PSA casts tentative eye on U.S. market

It's been 10 years since PSA Peugeot Citroen sold cars in the U.S. — namely the Peugeot 405 and 505 wagon — but it will be at least a few more years before the French auto maker considers another run at North America's largest vehicle market. Richard Lucki, director of PSA Peugeot Citroen in North America, tells WAW that his company has a clear growth strategy that concentrates first on Mercosur (South America), Central Europe and Asia/Pacific through 2004. “When we reach those targets, then we will look at the North American market,” says Lucki.

In September, Peugeot Chairman Jean-Martin Folz said the company was mulling entry after 2004. Coming to the U.S. is risky. Since Peugeot left in 1992, other European auto makers, as well as the Japanese and Koreans, have made significant market share gains.