In 2016 it was stated that PSA, the group that includes Peugeot and Citroën, planned a return to the USA, but it had never said when that might happen. Now we know that Peugeot will be the first to arrive on American shores, though it could be as long as 2026 before it happens. Still, it could be worth the wait, when you look at Peugeot’s history, particularly with hot hatchbacks and competition cars. Of course there’s the seminal 1980s 205 GTI, and its monstrous Group B rally variant the 205 T16. Then there’s the Dakar 406 T16, the Le Mans 905 and the current highly-rated 308 GTI, not to mention some of the earlier, coachbuilt creations and crazy record-breaking cars.
There’s no solid news on distribution or manufacturing so far, but Peugeot will have to work hard not just to convince buyers to invest in a French car but to persuade dealers that they’re worthwhile stocking as well—which will mean ensuring that the margins work for the trade, and not expecting them to spend large sums on preparing their showrooms. “I don’t want to go to people and say, you have to build me a Taj Mahal with this color tile and this fabric on your chairs,” PSA CEO Larry Dominique told Automotive News last May. It’s known that PSA’s next generation models are being designed to meet US regulations, which will help the transition back to the USA. If the USA gets GTI variants, then we’ll be happy.
Images courtesy of Peugeot
