Christian Streiff has only had his hands on the reigns of struggling PSA Peugeot Citroen for just a few days, but the new boss is already working on plans to improve the French automaker's fortunes. One option he's looking at is a return to the United States - a market Peugeot has been absent from since the early 90s.
Recent shifts in market trends have made a return to the U.S. more favorable for Peugeot. Small, fuel-efficient cars are increasing in popularity, and passenger diesel cars are beginning to gain traction in the wake of the introduction of ultra-low sulfur fuel that allows automakers to develop emissions-compliant diesel engines. Peugeot's lineup also features three hardtop convertibles, which could play well in America.
One major hurdle Peugeot has to overcome before it can even consider a return to the U.S. is shoring up its quality issues. Selling vehicles with hit-and-miss quality is no way to remain competitive in a market, let alone enter one.
Vehicles like the upcoming 207 SW, to be previewed at Geneva as the Peugeot 207 SW Outdoor concept (pictured above) - differentiated from the production car by a number of features including a panoramic glass roof, split-opening rear hatch, light grey leather, and tough exterior materials - and the 4007 midsize crossover (pictured left) developed with Mitsubishi (which will also be at Geneva along with its Citroen C-Crosser sibling), could be among other models Peugeot would consider should it embark on a U.S. return.