Will Opel Build The Next-Gen Citroen DS5, Peugeot 508 In Russelsheim?
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According to a report by German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, the next-generation Citroën DS5 and Peugeot 508 will be built at GM’s Rüsselsheim plant in Germany. The paper cites sources who state that the Citroën will commence production in 2015 followed by the Peugeot in 2016.
If true, the development would result in the PSA products sharing their platforms with the next-generation Opel Insignia, while the next-generation Citroën DS5 would effectively replace the C5; currently, the DS5 is a compact hatchback and the C5 is a mid-size sedan.
The move will allow the Rüsselsheim plant to run three shifts, bringing a much-needed operations scale to a segment that has continued to shrink over the last decade. However, with half a million units produced, Opel’s Insignia appears to be doing just fine; perhaps the same can not be said of the Citroën and Peugeot.
For its part, PSA has dismissed the report as “speculation”.
The GM Authority Take
If nothing else, the development is the first sign of significant large-scale results from the GM-PSA alliance announced in February of this year. Under the partnership, GM and PSA would share platforms, component modules, and other technology, while enjoying increased savings in the departments of logistics and purchasing.
As always, stay tuned to GM Authority for the latest GM News — as you can be sure we’ll be following this story closely.
Hat tip to Rocky.
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Since Peugeot already has a venture with BMW, how does something like this affect “other” alliances amongst a brand? Are they kept separate, or could we see BMW working with GM as well?
I think we’ll see BMW slowly exit the threesome…
It is actually more complicated than that. PSA also cooperates with Ford on diesel engines. And also PSA makes vans with Fiat – Peugeot Boxer – Citroen Jumper – Fiat Ducato, while Opel builds vans together with Renault – Opel Movano and Vivaro – Renault Master and Traffic, although Opel Combo is badge-engineered Fiat Doblo.
WOW!!! I knew the engines in the MINI Coopers were sourced from Peugeot, but I didn’t know so many other companies worked with PSA as well.
Yup. Ford has had very heavy reliance on Peugeot to develop its diesel engines. Ford’s Dagenham plant builds them including an amazing twin turbo V8 diesel that was once destined for the F150. But I digress.
Bottom line, existing alliances are less likely to be dropped if the economies of scale favor the results of the Alliance.