cars in China and Brazil for many years, and we're opening a factory in Russia this month.
seeAutoBrief: With the DS of 1955, Citroen created a car that was so inspiring, famed poet Roland Barthes wrote about it. Then came the SM and CX in the 1970s, and the GS. All of these cars were very modern sleek, aerodynamic in their designs, and they had, of course, Citroens ultra comfortable hydraulic suspension. It was easy to tell what a Citroen was then. What does Citroen mean now?
NICOLAS: That's a great question. Citroen reinvented its brand a year ago, and introduced a new slogan: "creative technology." What we're saying is that we find technology worthwhile only if it adds end-user value.
seeAutoBrief: The Dacia Logan has been very popular, particularly in Eastern Europe, and Fiat is known to be working on its own budget car. Citroens old budget car the 2CV is still fondly remembered. Will you return to this segment of the market?
NICOLAS: No. At Citroen, we believe that the Deux Chevaux - and any car that could have evolved from it - could not hope to meet today's standards of comfort and safety. Those standards have changed dramatically since the time that the 2CV was popular. Besides, as I mentioned, we're guided by our slogan - "creative technology." The Deux Chevaux, whose design is more than 30 years old, doesn't fit our brand.
seeAutoBrief: The founder of Citroen, Andre Citroen, was a superb engineer who enjoyed innovation. He made the worlds first mass-production front-wheel-drive car; and, of course, most cars today are front-wheel drive. What kinds of Citroens would he want to build today?
NICOLAS: That's a very difficult question. I think he'd expect a DS sub-brand to evolve alongside the core, Citroen line. A car for everyday use but which is, at the same time, unique personalized to the tastes of each buyer. Perhaps he could even have foreseen the panoramic "Zenith" windshield of the new C3.
seeAutoBrief: With the new DS3, Citroen has launched a premium brand whose name references the legendary DS. Clearly, youre targeting premium small cars such as BMWs MINI. What can you offer that the MINI does not?
NICOLAS: The DS3 does not look to the past. We've never had a DS3, or a car like it, in our line-up nothing that parallels the Mini's resurrection. The DS3 is a modern car, one which looks to the future. To put it simply - our car can swallow with ease a family of four - and their luggage.
seeAutoBrief: The luxury C6 is a remarkable car: aerodynamic and spacious, but not as popular as its German competition. There are rumors that Citroen will abandon the luxury market. Can you comment?
NICOLAS: That's no more than a rumor. The DS range will be present in all segments of the market, from the smallest to the largest models. We just talked about the DS3. The DS4 and DS5 will follow it.
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