1973 Citroen Sm on 2040-cars

Auto blog

PSA aims to sell Chinese on French quality by giving them wine

China is the house that every robber baron is trying to break into. PSA Peugeot Citroën has been in-country since the early eighties, getting there with Volkswagen, but the French brand largely spent its time sniffing the plum blossoms while the German brand grabbed the dragon and tamed it. No more: PSA expects China to be its largest market by 2015, and it has spent more than a year rearranging its affairs to make a cohesive push for Chinese hearts and minds and renminbi.
After rationalizing its business operations there, Peugeot will move its wares upmarket to put space between it and Citroën, the Citroën DS line will be a standalone brand - the only place in the world where that will be the case - and according to a report in Businessweek both brands will heavily promote their association with French luxury by giving away wine and perfume to those who visit dealerships.
France, as the number one destination for Chinese tourists, does have a strong pull for the locals. But those visitors are interested in France mainly because of brands like Louboutin and Louis Vuitton, so it will take time and serious investment to find out if "premium mainstream" and "near-premium" brands can truly form a consumer bond with some of the definitive marques for sybarites.

Here's your chance to bid on a rare Chapron-bodied 1969 Citroen DS

Citroen's palatial DS has become a sought-after classic, but auction house Bonhams is preparing to sell one that makes the regular sedan look a little mundane. Up for grabs with no reserve is a rare 1969 DS 21 that was rebodied into a stately limousine by coachbuilder Chapron. Assigned chassis number 4637101, the DS 21 scheduled to cross the auction block is one of 27 Majesty models built by Paris-based Chapron and one of three equipped with directional headlights, which were a real novelty in the late 1960s. While the DS was positioned as Citroen's range-topping sedan from 1955 to 1975, the coachbuilder took luxury to the next level by giving the Majesty a more upright C-pillar that cleared up additional space for the passengers riding in the back, a more angular-looking rear end, and a more upmarket interior. Majesty models also featured specific trim inside and out (the chrome strips on the fenders and on the front doors were notably not fitted to the regular-production DS) and a handful of subtle Chapron emblems. Pricing varied from car to car, but the Majesty wasn't cheap. It was created largely for heads of state and other money-no-object dignitaries, it was built almost entirely by hand, and it was priced accordingly. Finished in Midnight Blue, the example offered by Bonhams was fully restored in the 2000s. But it has been stored since the current owner purchased it at Retromobile in 2009, so it needs a full tune-up — at the very least. Like every DS built, the Majesty was fitted with a hydropneumatic suspension system that (we say this from experience) doesn't like to sit for an extended period of time. Parts are readily available, and the system isn't nearly as daunting to work on as it sounds, so getting it back on the road should be easier than it sounds. Bonhams is offering this Majesty with no reserve, meaning the highest bidder will take it home. It expects the sedan to sell for anywhere between 50,000 and 100,000 Swiss francs, excluding auction-related fees, figures that represent about $50,200 and $100,300, respectively. If this looks like the project that you've been waiting for, mark your calendar for July 3 — that's when this car will cross the block in Gstaad, Switzerland. Collectors who would rather enjoy a bidding war from the comfort of their couch can register to bid online.

Recharge Wrap-up: Georgia gets E15, new PSA EVs will be cheaper and offer more range

What would it be like to test drive a gasoline-powered car in an EV-dominated world? A post by Tibor Blomhall at Tesla Club Sweden gives a glimpse into this alternate universe. The review begins by noticing the pushiness of the dealer at the "repair shop" that sells the car, which is cause for suspicion - a clear nod to Tesla's lack of such franchise dealerships. Of course, the author mentions the noise, vibration and the smell of the exhaust. He notes the inefficiency of the idling vehicle and its less-than-smooth operation, particularly when it comes to changing gears. The one plus: refueling is quick. The downsides, though, are that the fuel is toxic, dangerous and expensive, and you can't refuel at home. "Imagine if you could charge your electric car only at the power companies' most expensive fast chargers - and nowhere else!" Read more at Tesla Club Sweden. Georgia's first E15 station opens Friday, May 8. The Gulf Quick Stop Food Store at 855 S Cobb Drive SE in Marietta, Georgia will offer the 88-octane E15 ethanol blend. Two other Gulf locations in Madison and Greensboro will also offer E15 in Georgia. Customers at the Marietta location can enjoy "Happy Hour" pricing from 4 to 5 pm on May 8, and festivities include music, a concert ticket giveaway, face painting and a moon walk. State officials will be present for the celebration. Read more at Domestic Fuel. PSA/Peugeot-Citroen says its second-generation EVs will be less expensive and offer more range (surprise). The company is also planning to launch a plug-in hybrid in 2019 using the company's EMP2 platform, shared by the Peugeot 308 and Citroen C4 Picasso. "PSA will make pure electric cars from the bottom of the market upwards based on the new platform by the end of the decade," says a PSA spokesman. As for the plug-in hybrid, PSA CEO Carlos Tavares says, "We have completed the architectural aspects and are currently deciding on the battery technology." Read more from Automotive News Europe. Related Gallery 2014 Peugeot 308: Frankfurt 2013 View 23 Photos News Source: Domestic Fuel, Automotive News Europe, Tesla Club SwedenImage Credit: Citroen Green Tesla Citroen Peugeot Alternative Fuels Ethanol Electric recharge wrapup