Sunday Times Article

[Richard_C]

(Don't normally read a Murdoch, but neighbour is away and asked me to collect and safely keep it for him.)

There is a big piece in the Business section all about the female British Chief Exec of Citroen cars. Summarizing the bits that may be of interest to forum members:

Make distinctive comfortable cars
Its OK to make cars some people hate and some love e.g Cactus
New suspension on the way but not hydro-whatever
Reduce body styles from 14 to 8 in any region
Stopped discounting, offer finance deals instead, improve residuals
Avoid PSA brands competing with each other:
[*]Position Citroen as mass market (against Ford, Renault, Hyundai and others)
[*]Peugeot upmarket against VW
[*]DS as a designer brand
Raise prices before year end to recover currency losses, sounds like they will 'do what ford do'

The cynic in me wonders if a puff piece about the CEx in business section ("when I go home at the end of the day in my Cactus....") is in any way connected with the half page ad for a Cactus in the main section. But surely not?

[JohnD]

"Quote - Stopped discounting, offer finance deals instead, improve residuals".

Who is she kidding! That's the only way dealers can sell them. Citroen maindealer Howards have several brand new C5 BlueHDI tourers for sale with 5 miles on the clocks and being sold as pre-owned. All at less than 19thou. List price £25600

[Quackers]

I'm really worried about Citroen under her, already seen the C5 gone this year I feel like Citroen is not interesting any more, and for the first time ever they don't make a car that appeals to me. Maybe the DS 5 at a push but thats another big annoyance i have, why the hell does the DS 5 not have Hydroactive 3+? even more odd it does not when its one of the thing the DS was famous for.

They should be doing MORE with their unique technology to really differenciate them from the rest of the market. They should have put the ACTIVA system in the last gen C5, they should still be selling the C5 and C6 or at least revamped it. Where are their fast fun cars? they keep winning world rally championships yet offer us cars that rarely do better than 9sec 0-60 , i want a 5,6 or 7 second 0-60 car!. I'm not sure i will be a Citroen owner in 10 years time as all the decent cars they once made will be too old then and out of citroens parts policy.

[Hell Razor5543]

I wonder what would happen if somebody with a properly fettled V6 Xantia Activa were to take Linda Jackson out for a long enjoyable drive (say, through the Sussex hills) where the Activa could REALLY show her what it could do? Not just the cornering, but the ride comfort.

[CitroJim]

I wonder what would happen if somebody with a properly fettled V6 Xantia Activa were to take Linda Jackson out for a long enjoyable drive (say, through the Sussex hills) where the Activa could REALLY show her what it could do? Not just the cornering, but the ride comfort.

Good idea James

Alasdair, you are being called up... Citroen needs you to assure its future

[Paul-R]

I'm afraid that Citroen lost me as a customer for mid-range cars when it didn't produce a C4 estate car. Looks like the Xsara replacement will be a Peugeot 308SW - and pretty soon too.

[Bick]

The way to improve residual values is the way BMW did it by not offering you a bag of sweets for the car you are trading in but offering you a sensible price.

[Stickyfinger]

Help Citroen, I do not think that even they are that desperate. Anyway, DS will likely steal name "ACTIVA" for some s**t box on springs and multi level shocks.

(and then erase any links with "Citroen" from History)

[GiveMeABreak]

I don't think they understand what the word 'Heritage' means. The ridiculous decision to break with the Hydropneumatic / Hydractive systems was the cut to the last real thread linking the uniqueness of Citroen back to its routes. There's nothing that Citroen has that everyone else doesn't already have. Where has the creativity gone? I saw that new ad for the FIAT Spider 124 yesterday: http://www.fiat.co.uk/124-spider and although I'm not a FIAT person, it was refreshing to see something different - I think they call it being creative.. although in citroen's case no longer 'creative technologie'.....

[CitroJim]

Help Citroen, I do not think that even they are that desperate. Anyway, DS will likely steal name "ACTIVA" for some s**t box on springs and multi level shocks.

(and then erase any links with "Citroen" from History)

I fear you are absolutely correct in that prediction Alasdair

[CitroJim]

I don't think they understand what the word 'Heritage' means. The ridiculous decision to break with the Hydropneumatic / Hydractive systems was the cut to the last real thread linking the uniqueness of Citroen back to its routes. There's nothing that Citroen has that everyone else doesn't already have. Where has the creativity gone? I saw that new ad for the FIAT Spider 124 yesterday: http://www.fiat.co.uk/124-spider and although I'm not a FIAT person, it was refreshing to see something different - I think they call it being creative.. although in citroen's case no longer 'creative technologie'.....

Fully agreed Marc...

The new Fiat 124 looks nothing like the original 124 and that's all for the good... It was never a looker...

Wonder if the Russians will produce a Lada version of the 124 Spider in a few years?

[GiveMeABreak]

£19.5 to £24k from standard to top spec. Only one engine at present - 1.4 multiair 140HP Petrol. Not too bad a price. I know markets are tough - but if manufacturers loose their individuality, they will fall by the wayside and we'd all end up driving Ford Mondeos, God forbid!

Edit - actually I wouldn't - I would get a bike first before that happened

As was said earlier in the thread - the DS5 is the only other vehicle I would consider - at least the interior design is gorgeous - but the prices new are prohibitive. The ride is nothing to write home about either on the earlier models - so I've read.

[KennyW]

I've just returned from a week up at Ullapool in the C5 and my mother made a couple of comments.
1. She found it harder to get in and out than the Xantia
2. The ride was very comfortable that was after a short ride in a Fiat MPV taxi.

As comments made Citroen in name will no longer exist shortly.

Kenny

[BX]

Yes it is really important that a car manufacturer remains true to the technologies that made them distinctive. Not doing so guarantees total failure for the brand. Loose that characteristic and loose your place in the market. One big example spring to mind.
Rear mounted horizontally opposed petrol engines driving the rear wheels. Nowadays VW to most people means front mounted inline turbo diesel driving the front wheels unless it is 4 X4.

[CitroJim]

BX, that's so very true...