“Stellantis is a huge opportunity for PSA and FCA”

Speaking to Citroen India’s Senior VPs Roland Bouchara (SVP sales and marketing) Eric Apode (SVP) and Saurabh Vatsa (Sr director, marketing) on the C5 Aircross, dealership ramp-up, the C-Cubed program and synergies with FCA

- SIRISH CHANDRAN

Evo India: Was 2020 was a pause year for Citroen in India?

Roland Bouchara: 2020 was not a pause. We were very busy preparing for 2021. Also, 2021 is a very important year because we are launching the Citroen brand here in India along with a product, the C5 Aircross and we’re launching a network too. 2021 is the year we kick off our adventures here in India.

Eric Apode: We are launching the complete ecosystem of PSA Group in India. We have the powertrain plant, assembly plant, engineering centre and purchasing centre. Don’t think due to Covid we made a pause, it’s the contrary.

Saurabh Vatsa: I think what is important is, all the communication activities go live which is why we’re sitting with you.

EI: With the new Stellantis organisation, what happens in India? Will there be synergies with FCA?

EA: As the PSA organisation, so far we have more than one thousand people already working in India. Stellantis was created only two weeks ago and it is a huge opportunity for PSA and FCA. We are thinking about it all and we will be working in synergy when it comes to purchasing and other such back-end processes. It’s a huge opportunity for both groups as Stellantis is now the fourth largest group in the world and we are extremely excited to have this opportunity.

EI: Have the initial conversations started?

EA: Yes, sure. Since the deal was signed and approved, yes.

EI: Why the C5 Aircross as your launch vehicle in India?

RB: Citroen in India was part of the Pass To Pass plan announced by [former PSA CEO] Carlos Tavares who decided Peugeot going to the United States, Opel to Russia and Citroen to India, which was the internationalisation plan of Groupe PSA which is now Stellantis.