Groupe PSA Planning U.S. Return By 2026

Good value or not, Peugeot is serious about entering the United States with a selection of compact and mid-size models, including the 3008. Under the Push to Pass business plan, Groupe PSA wants to come back to this part of the world in fewer than 10 years, selling cars by 2026.

“When we launched the 3008, the feedback we got, including from California, was – wow, this car is super,” chief executive officer Jean-Philippe Imparato told Automotive News Europe on the sidelines of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show. More than 265,000 examples of the 3008 were sold worldwide in 2018, representing a 17-percent increase over the previous year.

The 5008 pictured in the gallery is the larger sibling, featuring two more seats and more cargo capacity. The 508 sedan and station wagon are also expected to arrive in the United States, but nothing is set in stone for the time being.

“Our image in the U.S. is neutral to favorable,” said Carlos Tavares, the head honcho of Groupe PSA. On the other hand, don’t forget that badge-engineered Opel models brought to the United States didn’t fare too well with discerning customers.

Under General Motors, Opel brought the Insignia as the Buick Regal. As for the other side of the story, the Ampera-e isn’t anything more than a Chevrolet Bolt with a different logo in the United Kingdom and rest of Europe.

Tavares told Automotive News the French automaker wouldn’t build plants in the United States “before they could be supported by sales volumes.” A sensible approach considering the costs implied, but on the other hand, this also happens to be the best plan to minimize collateral damage in the case Peugeot doesn’t do well in the U.S. market.

Now here’s the curious part. “Nor will PSA invest heavily in building a dealer network.” Reading between the lines, Peugeot is playing the premium card with potential customers while saving as much money as possible. “We’ll take our time because it’s all about upside,” concluded Tavares.