PSA group sees growth on all three brands with new metal and tech to continue the growth.

• Worldwide sales up 0.4% to 1,547,000 units^[1]
• Sales advance in Europe, China, India-Pacific and Middle East & Africa – now the Group's third largest growth market
• Assertive brand positioning:
  • Worldwide success for the Peugeot 308, the brand's bestselling model
  • Citroën C4 Cactus gets seal of approval with 90,000 units sold since its launch a year ago and 35 awards across the world
  • Premium brand DS continues its development with the launch of the new DS 5
• The Group consolidates its position as European leader in CO₂ emission reduction with average CO₂emissions of 106.9g/km in the first five months of 2015, thanks in particular to the popularity and performance of its three-cylinder petrol range

Consolidated sales in Europe rose 2.9% year on year to 984,000

Peugeot sales were up 6.7% as a result of the excellent performance delivered by the Peugeot 308, the third bestselling model in the C segment (sedans and estates) in Europe and the segment leader in France. In the B-SUV segment, the Peugeot 2008 held onto its no. 2 ranking in Europe with 57% of sales generated on the two highest trim levels.

Citroën registrations climbed 2.8% in the first half, reflecting the brand repositioning which began a year ago, its well-rounded sales policy and the success of its latest passenger car models. The Citroën C4 Cactus generated sales of more than 43,000 units over the period and was well received by international critics, garnering awards such as "World Car Design of the Year" in New York in April. Sales of the new Citroën C1 came in at 32,000 units, a staggering 54% higher than the previous version.

DS sales jumped 14.8% between the first and second quarters to reach 40,700 units, driven by the launch of the new DS 5. The brand pursued its long-term premium positioning strategy during the period, launching "1955" limited edition models across the range to mark the 60th anniversary of the very first DS.

First-half 2015 also saw the opening of several new DS Stores, most recently in Paris, Geneva, Luxembourg and Milan, taking the DS network's total to 9 DS STORE and 65 DS SALON.

In China and Southeast Asia, PSA Peugeot Citroën sales totalled 368,000 vehicles, a 2.2% improvement on first-half 2014.

For the second year running, Peugeot was one of the fastest growing international brands on the market with sales up 11.1% year on year in China: SUV 2008 and 3008 sales surged 34%; the new 408 sedan got off to an excellent start, selling 68% more units than the old model; while the launch of the 308 S in April also contributed positively.

In China, Citroën sales retreated 6.7% compared with first-half 2014, mainly as a result of the discontinuation of low-margin models, including the old C-Elysée, and a lull in the market for notchback sedans, which accounted for all of the brand's sales until the successful launch of the C3-XR SUV in December 2014 (nearly 30,000 units sold). The Citroën C-Elysée remains the brand's bestseller with more than 46,000 units sold over the period. 

DS sales rose 4% in China in the first half of 2015 thanks in particular to the success of the DS 6. The brand also continued to develop its distribution network and now has 84 DS Stores covering 60 major cities. China currently represents 20% of the brand's worldwide sales.

Middle East & Africa: a profitable international lever of the Back in the Race plan

In the first half of the year, the Group consolidated the strong positions it holds in a number of countries in its historical Middle East & Africa markets: leading the market in Tunisia and ranking second in Morocco and third in Algeria.

Peugeot sold 61,700 units in the first half, advancing 11% compared with the same period in 2014. The brand's performance was buoyed by the recovery in the Turkish market, where it gained 0.6 market share points. In Algeria, Peugeot also improved its market share, from 10.8% to 13%, and consolidated its position as the country's no.3 player.

Citroën sales shot up by 53% to 38,300 units on the back of market share gains in two of the region's major markets, Turkey and Algeria (1 point and 0.5 points respectively), thanks in particular to strong demand for the Citroën C-Elysée, the brand's bestselling model in both countries.

Markets remained slow in Latin America and Eurasia where Peugeot and Citroën focused on improving their margins by placing an emphasis on their most profitable vehicles and those manufactured locally. In Mexico, Peugeot sales jumped 19.6% owing to the success of the Peugeot 301 and the Peugeot Partner as well as the recent launch of the new Peugeot 308.

In the India-Pacific region, Peugeot sales rose sharply, particularly in South Korea (up 132%), driven by sales of the Peugeot 2008. Citroën also enjoyed robust growth, particularly in Japan, with deliveries up 67% thanks to the strong performance of the Grand C4 Picasso.

Commenting on the sales results for the first half of 2015:

Maxime Picat, Chief Executive Officer, Peugeot brand said: "With worldwide sales up 3.9%, led by the resounding success of the 308 and our best-in-class technology, the Peugeot brand has confirmed its pulling power and sent a message of confidence about the future."

Linda Jackson, Chief Executive Officer, Citroën brand said: "Boosted by the success of its recent launches, Citroën continued to make headway in the first half of the year with higher volumes in Europe. In China, the Citroën C3-XR SUV made an excellent market debut following its launch at the end of December. We are pursuing the worldwide repositioning we began just one year ago, as demonstrated by the Citroën Aircross concept unveiled in April. The concept reflects our ability to flout convention in all segments."

Yves Bonnefont, Chief Executive Officer, DS brand said: "We are continuing to roll out the DS brand globally, with the new DS 5, new engines for the DS 4 and DS 3, and new connected services for the entire range. These new products and services strengthen our offering and reaffirm our brand's positioning at the crossroads of technology and refinement. We also opened several DS Stores during the first half of the year in such major cities as Geneva, Milan and Paris."