Could Citroen’s First India Dealership Be In Ahmedabad?

Citroen India is constructing a dealership in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, and could launch the C5 Aircross SUV in July. The new showroom is situated on the Sarkhej-Gandhinagar highway. Citroen had previously planned to launch its first car in India in late 2020, but here’s why we think it could come earlier: 

The C5 Aircross is Citroen’s debut model for India. It is a mid-size SUV which will rival the MG Hector and the Jeep Compass. Late last month, an undisguised C5 was spotted in Cochin, indicating that it could reach dealerships in the near future. 

We expect the C5 to be brought into India as a knocked-down kit (CKD), but Citroen has said that it aims for 90 per cent localisation. It has set up a manufacturing facility in Tiruvallur, Tamil Nadu, and a powertrain production facility in Hosur, Tamil Nadu, which can produce up to 3 lakh gearboxes and 2 lakh engines annually. 

Earlier Citroen had disclosed that initially, the C5 Aircross will be sold in 10 Indian cities. It currently has no functioning dealerships in India, but it seems like Ahmedabad is among the first ten cities to get a dealership. Citroen’s dealership requirements are hardly ostentatious -- the new La Maison dealerships can be set up in as little as 150 square meters with just two cars on display. 

The C5 Aircross is likely to cost upwards of Rs 16 lakh when launched in India. Its soft curves give it a pleasing aesthetic despite the boxy shape. Although its suspension setup is conventional, it gets hydraulic cushions in the dampers to soften the blows that the average Indian pothole might administer. It’s no 1950s DS, but Citroen still calls it the “magic carpet effect.” 

Under the bonnet, four engines are available in other markets. The 1.2-litre and 1.6-litre petrols make 130PS-230Nm and 180PS-250Nm, respectively. The oil burners displace 1.5 and 2.0 litres and produce 177PS-400Nm and 130PS-300Nm, respectively. The smaller engines are paired with a 6-speed manual gearbox while the larger ones get the EAT8 8-speed automatic. We’ll have to wait to see which of these powertrains makes it to India. 

India is a tough market for foreign carmakers to break into. Exports and imports are expensive and legislation about cars has been tumultuous in the past few years. But India has been kind to the Kia Seltos and MG Hector, both debut vehicles from foreign manufacturers. We hope to see the first Citroen dealerships and touchpoints being inaugurated in the coming months. As for the C5 Aircross, it couldn’t come sooner. 

Source