Roland Peugeot Dies at Age 89

Roland Peugeot, grandson of a founder of Peugeot SA and the company’s chairman for 26 years, has died. He was 89.

He headed the company from 1972 to 1998 and continued as an advisor to 2014. Under his leadership, the carmaker expanded by acquiring Citroen in 1976 and Chrysler’s vehicle operations in Europe two years later.

PSA Peugeot Citroen remains Europe’s second-largest carmaker after Volkswagen AG. The company is recovering from near collapse in 2014, thanks to a €3 billion ($3.3 billion) bailout that saw the Peugeot family lose control of the company for the first time since it was founded in 1928.

The unassuming Peugeot was noted for driving to work in the smallest and most modest car PSA produced.