Australia and China new markets for Citroen Cactus
One of our favourite cars of 2015 is performing so far beyond expectations that global expansion and increased production is inevitable. Citroen is aiming to sell between 90-100 000 of its Cactus models annually, buoyed by the penetration into new markets including Australia and China. The Citroen Cactus has notched up several awards including World Design of the Year and in South Africa, the Citroen Cactus has received a lot of interest due to its quirky design, award-winning 1.2-litre turbo engine and competitive price.
Citroen Boss Linda Jackson told a journalist at Autocar that “Cactus is doing very well. First of all the car was only going to be a European vehicle, and that would have been very much the tradition – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK. We set the initial sales volume at 70,000. Since we launched in June last year, we have sold just over 74,000 Cactus models.
When we first had the concept, the Chinese said it was too different for them, too modern. Then last year at the Beijing motor show the Chinese said: ‘We’ve got to have it, we’ve got to have it…’ So in four years, tastes have changed and the Chinese market has evolved and yes, we are studying whether it might be possible to take it into China and other markets across southeast Asia.
We believe we’ve got a great vehicle. It is a success, but now we want to push it more with some more ambitous targets. This shows the spirit of where we want Citroën to go – it’s about being modern, vibrant, young at heart and having the feel-good factor that comes with having a great car to drive.”
