Citroën announced yesterday the surrender of its sales operation in Australia, declaring “the cessation of new vehicle sales.” The brand’s decision to exit coincidentally came during the launch of the new Zeekr electric brand — from a Chinese manufacturer that shares hardware with the likes of Volvo, Polestar and Smart as part of the broader Geely family.
Imported locally by the Inchcape Group, also responsible for Peugeot and Subaru, Citroën has has delivered just 87 cars so far this year, fewer than luxury brands selling for ten times that of Citroën such as Ferrari (138), Aston martin (96), Bentley (123) and Lamborghini (161).
David Owen, general manager of Citroën Australia, said that the decision to stop selling cars “was not made lightly”.
“This decision follows consultation with the retailer network, careful consideration of the current and future Citroën product available for the Australian market, and how this aligns with the evolving consumer demands and local market requirements.
While we acknowledge and celebrate Citroën’s rich history in the Australian market, we must look to the future and consider the rapidly evolving, dynamic, and competitive nature of the industry and local market, alongside changing consumer demands.
The decision for Citroën Australia to cease new vehicle sales was not made lightly; it was made after careful consideration of the current and future product available for our country, in the context of the local market and the preferences and requirements of Australian new vehicle buyers.
Our dedication to putting our customers at the centre of everything we do remains resolute. “We know there will continue to be Citroën owners in Australia, with many Citroën vehicles still on the road, and our passionate Citroën Australia team and retailer network are committed to supporting the continued vehicle maintenance needs of our customers.”
In the departing announcement released on Thursday, Citroën Australia stated it will “exclusively support the vehicle maintenance and servicing requirements of Australian customers effective 1st November 2024, following the cessation of new vehicle sales in the local market”.
Existing customers will be able to have their cars maintained at 35 authorized service centers around the country. The outlets will also handle recall campaigns and software updates for customer vehicles.
The announcement also stated that Citroën Australia will honour new vehicle orders placed by November 1, giving hardcore enthusiasts a few weeks to acquire a Citroën before it going into oblivion down under:
“New vehicle orders placed by customers before 1st November 2024 will be fulfilled and delivered, and Citroën Australia’s comprehensive 5-year/unlimited km new vehicle warranty, Assured Service Pricing and Pre-Paid Service Plans remain unchanged for all new vehicle sales.
In addition, some Citroën Australia retailers may also have demonstrator vehicles for sale. We encourage you to contact your nearest Citroën retailer to discuss what vehicle they may have available to suit your needs. You can search for your nearest authorised Retailer online at www.Citroën.com.au.”
And so Citroën fades the way it did in Canada and the USA in the mid-1970s…. Where will it pull out of next?
From historic perspective, a sad development. It’s not clear what the unique selling proposition of the current Citroën range is, however. As with the situation for stablemates Opel, Peugeot, and Vauxhall, ordinary ‘me too’ cars compete only on value and dealer access. The root cause was the navel gazing ‘puissance fiscale’ tax scheme – making the formerly unique French cars uncompetitive in export markets. Other exporters outside France could therefore plow excess profits back into product improvements.