The merger between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA continues to inch forward, but that hasn’t stopped the latter company from eyeing a return to the United States.
Groupe PSA has been working on a U.S. launch for years and The Detroit Bureau says PSA’s North American CEO, Larry Dominique, has confirmed Peugeot will make its return by 2023.
While that’s only a couple of years away, the company is still trying to figure out a dealer network. However, some things have already been decided as Peugeot will franchise dealerships rather than adopt a direct sales approach.
Also Read: Peugeot To Spearhead PSA’s Return To The United States And Canada
The company will also prioritize online sales which have become increasingly popular during the pandemic. Dominique went on to suggest Peugeot dealerships will be simple and relatively small.
As he explained, their research has shown consumers are looking for a “simpler, more efficient process.” However, this hasn’t been reflected in dealership thinking as “our retail structure defaults to spending money on fountains and Taj Mahals — a good example of disconnect or lack of reality, if you ask me.”
He went on to criticize “huge dealerships costing tens of millions of dollars” and automakers pushing dealers to build bigger and more expensive stores. In particular, he noted certain dealers had to use a specific type of marble in the construction of their stores. That might be good for consistency, but it probably doesn’t matter much at the end of the day.
While a lot of details need to be worked out, Dominique has previously said the company is eyeing 15 states – Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Texas, Virginia and Washington – for its U.S. return.
