Paris. French automobile brand Citroën plans to reinforce its position in the global market, including Indonesia, while also working to regain its prominence in Europe and expand significantly outside the continent.

Brand CEO Thierry Koskas told Antara news agency at the sidelines of the 2024 Paris Motor Show that Citroën is focused on revitalizing its presence in the European market while prioritizing expansion in the Asia-Pacific region, particularly in Indonesia.

Acknowledging the competitive nature of the Indonesian automotive market, Citroën remains optimistic about sustaining and expanding its operations in the long term with products like the Citroen C3 and C3 Aircross, which have been tailored to meet local needs.

He mentioned that while the Indonesian market is challenging, they believe their localized products can provide a competitive advantage as each market has its own preferences.

For example, in Europe, many customers do not require advanced touchscreen features, while in markets like Brazil and Indonesia, such features are highly valued. 

In its long-term development efforts, Citroën has partnered with Indomobil, a local automotive company, aiming to gradually strengthen its sales network and after-sales services in Indonesia.

The company is also aware of the pricing challenges in the Indonesian market and is continuously exploring ways to reach a broader market segment. Koskas suggested that manufacturing vehicles in the regions where they are sold and adapting them to local conditions is essential, particularly because importing cars from Europe for sale in Indonesia would limit volume.

Despite these challenges, Citroën remains confident in the competitiveness of its products. With a well-planned expansion strategy, product adaptations to meet local needs, and support from local partners like Indomobil, Citroën is optimistic about achieving success in the Indonesian market.

According to data from the Indonesian Automotive Industry Association (Gaikindo) for September 2024, Citroën reported total wholesale sales of 962 units in the country. During the same period, retail sales from dealers to consumers reached 585 units. A significant portion of these sales was achieved at the Gaikindo Indonesia International Auto Show (GIIAS) 2024, where Citroën recorded total sales of 437 units. The Citroën C3 Aircross SUV was the best-seller with 332 units sold, followed by the Citroën E-C3 with 103 units, and the Citroën C5 Aircross with 2 units.