[Interview] Xavier Chardon opens up on the future of Citroën and Stellantis' Fastlane 2030 plan

In office for just over a year at the helm of the brand with the chevrons, Xavier Chardon granted an exclusive interview to the editorial team of Passionnément Citroën. In a rapidly evolving automotive landscape, shaped by accelerating electrification and the arrival of new global competitors, the executive discusses in detail the brand's integration into Stellantis' FaSTLAne 2030 strategic plan. Balancing the necessity to restore network profitability, consolidate commercial growth, and tackle medium-term challenges, this conversation highlights Citroën's renewed ambitions, driven notably by the spectacular announcement of the return of the legendary 2CV. Read our full interview below.

For you, what does Citroën represent?

Xavier Chardon: If we look at the human element, I have very powerful memories. I started my career at Citroën in 1994, which was 31 years ago. Even before working there, I had family memories where there was usually a Citroën, including a 2CV for my mother. I was fortunate enough to begin in Italy, and that is where I discovered the brand's history and what shaped it in greater detail. The products certainly left a mark on me, but beyond that, the human aspect comes first. The figure of André Citroën made a profound impact on me, as did the encounters I had there.

Today, it has become a cliché to speak of resilience, but that is precisely what characterizes the Citroën brand and sets it apart from others: this ability to unite teams, to implement rules derived from intelligence, intuition, humanity, but also from the heart. It is a culture of combat, of responsiveness, with a deep sense of customer focus, driven by a frankly unique energy. I returned to lead the brand a year ago, and I find that these elements have remained completely intact. It is a passionate, popular, and accessible brand, in the best sense of the term. At Citroën, everything is guided by passion, which exacerbates and amplifies everything.

During your first year at the helm of Citroën, what were your priorities?

Xavier Chardon: Managing the brand for the past year has been an immense opportunity, but it is also a significant responsibility to relaunch it. Returning to where I started in '94 to take over its leadership is an honor. This responsibility is even greater at a time when we are preparing to relaunch a legendary model like the 2CV. It is a very big challenge!

What is your vision for Citroën in the short term (1 to 2 years) and medium term (5 years)? You are ultimately inheriting a lineup that is not entirely yours, with the notable exception of this future 2CV.

Xavier Chardon: In the short term, the vision is mainly focused on execution. The objective is to relaunch the brand, to reconnect with its customers, its dealer network, and the press, because the brand was poorly handled in the past. It is therefore about triggering a real dynamic. We have a renewing lineup, and we must amplify this movement, but this does not only happen through products. There is also a global brand logic that must allow us to align our image with what we want to make of Citroën.

The commercial dynamic is already underway: we are at 9 consecutive months of growth, even though we are still far from showing the full potential of the brand. In the short term, the priorities are clear: to have a network that recovers its profitability and the stability it is owed, to have satisfied customers who become true ambassadors, and to motivate our internal teams so that they support the brand and become proud spokespeople. We need to rediscover pride at Citroën.

And in the medium term, in 5 years, when a large part of the lineup will have been renewed, what would you like Citroën to look like?

Xavier Chardon: In 5 years, we are going to face an unprecedented Chinese offensive on the market, combined with the major challenge of electrification. In this context, my vision is that our position should be solid, with fully satisfied customers who act as brand ambassadors. I want Citroën's historical legitimacy to be a strong asset, both towards our customers and within the Stellantis group itself to which we belong. This should allow us to achieve things we have never been able to do before, while remaining as close as possible to our customers.

Citroën currently operates alongside 14 other brands. The group presented its FaSTLAne 2030 plan. What are the advantages and disadvantages of this plan for Citroën, and what conclusions do you draw from it?

Xavier Chardon: The main advantage is that our role has been clarified: that of an accessible, popular brand, refocused on markets where we have every chance of succeeding. The second strong point is that we will be able to accelerate our development by fully exploiting synergies with the group's global brands. This aligns seamlessly with our current strategic directions.

Being part of Stellantis offers us indispensable synergies. It is exactly the model I knew at Volkswagen: Peugeot launched and brought the necessary volumes with the 3008, which then allows us to launch a well-equipped C5 Aircross at a competitive price.

The other absolutely major element of this plan—and it is excellent news—is the return of the 2CV. What pleases me a lot, even though we are primarily motivated by our customers rather than simple figures, is that Citroën's market coverage will expand considerably. It will increase from 35% to 50% of the total market, which is massive, notably thanks to the arrival of two additional segments and other equally important upcoming innovations.

The return of the 2CV is a real challenge as it has become so legendary. It is not like some competing projects where everything relies mainly on style. The "deudeuche" is much more than that, it is a way of life. Is bringing that to a modern car a challenge?

Xavier Chardon: I completely agree with you. When it first appeared to the general public, the 2CV established itself differently: it was the fact that it perfectly met practical uses that made it iconic. It is a genuine monument of French culture.

We have worked enormously on this project. I spent a lot of time analyzing and understanding the deep motivations behind the original 2CV. Doing simple retro-design is absolutely no guarantee of success; there are as many failures as successes in this field. The future 2CV was not planned at all in the initial program when I arrived. My teams and I fought to present a coherent positioning and an ultra-solid business model. The project finally received the green light from Antonio Filosa and John Elkann. Since I entered the group in 1994, I had never seen a top boss validate such a project, which definitively sweeps away rumors of relegation and deeply motivates me.

Back then, the 2CV contributed to democratizing individual mobility after World War II. The goal we are setting for ourselves today with this new version is to democratize the transition to electric vehicles. It is a magnificent challenge to take on with the 2CV.

In the FaSTLAne 2030 plan, Citroën is described as a "regional brand". Can you describe this concept precisely? Will Citroën remain present in India, Latin America, and the Middle East-Africa region?

Xavier Chardon: What must be understood are the market realities and anchoring of each brand. The facts are simple: Fiat and Peugeot post higher global volumes, with Fiat being the leader in South America, Turkey, or Algeria, for instance. These higher volumes allow them to amortize technologies before letting Citroën benefit from them. This does not mean we are abandoning the international market, quite the contrary: our operations and ambitions continue normally in India, Asia, and Latin America.

In recent years, Stellantis' discourse consisted rather of reducing the number of models, customizations, colors, and equipment. Yet, we feel that this is changing slightly. You spoke of expanding market coverage, there is the 2CV, and you presented the ELO concept last December which marks the return of minivans. Can we imagine a wider lineup for Citroën in the future with more equipment, options, and customization?

Xavier Chardon: Yes, absolutely. I can confirm that.