Its European market share eroding from 8

For SAP for Renault, the international rescued furniture. Like the diamond Tuesday brand, Peugeot and Citroën welcomed, yesterday, the good of their semi-annual sales outside Western Europe, that compensates somewhat poor performance recorded in this area. The group can view sales worldwide rose by 3.2, to 1,743 million vehicles, a little higher than expectations, although it moves significantly in Western Europe ( 3.9), where it sold more than 1.275 million vehicles. In the rest of the world, the strength of the recovery in some areas (Latin America, Turkey...) is enough to fly volumes: 29.2 on the first half from end of June 2003, sales outside Europe in the West of 468.000 vehicles.

In terms of brands, this trend was particularly strong for Peugeot. With 1.021 million vehicles, the mark of the lion was recorded in the first half global growth of 6, accusing a decrease of 4.9 in Western Europe. Its European market share eroding, from 8.7 to 8.1 from one year to another. "The judgment of the 106 in the second half of 2003 and the end of the 406 distort comparisons, said the Director General of the trade mark, Frederic Saint-Geours.". Out of 106, the penetration rate was maintained in reality. "This decline was offset by a flight of 39 in the rest of the world, where Peugeot sold a third of his vehicles, 331.000 units. "We give today the priority to the Central and Eastern Europe, to the Turkey, the Iran (where sales doubled to 131 vehicles) and Latin America", said the leader

The situation appears much less favourable for Citroën, which Bern performance across the Group: to 722.000 vehicles, global sales decline by 0.5, affected by the end of the Xsara career. The chevron brand better resisted that Peugeot in Western Europe, where it does "that" gives 2.8 but it also compared less benefited from the dynamism in the rest of the world, where its sales increased by 10.4 to 137.000 vehicles.

Breakthrough of compact vehicles

It loses ground in China where, because of the increasingly competitive nature of the market, it has sold 47.0000 vehicles in the first half instead of 52,000 a year earlier, despite a growth of 29 of the market over the last six months. In this very promising countries, trying to stabilize its market share of 4 from 5.7 in June 2003. On 2004, Citroën should see its commercial performance doped by compact vehicles, with including the C2 launched late 2003. "The first half is in line with our annual target of 1.35 million to 1.4 million vehicles sold in 2004 (against 1,370 million in 2003)," says the Director General of the trade mark, Claude Satinet. We maintain, and it is possible that the markets are a little more favourable than expected in the second half. "On the side of Peugeot, the whole of the year should be given by the 407, launched in April, and the Group hopes to sell 150,000 units this year (against 100,000 sales year last for the 406). "Our goal to do better than 2002, which has been for us a record year, can be reached", said Frederic Saint-Geours.