Citroën is too dependent on the European car market, a market that is stagnating or even likely to decline as the impact of the energy revolution is felt. It is therefore important for the brand to develop internationally in order to ensure sales growth. This strategy, which began in 2021 with the launch of the new C3, has since been significantly strengthened with the conquest of more and more new markets.
Announced in October 2022, the arrival of the brand in Indonesia is active with the marketing of the C3 manufactured in India and the C4 and C5 Aircross imported from Europe. Citroën is taking advantage of all the opportunities offered by its presence in India, which allows it to manufacture locally at a lower cost but, above all, to be exempt from customs duties thanks to the free trade agreements in the ASEAN zone, allowing the brand to manufacture in India and export throughout the region without having to pay taxes that would increase the price of its vehicles too much.
In this sense, the brand has signed an agreement with the port of Kamarajar in India, which will serve as a hub for shipping to the various countries of South-East Asia where the brand is established, since beyond Indonesia, Citroën has also established itself in Nepal with the C3 and C5 Aircross, but the zone will intensify in the coming months with an entry into Malaysia, it seems.
If Citroën is developing in South-East Asia, it is not forgetting other regions of the world, including Africa and the Middle East, which are another strategic pole for its growth. Following its return to the United Arab Emirates, Citroën has established a presence in Saudi Arabia, where it sells a wide range of C3 and C5 Aircross SUVs, as well as the C4 and C4 X, which will soon be available. The development of new markets is contributing to the brand's sales growth, particularly in Turkey, where March was a historic month for Citroën with record sales and market share. The brand will continue to expand its sales territory, particularly in right-hand-drive African countries, where it will import vehicles manufactured in India.
Finally, the other strategic area for Citroën is Latin America, where the brand is seeking to develop its presence with convincing results, particularly in Uruguay and Colombia, where Citroën sales have never been higher. Since 2016 and the takeover by Derko, Citroën has experienced a real resurrection in Colombia, where it has gone from being an almost dead brand to 15th in sales, with the ambition of getting as close as possible to the top 10.The marketing of the new C3 will take over from the C4 Cactus, which has done a wonderful job. With the C3, Citroën has literally seen its sales in Uruguay soar, with growth of more than 200%, growth that should continue with the arrival of the new C3 Aircross and the future saloon known as the CC22, which could be called the C3 X.
Admittedly, while the brand is developing internationally, the impression is that Europe is somewhat forgotten and sales are affected, but of course Citroën is not forgetting Europe and the work of pulling out all the stops to propose an ambitious programme from the second half of 2023 which will see Citroën present the future C3 which, it's all to bet, will continue the remarkable success encountered by the third generation. 2024 will be an important year for Citroën in Europe, with several new features and news that promise to be rich.