Stellantis’ future India models revealed but will they sell? Deep Drive Podcast Ep.12| Autocar India
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- čas přidán 25. 06. 2024
- Stellantis brands Citroen and Jeep are selling all of a few hundred units a month in India. Where did they go wrong and how are they planning to make amends is the topic of discussion for this episode of Autocar Deep Drive brought to you by Kotak Mahindra Prime. Hormazd Sorabjee - Editor, Autocar India - and Ketan Thakkar - Editor, Autocar Professional - share some intel.
Editor: Deven Bhalla
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Chapters -
0:00 - Introduction
1:25 - Management changes
2:50 - Eye on costs
5:10 - Citroen's India approach
13:10 - Fiat to Stellantis
18:10 - Jeep and the Compass
22:06 - All-new Jeep for India
25:22 - Citroen's EV play
27:37 - Leapmotor coming to India
28:55 - Managing multiple brands
31:42 - Jeep Meridian: What went wrong?
33:07 - Maserati in India
33:40 - Looking ahead
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#autocarindia #deepdrive #podcast #jeep #citroen #stellantis - Auta a dopravní prostředky
Chapters -
0:00 - Introduction
1:25 - Management changes
2:50 - Eye on costs
5:10 - Citroen's India approach
13:10 - Fiat to Stellantis
18:10 - Jeep and the Compass
22:06 - All-new Jeep for India
25:22 - Citroen's EV play
27:37 - Leapmotor coming to India
28:55 - Managing multiple brands
31:42 - Jeep Meridian: What went wrong?
33:07 - Maserati in India
33:40 - Looking ahead
I have been Driving a Fiat punto diesel for the past 14 years done 350000 kms in it I love it
They missed to judge the shift of people's mind in India when everyone is willing to buy a good car with features.
Why was Renegade not brought to India despite Car being seen testing on Indian Roads?
Aditya Jairaj was clearly not cutting it for Stellantis India. In the last interview at Autocar he had no news or vision for new model launches in India. Jeep and Citroen has much better models in US and European markets. One fails to understand what sort of marketing research these companies do.
It's really sad to how Jeep is destroying Compass brand in India by not updating it sufficiently and overpricing it compared to its competitors.
These western car manufacturers try to stick their outdated products to the Indian customers. They don't have a good supply chain management thats why their products are outdated yet expensive. Clearly won't work when you have other players who are doing it right.
Ford got their lineup wrong in India though they have such a huge portfolio of models worldwide.
Citroen tried their luck in cost cutting.
Jeep overestimated the spending power of the Indian customer base.
They have to realise that the Indian customer is no longer the uninformed one like 10 years back. Now they know what they want and hence manufacturers cannot just take them for granted.
I really hope Citroen does well. I love their engineering philosophy. I still feel that a price cut can move some numbers on the C3 and Aircross
The build quality, safety and interior cooked the brand completely. Engine and handling are there but the higher ups were clearly making a car on an excel sheet rather than actually driving their own products and bench marking them.
C3 Aircross with the torque converter is an excellent protect.
Fiat Linea and other models failed because TATA dealers didn't promote the model and denied service in their workshops . Linea was good to drive but lack of quality control resulted in repeated part failures . Then on top the availability was sparse . Remember the alternator coming from Italy after 15 days .
Prefer to hear the Autocar India Deep Drive Podcast? Listen on:
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I am very hopeful about the Citroen brand in India. They kept the cost under control and slowly moving into Tier-2 & Tier-3 cities where cost really matters. The kind of cost structure Citroen has, they will really take on Maruti-Suzuki in India. And, I like the phrase Hormazd used for Citroen C3 Aircross that it feels like its cabin is designed by Accountants rather than Engineers.
I just enjoy listening to Hormazd especially in the new podcast series. Really like this series. 😊
Recently drove the Jeep Renegade in Europe…and it seemed like the perfect size for India. Wonder why they are not considering that for India. It’s smaller than the Compass, so definitely could be a 15-20L range car. Looks good too.
