With C3 Aircross, Citroen aims India to be its biggest market outside Europe

Citroen plans to step up its game in India with two new models within next year. The first one, C3 Aircross SUV, was unveiled by the French carmaker on Thursday, April 27. The SUV, which will take on rivals such as Hyundai Creta and Maruti Suzuki Grand Vitara, is expected to hit the Indian roads around June this year. The next model from the carmaker is expected to launch some time next year. With two new upcoming models, Citroen hopes its sales in India to increase in coming days.

According to Citroen, India could become the carmaker's biggest market outside Europe soon. Thierry Koskas, CEO at Citroen, said the carmaker plans to have almost one third of its overall sales coming from international markets outside the continent in the next two years. During the unveiling event of the C3 Aircross, Koskas said, “India is a key pillar of the Citroen strategy. It is a market that could very soon reach 5 million units. We do not communicate on numbers, but I can tell you that probably India will become the biggest growth driver of Citroen outside Europe."

Citroen sold around 9,000 cars in India last year. The carmaker, which made debut in the country with the C5 Aircross SUV in 2021, currently has three models to offer. These include the C3 hatchback and the E:C3 electric hatchback. The C3 Aircross, which is based on the C3 platform, will be the carmaker's fourth model. It will be assembled locally at its manufacturing plant.

In terms of sales, India ranks lower for Citroen as of now. In Europe, which is the biggest market for the French carmaker, it sold more than 5 lakh units in 2022. Markets like Latin America and Middle East, especially Turkey, are some of the other big markets for the carmaker.

To make India one of the biggest markets for itself, Citroen has also announced its plans to expand its footprint. The carmaker said it will add 60 outlets across 55 cities in India by the end of the year to help maximise the reach of its models. By the time Citroen introduces its fifth model next year, the number of its dealership could go up to 100.