CITROËN IDENTITY AND IMAGE STRENGTHENED IN PSA RE-ORGANISATION

The unique image of and identity of Citroën, one of the world's pioneering car makers, will be straightened following a major reorganization of the French car maker's parent company, PSA.

Citroën has established itself as a car maker that has pioneered a unique range of technology, from front wheel drive to active hydro-pneumatic suspension in a series of cars from the Traction Avant, 2CV and DS, through to today's cars such as the Citroën Xantia Activia with its computer controlled suspension.

Announcing the reorganization, the newly appointed chairman of PSA Peugeot Citroën said that the top-to-bottom reorganization of the car maker will position Citroën with its own strong image, continue and expand its ground breaking technological advances and endow it with a global strategic vision. A new department specifically charged with developing new technology has been established.

To maximise production efficiency Citroën will share a three new "platforms" for new products with its partner, Peugeot, but Citroën's design and development teams will be completely separate and empowered to produce a unique styling identity for Citroën.

Citroën will also be given a new level of control over its own destiny with it assuming total control of its own sales, marketing and importer operations around the world. This will include the development of its own sponsorship and motorsport programs.

To lead this new program Claude Satinet has been placed in charge of Citroën.

The Platform program:
Efficiency and innovation driven.

The adoption of the platform program will both reduce costs and enable greater diversity and flexibility for Citroën. A platform, not to be confused with a floorplan, is a series of fixed points of common componentry that effectively float in space, around which a car or commercial vehicle can be designed. Vehicles can share the same platform, but have different wheelbases, length, width and height.

The Citroën platforms will include key features such as sub frames, engine, transmission, suspension and axle assemblies and equipment such as air conditioning, representing as much as 60 per cent of the vehicle's total value. Although there will only be three platforms, each platform will be capable of providing the basis for several different vehicles, allowing Citroën to respond to the growing proliferation of different types of vehicle in the world's market places.

The PSA Group has six final assembly factories capable of producing more than 1,000 cars and vans a day. These will be reorganized to enable greater production flexibility and lower costs, which will transfer benefits to customers in form of keener pricing, shorter delivery times and a greater choice of products and options.