France’s biggest carmaker, PSA Peugeot Citroën, has announced that the Poissy plant outside Paris has been chosen to produce a new premium B-segment vehicle.
The new model will be branded as a DS and is part of the group’s Back in the Race product plan. The automaker says the premium compact vehicle “will extend the brand’s B-segment line-up alongside the DS3,” which means it will not be a replacement for the latter model.
PSA Peugeot Citroën also said the new vehicle “is intended to contribute more specifically to the development of the DS brand in a very fast-growing market segment.”
The car will be based on the new EMP1 platform, which is being launched at Poissy, with investments of more than €150 million ($169.6 million) supporting the project. The move is part of PSA Peugeot Citroën’s New Social Contract, which stipulates that the carmaker will announce the launch of at least one model in each of its assembly plants in France over the 2014-2016 period.
With the announcement concerning Poissy and earlier announcements concerning Sevelnord, Rennes, Sochaux and two new body styles at Mulhouse, the automaker said it is delivering on its promise.
Additionally, PSA Peugeot Citroën is on track to meet its New Social Contract commitment of producing one million vehicles in France in 2016. In 2014, the company produced more than 971,000 vehicles in its home market.
The group has also started a plant modernization program to achieve its goal of maintaining a strong industrial base in France while improving its manufacturing resources’ cost performance. PSA Peugeot Citroën will invest more than €1.5 billion ($1.69 billion) over three years to optimize the supply chain, make plants more compact, simplify flows and carry out other upgrades.
Note: DS Divine Concept pictured
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