PSA Group leaders the Spanish automobile market with a 21,4% of share

In a week in which the automotive brands communicate their operating results of 2018, the PSA Group is confirmed as a leader in the market of cars and commercial vehicles in Spain The commercial proposal of the French group joins an industrial commitment that places Spain among the leading countries within PSA. According to the general director of commerce for Spain and Portugal, Christophe Mandon, the group closed last year as a leader with 328,488 registered vehicles, representing a 21.4% market share.

The good moment of the consortium has to be sought in the consolidation of its Citroën and Peugeot brands, together with the exponential improvement of DS and the integration (full year already) of the Opel figures. The PSA group had a worldwide growth of 6.8% last year and the Spanish market ranked fourth in volumes only surpassed by France, the United Kingdom and Germany, representing 10.8% of the group’s sales.

Thirteen models “made in Spain”

The proposal of Spain, in addition, is reinforced by the strategic industrial commitment that the consortium has in our country since 42% of the vehicles that commercialized here are of national production. PSA manufactures in Spain in Zaragoza, Vigo and Madrid, configuring a range of eleven models: Opel Corsa, Citroën C3 Aircross, Opel Crossland X, Opel Mokka X, Citroën Berlingo, Citroën Grand C4 SpaceTourer, Peugeot Rifter / Partner, Citroën C4 SpaceTourer, Peugeot 301, Citroën C-Elysée, Opel Combo and Citroën C4 Cactus.

Christophe Mandon said that “the technological anticipation we made prior to the change in emissions regulations allowed us to face a second half of the year under better conditions.” The market fell more than expected due to the effect of the WLTP, and some of the political comments were not they helped create an environment of stability.

The sales of the group have doubled in the last four years, and the entrance of Opel to the PSA family has meant an increase in registrations of 26.7%. With this, at the end of 2018 and accounting for passenger vehicles and commercial vehicles, PSA is the absolute leader in Spain ahead of the Volkswagen Group (which accredited 12,233 less cars according to data from the Institute of Automotive Studies, IEA) and the Renault Alliance -Nissan-Mitsubishi (which sold 52,934 less units according to the same source).

Citroën Berlingo, the best seller

For models, the PSA group consolidated eight models with more than 20,000 units sold: Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot 3008, Opel Corsa, Peugeot 2008, Peugeot Partner, Citroën C3, Peugeot 208 and Peugeeot 308, placing seven of them in the top 15 of the total market of cars and commercial vehicles.

Peugeot is the brand with the largest share of the group, with 8.6% and sales growth of 12.7% compared to 2017, leaders in the SUV segment. Figures that a priori can improve in 2019 with the arrival of the 508 SW (also with plug-in hybrid variant, such as 3008) and the new generation of the 208 that will contemplate a first 100% electric model.

Citroën achieved a market share of 6.8% overcoming the barrier of 100.00 cars, reaching the leadership in Spain in commercial vehicles with 35,091 units and 16.1% share in the segment. The brand, in the year of its centenary, will bet in this 2019 by the arrival of the Citroën C5 Aircross SUV.

Opel lowered its share by 0.9%, due to the restructuring of the range and the consolidation of the Pace plan to recover its profitability once integrated as a full brand to the PSA Group.

DS grew 17.7% in 2018, consolidating as its own commercial network since July. By volume Spain is the third European country for DS, also developing an extensive platform of premium services for the client. Looking ahead to 2019, they propose the new DS3 Crossback.

Source: elperiodico.com