PSA Outlines Plan to Grow DS Premium Brand

Yves Bonnefont, who became CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroen's DS premium brand on June 1, tells Automotive News Europe he aims to build the brand by targeting cities worldwide where demand for luxury vehicles is strongest.

PSA has already established DS as an independent brand in China. But in Europe, DS will remain closely aligned with Citroen, from which it gets its vehicles.

Bonnefont says the unit will promote itself in Europe through three levels of display at with Citroen outlets. The simplest, called the DS Zone, is an area within a dealership denoted by a black floor and special lighting.

The DS Salon will be the most prevalent option. It devotes more floorspace to the brand, includes a DS-specific sales person and displays DS signage outside. The fanciest option, the DS Store, has its own entrance and will be walled off from the adjoining Citroen showroom.

Bonnefont expects to have 40 DS Salons operating throughout Europe by the end of the year. He also wants to open outlets in about 200 of 500 cities around the world where the premium auto market is most successful.

He says DS has no immediate plans to open any stores in the U.S. But Bonnefont tells ANE it will be difficult for DS to be a true premium brand without an American presence.