Fiat should come back with a new strategy and a new diesel engine (wishful thinking)😅
Awesome content. Yes Fiat needs to comeback in India. Citroen they need to upgrade the build quality & premium features otherwise their cars are barebones. Jeep is awesome they are planning the Thar rival as well. And 4.2 meter SUV as well. They can also bring in Opel or Peugeot brands as well. 🤘🏻💯
I owned a Fiat Punto Diesel - Fantastic car. Tata deliberately destroyed it by giving poor service.
Tata cheated FIAT. Make nko mistake.
If one can compromise on features & interior design then C3 Aircross is a great car which provides superior ride comfort like higher segment vehicles at a starting price of Rs. 8.99 L.
It's too much of a compromise on features, quality & interior design & way too much focus on cheap cost cutting.
Also the lack of After Sales Service/Showroom plus lack of brand awareness is playing its part. Personally I also think, the citroen guys think India & Indian consumers are from 90s. I would had liked Peugeot instead of Citroen here.
Also ₹8.99L is not a small amount to look past whatever advantage their model or company packs, honestly can't blame Indian buyers here.
Wow, it seemed like Stallantis was a sinking ship in India but this video was an eye opener about the company. Kudos for coming up with such great content
Post Covid, the Indian customer wants more value even after paying over 48% in GST and taxes for a car. So Citroen & Stellantis, remember that, absorb that and stop shipping outdated products to the Indian customer!
Easiest way to survive is to just join hands with well performing brands, Toyota surving with muruti Suzuki products, Renault and Nissan surviving together, kia just following Hyundai strategies.
Citroen can do a lot much better if they provide proper quality & features.
Sir
Kindly ask Tata maruti Hyundai
To
Give illuminated power windows switches
And
Driver side grab handle
It will certainly cost something but very minimal .
Thanks
But you can’t justify the price of compass in any way.
Refined but mediocre engine,
Good build quality but size comparable to Creata and Seltos (put not the price),
Plush it was once but competition has already caught up.
VW and Skoda cars have this..
Grab handles are not for drivers they should not remove thoer hands fr the steering and no brand offers grab handle for the driver
Very informative as always..
That blue Punto 😍. Of course the tata dealership it was and it is the same way today.
why is no-one talking about Jeep Avenger? This car would sell like anything in India. And it has also been marked as the car of the year outside our country.
Still looking forward to Jeep Renegade after 4 years! Even though there is no chance considering they have C3
The compass is still a great product and is not outdated ,better engineered than XUV ,Harrier and Hector. Citroen has got its product portfolio completely wrong, same mistake Toyota made with Etios, offering a basic product in a competitive market. Kia meanwhile has done a stellar job in understanding the Indian market with right products.
Awesome
Will stellantis/citreon bring their hybrid power train to India ?..
That would really appeal and will be a VFM product if they have better safety rating.
The only thing going for compass is its looks. Even though the engine is decent, it's not a comfortable car by any stretch. It does handle well but I found the suspension to be too stiff for bad roads. It's a true suv if you take comfort out of the equation (which one should if SUV is the intended use). Using the citroen platform may change this but then time will tell what impact will that have on handling.
Didn’t talked about jeep avenger, greatest potential for indian market 4080mm, can be brought under 4000mm with little bumper alterations to be perfect fit Indian mass market
I loved them interiors of c3
PSA messed up huge with Citroen. They got all the fundamental things right - Engines, Chase, Driving dynamics, suspension. But they underestimated Indian market and cheaped-out on features that resulted in a pretty bad initial impression. Also they skipped few key additions which could've improved safety ratings by a lot.
where can one buy The Autocar mug?
