Bonus: Autocar Meets Citroen CEO Xaiver Chardon

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Welcome to the bonus Autocard podcast. Autocard meets where we bring you interviews with the biggest names in the car business. It's brought to you in association with Anderson EV, makers of top quality home electric car chargers. Until the end of October by the way, if you order an Anderson charger and mention my weekend cars, the sales team will apply a £50 discount. No codes, you just need to simply mention it to the sales team.

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But back to the podcast and this week our editor Mark Tishaw meets the Citroën CEO, Xavier Shardon, over to Mark.

So welcome to the latest Autocard meets and our very special guest today, Xavier Shardon, the new CEO of Citroën. Welcome.

Welcome. Thank you.

Firstly, I wonder if you could just introduce yourself a bit, but to the listeners, you'll be your new name to many of our listeners and our magazine readers as well.

Could you tell us a bit about your background and then you said just off mic there, you're 100 days in giving Citroën to you.

So 100 days in never been Citroën as a CEO position, but not 100 days within the car industry, neither within Citroën.

Behind the car guy, I started in 1994 in automotive business and by the way I started in Citroën in Italy at that time.

I spent two years in Italy and moved to Paris and I was head over Citroën in Denmark for three years and I moved to Germany.

I started the marketing worldwide position of Citroën at that time.

We shipped the logo and launched what has become the brand DS in the time in charge of Citroën France and then I had my mid-life crisis when it was 40 and I moved to the voice again.

I had several positions in the voice book, head of Citroën, head of marketing worldwide.

Four years experience with our partner in the John Ventura in Saiken, Saiken, MG brand of course, lots of operations.

So we've also been in China for four years and lately in charge of all the second group operations in France for four years and now for 100 days within Citroën as a CEO.

So luckily I finished my period of time and I will confirm that I can see this interview very well.

I'm sure it will. We're nice, we're not too scary. So how are you finding it? How are you finding it so far?

And a second part of that question, what was your outside view of Citroën? You've been on the inside before, you stepped outside.

How did you think the brand was doing from afar and how do you think it was doing from afar?

I have to say this is also why I accepted this challenge to go back to steer the brand because it's a brand that has ridden six years of history, strong DNA of fantastic products.

I think well the most collective brand in the world, the only brand with three products in the hall of fame and the two CD is the Traxio and the DS.

And you see that in the last years, I think Citroën has lost a bit of relation, brand has lost market share, a bit of confusion in terms of positioning and also products that were aging and also a couple of issues on quality side.

And I'm here to benefit that we have to show that Citroën is back and that we have a brighter future.

I should pick up a couple of other points there, but confusion, how would you define confusion around the brand? What was that confusion? What can you do to address that?

What I heard from journalists, there's some time to have a feeling that if you look at the C5 today, they don't see consistency with sort of entry models.

And I have to say that for me, it's logical. You are not defining your brand against competitors, you define brand to satisfy and to anticipate what customers are willing to have.

And if you look at the DNA of Citroën in the past, we had up and down into the brand that died and it was more like Phoenix to start with the information.

But Citroën was always very successful when you listen to customers and answered with a couple of good elements.

And the first one is that you need to think what is better for the life of your users, not only the driver, but the people within the car.

And to do this with different products and enterprise that is also affordable and accessible to the message.

So this is what is Citroën. And if you look today as the position of the brand, I think we are about to do this reconnection.

If I analyze the product portfolio and compare it to the leaders in Europe when it says the more, the brand says the more in France or the Japanese leader.

And if you map this and you look at the prices in all segments, prices is one that one dimension.

The other is the inner space that you have. And so the roominess plus the size that you have for phone messages.

You will see that every time we offer more roominess at a more affordable price.

So this is a constant that you have for the C3, but that you will find a full C5 across.

On top of that, what do we do? We offer more comfort.

And last but not least, this year we offer 8 years warranty in all our cars.

How do we make this? We have to make some trade.

For example, the Citroën car will be never the most fancy car that drives from 0 to 100 kilometers. You won't find this.

You won't take your smartphone and you press one button and the car is part made set.

So we are making choices. And we believe that our choices are able to satisfy what people do.

We do the one for Citroën and what is consistent with marketing.

Those easy qualities to market. Part of your experience, you said in your career is kind of global marketing.

To me, they sound very rational qualities.

The kind of qualities you might have to explain.

How do you get them a simple, snappy message that helps people understand what the Citroën is?

Citroën is the car, it's the smart mobility choice for a better life.

And then what do we do? I think we can have, if I play with some elements, we are bringing clever solutions to the customers.

