Citroën is committed to developing its sales outside Europe in order to become less dependent on the old continent, where the market remains stable and very competitive. To ensure sustainable growth, Citroën is also looking to conquer new markets, and India is a priority, as it is set to become one of the world's major markets in the coming years.
With the launch of the C3, the first model in the C-Cubed range, which comprises three vehicles, the C3 Aircross and the Basalt were presented today. However, the results of the last three years, during which Citroën has sold more than 17,000 vehicles, are not positive, as the products are of excellent quality, especially in terms of comfort, but suffer from a lack of equipment and an unfavourable price/performance ratio, as well as a lack of brand visibility.
This negative assessment prompted the brand to rethink its strategy for the Indian market and to launch a massive communication campaign on the changes it intended to make, particularly under the leadership of Thierry Koskas, the new Citroën boss, and the brand's head in India, Shishir Mishra.
An evolving range
It all started at the beginning of January 2024 with the announcement of the marketing of the new C3 Aircross in an automatic version, finally meeting the needs of consumers who prefer automatic transmissions. This launch will make the brand's new SUV more attractive to consumers and thus increase its sales.
The brand continued its transformation by announcing the improvement of the safety equipment of the C3 and C3 Aircross, which from this summer will include 6 airbags, anchorages for Isofix seats and a recall of the safety belts. rear safety as standard on the entire range. Citroën has taken into account the comments of the media and consumers and has decided to improve the level of equipment on its models in order to be more competitive in this highly competitive market. The brand has also launched a high-end version of the C3 with the marketing of the Shine finish, which finally allows customers to opt for a well-equipped electric C3. The same C3 has also been enriched with a new body colour and a special series to liven up the range and increase visibility.
Product changes will continue with the launch of the Basalt, Citroën's first SUV coupé, which has been delayed by a few months in order to offer additional equipment as standard and from launch onwards.
All-round partnerships
The first half of the year was also an opportunity for Citroën to sign several partnerships with car-sharing companies, with the aim of placing several thousand C3 electric vehicles on the market.
These multiple partnerships have several benefits for the brand, not only in terms of direct sales, but above all in terms of visibility, thanks to the networks of these companies, which cover the whole of India, including areas where Citroën has a limited presence.
In addition, the customers of these car-sharing companies will also be able to drive the C3 and thus become aware of the intrinsic qualities of the electric C3, starting with its excellent comfort: the brand is counting on word of mouth to spread the word about the C3.
In total, more than 7,000 Citroën ë-C3s will be delivered by these three partners in the coming months, representing more than 41% of all Citroëns sold from 2021.
Developing visibility
The other axis of the brand's change of strategy on the Indian market is the development of its visibility, which is still too superficial. It must be said that India is a huge country of 1.4 billion inhabitants and that, in the context of Stellantis' strategy of modest growth, it is very difficult to achieve sufficient visibility.
Moreover, the brand's ambition is to reach 200 points of sale by the end of the year, which, from a mechanical point of view, will allow it to increase its sales, since Indian consumers, who are certainly fond of new technologies, like to have a good look at the cars before buying them and to be sure of having a service point nearby in case of any problems.
But it is the partnership with MS Dhoni, India's most popular cricketer, that will help Citroën gain visibility and popularity. This multi-year partnership has already seen the launch of a special series on the C3 Aircross and a Do what matters campaign in support of the Indian cricket team, which has been a great success and has enabled the brand to significantly increase the number of visitors to its website.
To sum up, it is always difficult to enter a new market without investing huge sums of money, especially as this does not guarantee success. Citroën has learned from its mistakes and, since the beginning of the year, has been pursuing a new strategy in two main areas: improving the standard equipment of its models and seeking greater visibility through a wider network. It has also signed an agreement with MS Dhoni, with whom Citroën hopes to capitalise on its popularity. The imminent arrival of Basalt and the changes it will bring to the rest of the range should therefore have a strong impact on sales, especially as Citroën will be able to count on a network large enough to cover a good part of this immense market. .
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