By bringing budget models --- they are killing there brand in india -- budget people will always go with maruti and Hyundai
Aftersales service, availability and prices of spare parts. Long term survival of the brand. I am Chevrolet owner 😅
Doesn't it boil down to the topic of Indian economy, where the gap has widened so much that one side we have Mercedes Benz BMW Volvo Audi customers, and on the other side we have Maruti Suzuki Hyundai Mahindra etc
The main reason for Fiat failing in India is that their cars were too heavy! This reduced their performance as well as fuel efficiency. It also made the cars costlier. Other reasons were lack of interior space and lack of features.
The Jeep compass is a solid car. If you ask me India needs more options for premium strong hybrid vehicles till the charging infrastructure is sensible enough to own a fully electric vehicles. Just see how many hybrid innovas are on the road? I would any day pimp up my innova hybrid than buy a more expensive ride that adds to the already badly polluted cities and towns. If possible Jeep should launch the Compass Hybrid in india as its offered in the UK.
Still own a linea petrol 2010 model I hope they bring back fiat instead of citron and all
Any news about Ambassador Comeback?
Compass base model costs almost 25 lakhs on road in many Indian states. How do you expect it to compete with Mahindra and Tata?
These foreign brands need to stop underestimating Indian audience. Even after all the failures, they just need to undermining us and keep blaming other factors for their own failures. I am happy to see that Hyundai/KIA and Toyota learned their mistakes and are doing good by respecting the Indian audience.
People I meet often believe that the jeep maintenance is way too high though they liked the car. Even I own one but friends keep warning me about the services, maintenance. I hope stellantis r aware of the services they have to provide n brings trust. Jst did my 1st service n quite nervous for the future.
With terrible sales results and recent price revisions, it scares me for sure being an existing Jeep Compass owner. With their brand image, Jeep must for sure look at launching something more valuable with great interiors rather than continuing with Compass any longer. They can’t keep slashing the price.
I also heard they are making luxury ev cars under HM partnership.
simple for Citroen and Jeep they need to change Car prices, features and upgrades
Every manufacturer should have cng option
JEEP, a word, is perceived over the decades among the general Indian population as a class or segment of vehicles capable of offroading and hill commuting.. That's even actually half true, though, because in the past, lots of brands manufactured JEEP cars..
Now let's talk about Stellantis.. without properly understanding the people mindset and about what they expect in a typical JEEP, Stellantins just working around with capitalising the word "JEEP". without any doubt, current jeep lineup is fabulous in terms of features and comfort, but that's not a unique factor as features, tech, and confort can be seen all over the automobile brands. in simple words, now JEEP is not a JEEP what people expect in a JEEP..
Please make video on chevorlet brand journey in india
One of the dumbest decision is to bring a new brand citroen when they have. A established brand FiAT cars. Only thing needed wad good new models. Instead they stopped it and brought a unknown brand.
I feel somehow safety in cars is also a play which citroen have completely missed!!!
Make a podcast on TATA reliability and manufacturing defects problem
I seriously feel Citroen is going to do really well in future.Does anyone know any company associated with Citroen listed in Indian stock market...?
But jeep has Grand Cherokee and Wrangler. Total 4 product in their portfolio in India. What about the jeep avenger?
hey autocar, love this podcast. The headlines that show up in the bottom left corner get lost behind the subtitles. Can you guys please put these headlines in the center and a little above so that it doesn't clash with where the subtitles are? That would be perfect. The headlines would be perfectly visible then. ✌️
Hi. We're trying a solution!
A new brand is bought by people with knowledge of global automotive market and citron c3 scored zero in global N cap
Stellantis has Ambassador Marque (Brand) and could have use this citroen's c cube platform and some of ambassador's design in retro and modern way to bring ICE and Ev vehicles in different bodystyles like sedan, hatchback, SUV and MPV and also in different categories( sub 4M, 4.3M) but Nah! there won't do it because of there cost cutting mindset and good luck for them as later on the younger generations don't even no the Ambassador brand and there investment of 80 cr in buying this brand goes in total loss
If Citroen cars had all the bells and whistles, trust me, it would been a hit by now and KIA would've been worried. Only when brands realize what Indian customers want, they can be successful. Ford was good until 1st gen Fiesta. They fell flat after that.
