China helps drive PSA Peugeot Citroën global sales to 2.9m units in 2014

Thanks to growing demand for its products in China, PSA Peugeot Citroën has posted a year-on-year growth of 4.3 percent to 2.939 million vehicles in 2014 compared to 2013. China is now the Group’s largest market, with unit sales up 31.9 percent to 734,000 units. The company also saw strong growth in Europe, with 1,761,000 vehicles sold, posting an increase of 8.1 percent

The Peugeot, Citroën and DS brands all set new sales records in China. The Peugeot brand had another record year with unit sales rising 43.1 percent to 386,565, the strongest increase among the market’s top 20 players. The Peugeot 3008 and 2008 benefited from growth in the SUV segment and accounted for a third of Dongfeng Peugeot’s sales. In the C segment, which represents 52 percent of the Chinese passenger car market, the new 408 got off to a quick start with 30,943 units sold in four months. The brand also added 100 dealerships to its network in 2014.

Citroën also outpaced the market, setting a new sales record with growth of 14.3 percent to 320,000 units sold. China now accounts for more than one out of four Citroëns sold worldwide and has confirmed its status as the brand’s leading market, ahead of France. This performance was driven in part by the success of recent launches, including the new Citroën C-Elysée, Dongfeng Citroën’s best-selling model with more than 100,000 units sold in 2014, and the Citroën C4-L, which sold 66,000 units during the year. The brand extended its line-up in December with the introduction of the C3-XR SUV. The year’s performance was also supported by Dongfeng Citroën’s increasingly tight-knit and well-respected dealership network, which ranked first in JD Power’s 2014 China Sales Satisfaction Index (SSI) study.

DS-brand models sold 26,000 units in China in 2014, thanks to a premium line-up comprising three models produced in Shenzhen and launched a year ago: the DS5, the DS 5LS and the DS 6.  At the same time, the brand has actively developed its distribution network with 80 DS Stores covering China's 60 largest cities. China now accounts for 22 percent of the brand’s worldwide registrations, versus 2 percent in 2013.

In Europe, the Group sustained its results in a growing, yet fragile market. Group sales in Europe rose 8.1 percent year-on-year to 1,761,000 units, reflecting the favourable market reaction to the Peugeot 308, voted 2014 car of the year (56,900 units sold), and the positive results of the Citroen C4 Cactus. While registrations of Peugeot-brand vehicles increased by 6.2 percent to 952,000 units, Citroën sales were up 7.2 percent to 689,000 units with market share gains in France, the United Kingdom, Spain and Germany. This positive momentum was driven by the brand’s successful product offensive, headed in particular by the new C4 Picasso, the European MPV leader with 120,000 units sold in 2014, and the year’s three successful model launches: the new Jumper introduced in April (31,000 units sold), the new C1 (41,000 units sold) and the C4-Cactus introduced in June (42,000 units sold).

DS registrations in Europe totalled 85,900 units. The brand is concentrating on profitable sales channels to preserve its models’ long-term resale value. The year was shaped by a technological offensive that included the introduction of six new powertrains and a new Xenon Full-LED signature.

In the rest of the world, the market environment was difficult in 2014 due to a decline in automobile sales and unfavourable exchange rates. In Eurasia, the Group put an emphasis on local production of the Peugeot 408 and the Citroën C4 Sedan, which together captured 8 percent of their segment in Russia with 6,500 and 9,000 units sold, respectively.

In Latin America, in a difficult economic environment, the Group recorded 200,000 units sold and strengthened its position in Argentina, achieving a market share in that country of 15.1 percent. Recent launches delivered results, with 49,000 units sold for the Peugeot 208 and more than 13,000 units sold for the Citroën C4 Lounge. Sales of the Citroën C3 held up well, at 35,300 units.

In the Middle-East and Africa, priority was given to improving profitability in an unfavourable currency environment. The Group maintained strong positions in numerous countries, leading the market in Tunisia and France's overseas departments and ranking second in Morocco. Peugeot was the second best-selling brand in Algeria and achieved strong growth in Egypt, with unit sales up 77 percent.