Stellantis has sales growth plans for Peugeot and Citroën vehicles in Brazil, a market in which the brands have been struggling for years to expand their participation, after the group formed last year ended 2021 in the leadership of sales in South America.
Stellantis was formed by the merger of FCA and PSA, and the resulting group inherited the manufacturing complex in Porto Real (RJ), which manufactures Peugeot and Citroën models as well as engines. The factory has a capacity of 150 thousand vehicles per year, but the two brands ended 2021 with combined sales of 52.9 thousand vehicles, according to data from the association of Fenabrave dealers.
“The factory in Porto Real (RJ) is underutilized, but we are going to put in one of the main Stellantis launches, the Citroën C3, and we believe that it will quickly saturate the factory”, said the president of Stellantis for South America, Antonio Filosa, this Friday (7), to journalists. The executive did not give details about investments due to the proximity of the group’s results.
In 2021, while Fiat, one of the main Stellantis brands, managed to increase its participation in Brazil to almost 22% in the leadership of the Brazilian market, the slices of Peugeot and Citroën in the country were around 1.5% each.
“The Porto Real factory will have much more than expressive growth. We have done well so far with the launches of Betim (MG – Fiat) and Goiana (PE – Jeep) and if we repeat the same recipe for the launches of Citroën in Porto Real as well, I believe we will have good news”, said Filosa to be asked about the future of the industrial complex in Rio de Janeiro.
In December, Filosa had estimated that the Brazilian light vehicle market “had no reason” not to have sales of at least 2.4 million to 2.45 million units. But this Friday (7), the executive commented that given the impacts of the Ômicron variant of Covid-19, it is necessary to reassess the numbers.
Earlier, the association of automakers, Anfavea, estimated that sales of light vehicles in the country will grow 8.4% this year, to 2.14 million units.
“We hope this new wave is fast, but the numbers are starting to worry,” said the executive.
Reference: CNN Brasil
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