I own a Jeep Meridian and want to move to Jeep Meridian facelifted. What plans Stellantis has for Meridian.
❤❤❤
I feel the best brand that can bring glory back is Fiat if they can bring good competitive car, but then they are so bad with their management
Sir alto best hai ❤ end of debate ❤ lord alto haye haye hoye hoye ❤
Why dont they leapmotor cars as FIATs further cd road in bringing proper fiats in future. Coz given the premium feel of jeep few prize tags and vehicles not justified
Citroen wants to play mass market game? make electric C3 a little bit polished, tie up with banks for good deals and sell to cab drivers. it can be a new WagonR
They should bring the Avenger here. Would sell very well.
Meridian would have got good customers if the third row was something usable atleast for Kids.
Citroen cars are fantastic!
They shouldn’t have taken away Fiat from India. Citroen, although launched with good product, they got the crash test rating going to their disadvantage at a time where the consumers are paying attention to that parameter. Poor poor strategy.
Jeep is a superb brand. Sadly that have spoilt their own game here. They should have brought the Renegade into India in 2018-2019 itself. Aditya Jairaj is a typical Corporate Honcho. He is NOT a Jeep Guy. Apart from Corporate Speak he is NOT a guy who lives and breathes JEEP.
Citroen - another lovely brand. It has just never found its metier in India and probably never will, despite the brand’s excellent engineering and suspension and all.
These brands cannot figure out the consumer psyche here the way the Japanese first did and the way the Koreans figure out later.
Citrogen needs come up with automatic and led lights
Sir .... Is CITRON had any type of study of Indian Car Big Market ...Before introduced ..Citron C3 Aircross ....? U have already EV Infrastucture in INDIA..Why not introduced first EV OR HYBRID model of C3 Aircross ? That time no any company have big size EV like C3 Aircross size .....Stll not but U mis big opportunity to enter in India with C3 Aircross EV/HYBRID.....As per me now very tough situation for CITRON to establish in Indian Car Market.i
Where is dodge
C5 was the best product which they should have launched at 18lakhs which they miseraly failed with
Jeep compass & Meridian expensive pricing against poor brand image. At the same time unaffordable or high costs of Maintenance alongwith poor Service Stn network.
Unless they highly localise both Jeep & Meridian to make it affordable to Indian buyers. Also reduce their cost of Spares, Labour charges & affordable Servicing Costs. They might not survive for long in India.
These are not going to sell whatever they do because people are not sure how long they will operate in India. Examples like Ford and Chevrolet are in front of us. Lack of widespread sales network is also a factor.
Get the jeep renagade in a great price point with diesel auto, overnight jeep will be a grand success.
Citroen failed big time in safety rating. When any international company comes in people have more expectations on safety part which they clearly failed.
They (group) need someone with good understanding of middle class in Bharat and strong in technology as product manager!
Management change in india division doesnt matter if their higher bosses are not ready to make a product for india.
Jeep and Citroen both dont have any product value for indian customers taste.
Not sure why citroen hired dhoni as brand ambassador.
I think Citroen has the best engineers and the worst marketing people on the market
I would have bought a Citroen C3 Aircross (5 seater) Automatic, if only they had given it a decent door handle and a few other essentials. The Puretech 130 engine would have been the icing on the cake! It is still a good car car to drive with the Puretech 110 engine with its (raised) 205 nm torque. Well engineered but without a feel-good factor.
Really missing fiat
If someone is hearing in Citroen and if they have the strength to hear, " the cars are a shit to look at".
The person who envisioned and designed the looks of the front bumper doesn't have indian perspective of beautiful Car design.
Person who is deciding on features to be offered is not up to date, he/she lags by a decade,
Front of the car is the face of car, if it doesn't look good then it won't draw people to showroom.
