Friday, September 16, 2011
By Pranjal Gera
Peugeot's plans entry into the Indian market with C and B+ Cars
After Volkswagen already making it big in India, another German Automobile company is ready to enter the Indian market. Peugeot has already bought a 4,000 acre piece of land at Sanand in Gujarat, and buliding up its plant there. The plant will start production in 2014.
However, Peugeot doesn't wish to wait for so long. So, it has planned to import its car till the time its plant at Sanand is ready to roll out its cars. Peugeot will, for the first time in India, showcase few of its cars next year in January, at the Auto Expo in New Delhi. Though, the models haven't been finalised yet, but its sedan 508 is one of the sureshots. 508 sedan will be put in competition with Volkswagen Passat. Volkswagen is expected to be Peugeot's main competitor in the Indian market.
After 508 sedan's launch, the company plans to introduce a C-segment and a B+ car. Peugeot is making strategies for the Indian market. Peugeot's world press and external relations manager, Marc Bocque said that the company will adopt top to down strategy in India. According to Bocque, Peugeot will be aiming at 70-80% localisation of raw material. He seemed confident on Peugeot's success in the country and claimed that the company's styling, reliability, technology and quality will be make it a hit in the Indian market.
The Sanand plant will initially have the capacity of 170,000 units per year. The company bought the land at Sanand in Rs. 4,000 crores. Peugeot is, at present, setting up dealership contracts acrosse the countries, and planning on launching its cars next year.
