► Work underway on sub-€15,000 EV
► New MPV also planned, inspired by ELO concept
► C3, C3 Aircross and C4 all selling well
Citroën’s new boss is in a happy place. Xavier Chardon, who took charge last May, says the C3, C3 Aircross and C4 are all selling well. He says a new MPV is likely to arrive soon, picking up where the old Picasso left off. The whole brand, he says, is very clear about its purpose: comfort and affordability, or ‘more for less’.
But the main cause for his confidence is the proposed new electric city car, which Chardon says should cost less than €15,000. He says it should embody some of the spirit of the original 2CV, which got the French masses mobile after the Second World War, without necessarily going down a retro design route.
‘We have a heritage and we want to use it. Not every customer is looking for more and more technology, and fast 0-100 times are not our territory. We’re not here to please everybody. But we have a strong heritage and we would be fools to not leverage it. We should look at the past and understand what made it iconic.’
The car should fit into the EU’s proposed ‘e-car’ category, with limited power but also reduced levels of assistance systems, helping to keep the weight and cost down.
Work is also underway on an MPV inspired by the acclaimed recent ELO concept (pictured below). If and when that happens, it would be in addition to the Berlingo, not instead. Currently marking its 30th anniversary, the Berlingo van and its car-based offshoot both continue to sell well in several markets. Chardon says: ‘It’s absolutely embedded in our “more for less” philosophy.’
He says Citroën is committed to offering choice – in terms of powertrain, body style and spec level. Most models have a basic entry version that involves the driver providing the infotainment via their smartphone, keeping the costs down. But everything is intended to offer a high level of comfort.
He’s worked in China in the past, and is well aware of how seriously Chinese competitors must be taken. ‘We’re profitable, but we’re anticipating a fierce battle. We’re working on reducing costs because we don’t want to reduce quality.’
But he sees room for both European and Chinese manufacturers to thrive, not least via parent company Stellantis’ involvement with Leapmotor.
Chardon notes that sales in Europe are generally not back up to pre-Covid levels. ‘We aim to reconnect with people we’ve lost in the last five years.’
He says that for all the horrors of the war in the Middle East, there is one slight silver lining: it’s made more people start the switch to all-electric in markets such as Poland and Italy, which have tended to be among the most EV-averse in the EU.
Meanwhile, storm clouds could be gathering over Citroën’s future, as Stellantis ponders a restructure that will prioritise some of its brands as global players while others – including Citroën – have a more regional focus. Chardon says that wouldn’t actually be a big change for Citroën, which is already largely focused on Europe and South America.
