Peugeot has at last turned the corner, with significant sales growth.

• PEUGEOT sales worldwide up by 5.7% to 853,000 units
• Sustained growth for PEUGEOT in Europe and China:
  • Europe: +13.5% to 522,000 units
  • China: +32.4% to 185,000 units - a new sales record
• A young and coherent product range, contributing to the sales performance:
  • Success of the PEUGEOT 308 and 308 SW - 2014 European Car of the Year
  • Success of the PEUGEOT 2008 and 3008 Crossovers
  • Successful launch of the PEUGEOT 108
• Performance of the Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) range:
  • Launch of the new PEUGEOT Boxer
  • Strong growth (+7.6%) in the sales of PEUGEOT Partner, Expert and Boxer

With a sales performance in Europe well ahead of the growth in the market and a confirmed sales offensive in China - the biggest automobile market in the world - PEUGEOT saw its sales worldwide improve by 5.7% during the first half of 2014, to 853,000 units (+45,000 units).

Compared to the first half of 2013, a significant change can be seen in the Brand’s 10 most important markets, reflecting a return to form in certain countries, like in the UK and Spain.

In overseas markets, PEUGEOT confirms the sustained progress in its sales in China, where its growth in the first half of 2014 is nearly three times that of the market.

European region: PEUGEOT resumes growth

The European Car + LCV market (30 countries), with price competitiveness still strong, was marked by the start of a recovery (+6.6%) during the first half of 2014: among the major markets, Spain (+19.8%) and the UK (+11.3%) stand out compared to the progress made in Germany (+2.7%), France (+2.7%) and Italy (+4%).

In this context, PEUGEOT benefited from the success of its renewed car and LCV range and achieved 508,300 registrations (422,400 cars and 86,000 LCVs), up by 7.6%, equal to a market share of 6.6%.

The Brand is also making progress in volume in the great majority of western European markets, and particularly in southern Europe, Spain (+14.3%), Italy (+16.3%) and Portugal (+38.5%), as well as in the six main markets in Central and Eastern Europe. It recorded a growing market share for Cars + Vans (LCVs) in several countries in the region, particularly in France and Italy, but also in Austria, Belgium, Denmark and Norway.

In France PEUGEOT grew twice as fast as the market during the first half in 2014, with a market share of 16.8% for Cars and LCVs. In the car market alone, which grew by 2.9%, PEUGEOT achieved 7.5%, with a market share of 17%. The PEUGEOT 308 confirmed its position as leader in the C segment with 3% market share.

At the end of June 2014, the PEUGEOT 3008 and 508 remained at the top of their respective segments and the PEUGEOT 108, launched in June, recorded more than 1,500 orders in the first month.

Finally, this growth is profitable as the Brand has made significant progress in retail sales, with market share up 1% compared to the first half of 2013, at 66%.

In the European LCV market, PEUGEOT maintained its strong position (10.6%).

The second half of 2014 will see an entirely renewed car range with the new PEUGEOT 508 from September and the expected increase in sales performance with the PEUGEOT 108. The PEUGEOT range will then be the youngest in its history, with an average age of three years.

This range will benefit from the best-in-class technologies: BlueHDi Euro6 diesel engines, with its remarkable 82g/km CO₂ version on the PEUGEOT 308; the PureTech petrol engines fitted on 108, 208 and 308; the new automatic gearbox EAT6 which will now feature on most models. 

Asian region: rapid acceleration in the growth of sales in China

In China, with 185,000 sales during the first half of 2014, PEUGEOT delivered growth of 32.4% in a car market up by 12.8%. The PEUGEOT 308, 408, 508 and 301 achieved good performance, with a total of 123,600 sales in the first half, including 36,700 units for the PEUGEOT 301 alone.

The PEUGEOT 2008 and 3008 Crossover range bring a new dynamic capability, meeting well the expectations of Chinese customers. Accordingly, the PEUGEOT 3008 is up by 37% to 33,700 units after 18 months on sale. The PEUGEOT 2008 recorded 11,000 sales after just 3 months on sale.

The monthly market share for June reached 2.35%, up by 0.7% compared to June 2013. The market share for the first half of 2014 reached 2.3%.

The Dealer network now covers the territory with 436 dealers (350 in June 2013) and by doing that, promotes the development of the brand in areas of strong economic development and urban growth.

The second half should remain strong. The sales launch of the new PEUGEOT 408 will take place at the Chengdu Motor Show in August and for the new PEUGEOT 508 at the Canton Motor Show at the end of November, before its sales launch in January 2015.

Other regions: PEUGEOT strengthens profitability

In the other big markets in the world, the downward trend is more or less marked. PEUGEOT has suffered from the general devaluation of the currencies in emerging markets, the weakness of the US dollar against the Euro, as well as resulting inflation, leading to a major drop in buying power and in the level of the market. In this context, PEUGEOT has chosen a commercial policy driven by profitability, working on the channels of distribution and pricing power. In markets that are strongly down, this adopted policy leads to reduced volumes, sometimes compensated by gains in market share.