If the draw isn't there, then don't blame the salesperson/dealer.
Please change the alloy wheels, 4spoke isn't pleasing, give atleast 5 spokes.
French eyes and Indian eyes are way different, look at Indian temples.
I don't know what is so great about c3's engines. I test drove both the engines back to back with Tata punch. All 3 cylinders are expected to have a slightly worse nvh than their equivalent 4 cylinder counterparts, but c3's engines were exceptionally bad at this. Both petrol engines feel like driving a truck. I could feel the vibrations on the steering wheel, the gear lever as well as the pedals. By comparison punch felt like a magic carpet. I think Vw makes the most refined 3 cylinders, nobody comes close. So I don't think marketing is their problem. I had high expectations from Citroen when I was in the market especially after driving their ds3 cabrio in uk but I was utterly disappointed with their engines here in India
I've driven all these three engines as well. Only thing going for Punch is NVH levels. But that engine is dull compared to Citroen's NA. Which is more lively on highway. and with C3 Turbo, we cannot even bring Punch NA into discussion.
They can't read the market in say 25-30 years (FIAT onwards), I don't see them reading it any better in the present or the future, just look at the C3 they sell in Europe and India they're like chalk and cheese...
And what will power a 4x4 EV jeep in the himalayas or winter spiti? A Diesel generator? 😂
According to me Citreon has good Car handling & ride Comfort Engineer's. But the Cars are manufactured by team members of Accounts for maximum Cost Cutting & worst being the Marketing team who never wanted to build Citreons brand image in India.
Pathetic team of experts who did homework of collecting infos of Indian Car buyers requirements & aspiration in India.
Finally they offered a Taxi Model in 2024 against the the best local competitions.
Citreon C3 & C3 Aircross both are offered as barebone & worst being those dated handles & very poor Service Stn network.
If they are going to offer same handles in Desault. That will surely be rejected all India for sure.
Unless they offer their best against Competition offerings they will not survive for long in India.
However they defiant & determined they may be to stay in India.
Compeet with maruthi, mahindra, Hyundai , kia cost cutting is probably required for jeep, citroen
Exactly that's the reason why Compass was huge success when it's launched, great value back then, but at current scenario compass is too costly for the features and space it gives since indian market is too much of a value proposition market than sheer drivers car
I am sorry to say ,we Indians actually don't need stalantis half hearted efforts.. all the best for burning your money in india
Citroen interior quality will take you to 90s, it is that bad. Right from AC nob to many other stuffs. Fiat was undone by customer service.
One episode for IT companies helping automotive industry ❤
Jeep engine change Karo bhai .thoda torki engine banav
compass overpriced and dated engine, citroen good mechanical but very flimsy shell and lack of features compared to competition
You reviewers are obsessed with sunroof, now even the people understand the disadvantage and moving away from it
So stop saying sunroof as a missed feature
Its funny to hear, these 100+ years grand daddys of car industry ( Ford/ G.M./ Stellantis) crying about 'cost' in Bharat( that is india) Should this 'crying' , translated into, success of Maruti Suzuki? How come these companies cant tide over 'cost-factor' in Bharat?
'Naam bade Aur Darshan Khote'?
Conversly, these grand daddy's,with all the Gyan,of a car, can't make a car, which is having a best engine, with the cheapest price? Ford/ G.M. gave the answer, Citroen is yet to answer!! Long live Japanese Quality & Japanese strategy!!
Stop promoting Jeep as a premium brand!
Stellantis like Toyota getting ready for last rites. RIP
For God's sake don't Kill Citroën!
You guys are supposed to be experts- so EDUCATE the Indians about World class safe cars made available for a reasonable price.
Do not promote or eulogise crappy unsafe cars of Maruti, Hyundai, Kia etc.
We lost a great var in Ford! Don't do it to Citroën.
Don't say THEY were humbled - it is we who are ignorant idiots who measure a car by its jing band and fail to see the critical aspects.