Accordingly, in Latin America PEUGEOT was able to win market share in Argentina, 10.9% (+0.3%)  equal to 40,000 units (-21.4%) in a market down by 23.8%, a consequence of new taxes on cars, the restriction on imports from the start of 2014 and the continued devaluation of the Argentine Peso against the Dollar. Very favourable credit rates for purchasers of vehicles produced in Argentina should revive the market.

In Brazil, weak growth has particularly affected the automobile sector, which has had to cope with restricted access to credit and high taxes. The overall sales of cars dropped by 7.3% to 1.58 million units and those of PEUGEOT by 18.7% to 22,600 units. PEUGEOT anticipated a drop in volumes related to the end of life of the PEUGEOT 207 and Hoggar models, while waiting for the arrival in early 2015 of the PEUGEOT 2008, which should contribute to a renewed momentum.

In Russia, the market reached 1,230,000 units during the first half of 2014, down by 7.9% (1,333,000 units in the first half of 2013). PEUGEOT registrations were 12,200 units, down by 30.7% compared to 2013 (17,557 units), for a penetration of 1%. Two main factors had a negative impact on performance: the overall drop in the market and the deterioration in price positioning resulting from renewed aggressive marketing in the automobile sector.

Sales of the PEUGEOT 408, built at the Kaluga plant, are better than the imported range, due to the local production. The Moscow Motor Show at the end of August, with the first presentation of the new PEUGEOT 508 and the first showing in Russia of the PEUGEOT 308, should allow the Brand to return to a path of growth.

In Ukraine, in a market that has collapsed by 43%, the Brand has been able limit its drop to 3% and has won 1.7% in market share to 3.8%.

In Algeria, PEUGEOT took second place in the market with 19,800 sales (10.7%), in a sharply declining market (-27.9%) compared 2013. 

In Turkey, the market dropped by 26% during the first half, a consequence of the increase in credit interest rates and the increase in prices to compensate for the devaluation of the Turkish Lira. In this context, the brand sold 9,600 vehicles and improved its market share by 0.8 points in the B segment. The PEUGEOT 301 was the leader in its segment in June and third for the half-year as a whole. The launch of the new PEUGEOT 508 and the availability of automatic transmission on the 308 should help development in the second half.

Successful launches for the PEUGEOT 308 & 308 SW, 2008 & 3008 Crossovers, and the LCV range

The PEUGEOT 308 voted European Car of the Year 2014 had a successful launch.

The PEUGEOT 308, launched in September 2013, passed the 100,000 order mark in June 2014 and the supplementary PEUGEOT 308 SW has itself already accumulated 21,000 orders. The PEUGEOT 308 is contributing towards the Brand’s ‘move up-market’ with 42% of its sales for its middle and upper trim levels. This success has had a positive effect on the Sochaux plant, with a night shift being added since June, bringing the total production of the PEUGEOT 308 up to 900 per day (+160 vehicles per day).

The PEUGEOT 2008 and 3008 Crossovers continue to experience huge success. Sales worldwide of the PEUGEOT 2008 reached 95,400 units during the first half of the year. For the month of May, it was in first place in its segment with a market share of 23.3% in the Europe 30 market and with a product mix of 65% for middle and upper trim levels. This success has had a positive effect on the output of the Mulhouse plant, where production has leapt from 310 units per day at launch to 860 units per day in April 2014.

The PEUGEOT 3008, which benefits from its improving performance in China and its recent restyling in Europe, saw its sales worldwide increase by 13% to 83,000 units.

For its part, the PEUGEOT 301 continues its success, following its launch in China, with sales up by 55% to 58,100 units.

The PEUGEOT range of Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) all performed well, with the best-selling PEUGEOT Partner experiencing a sales increase of 7% to 66,100 units, the PEUGEOT Expert with 15,600 units (up 23%) and the PEUGEOT Boxer at 27,800 units (up 2%).

A global positioning, with visibility supported by major sporting programmes

The brand’s renewed ambition can also be seen in sporting activities and in sponsorship promotions.

Early in 2015 PEUGEOT will make a return to Dakar with the 2008 DKR. This return to a motor sport programme with international scope is also being made with a car with a worldwide ambition, given that the PEUGEOT 2008, already crowned with success in Europe, has recently been launched in China and will also be launched in Latin America early in 2015.

Furthermore, in January 2014 PEUGEOT agreed a partnership with tennis champion Novak Djokovic. This collaboration, aimed at improving the Brand’s visibility in the main countries of the world covered by the ATP tournaments, has started in exemplary fashion. Novak Djokovic, winner of the Wimbledon Championship and a finalist at the French International at Roland Garros, has just become world N°1 in the ATP classification. Novak Djokovic has been associated with successful advertising in Europe with the TV campaign to promote the PEUGEOT 208 and in China with the PEUGEOT 2008 Crossover.