We want also to have this comfort, extending. I would say even moving from the comfort to a well-being and even caring.

And that's why you will find a comfort, a comfort of suspension.

But again, if I say ages of quarantine, we share about the people.

And we want to do this in a different way than all the chemicals shape.

If you look at the shape of a C5 across and the shape on the back, for example, it's almost a kind of concept car.

And if you look at what we do with AMI, we are the one that are democratizing.

And you can start driving our car from 14 years old.

So this is something pretty unique in the market.

So we are not following fashion, which we want to express ourselves with the strength of our DNA.

And also the advantages of the state of the platform.

Those things you want to address, the brand of confusion, improving the market share, improving the quality.

So these things you identified when you got here, or was this part of the bridge?

When you look at quality, there's different types of things.

You are experts, so you all heard about the pure tech with our engines, about the diesel engine that we are also calling.

But here also we take a very strong path, 10 years warranty for both engines.

So with different mileage, we can call people who drive the diesel out right in the higher.

In kilometers it's up to 244 kilometers for the diesel.

So this is one topic.

The age is another topic is very important.

But also, you know that we were one of the car makers that were faced with the tech and issue.

One of the 34 car makers.

But also here we have taken strong actions.

And today if I look at Europe on the C3 and the S3.

We have record more than 1.1 million cars.

We have 40,000 cars in Europe in order to not let our customers know about mobility solutions.

So we put a lot of effort.

Our dealers are super committed.

And they have sometimes dedicated special workshops and special lines to welcome them and train the problem in one hour.

Out of the commitment we need to have.

And also when we launch a new car like the C-C5 across.

I can tell you, we could have launched a car a bit earlier.

But we don't want to jeopardize any more quantities of super high standards.

And with the head of quantity, with the cash on and my sets, we are super strict on those.

And it's maybe back to the foundations of what we need to do.

But this is absolutely key for this.

When you have such well publicized vehicle campaigns.

I guess you can go one or two ways.

It can be very negative and very damaging for the brand.

Or are you using it as a way to show that you do care.

You know how passionate and can help customers.

Exactly.

And it's basically what people tell us.

Because if you know the outcome for Takata, it's basically the most of the cars we have fitted.

There are cars that are older than 10 years.

And people, frankly, it's quite emotional when you are letting us come right now.

It's not a serious issue.

And that's why we offer a toll ring.

It's by the author of this car, as he calls.

But at the same time, they are happy to see that there's still a car maker behind them after 10 years.

Even if they haven't been to our workshops for many many years.

We are still there to set.

I have to say it's turning into a positive story.

So how much, and is Citroen feeling any pressure from Chinese brands?

Are audience in the UK will know?

We'll see a lot of a mode or a lot of JQ products in particular.

They've rapidly grown market share in the UK.

Citroen is positioning in the market now.

Is it potentially under threat from Chinese brands?

This is new competitors.

Some of them are very serious competitors.

I love in China.

I respect the quality and the technology that they are having, of course.

On the other side, you know, it's not the first time that we are facing those entries in the European market.

Like I said, we are a hundred years old brand.

Even if we had the Japanese and South Koreans and Chinese are coming.

And I think what is really important is to fight back with your DNA, with strong products.

We are very happy to have a completely ringed line-up.

This is the best way to be offensive.

Of course, we have to defend ourselves against the Chinese.

But there are also many European competitors that we want to attack.

And we believe that's the position we have today.

And this by Chinese or other brands is not stopping us to again manage.

How would you describe a Citroen in 2025?

Because I came on one of your events about 18 months ago.

And that feels quite a different car, obviously, because it's more,

but it's in positioning to the C5 Aircraft.

Personally, I don't quite see them in the range together.

Is this what you're going to try and address?

Again, if you look at the C3, the first point is that the car has a large problem.

We had some delays in the UK.

But overall, if you look at the situation in Europe today,

we are number three in the segment.

So it's showing the development.

Number two on the PV segment.

So the car is working properly.

Why it's working properly?

Because it's, again, you offer a kind of small SUV crossover

at the price of a very affordable hatch.

On top of that, you have the comfort of Citroen.

You will find also some unique innovations.

You have a reflector that is kind of head-up display,

with reflection on the base of the screen.

So this is a very interesting package that is working.

Of course, to have this car at this price,

we have to make some, we are not the highest level of features

of electronics in this car.

And if I move at the, now it's the C5 Aircrafts,

or our highest level of cars,

you will find exactly the same situation,

but you are addressing different customers.

With the C3, you are mostly addressing people

with that one European mobility, limiting mobility.

They are all, they are private customers.

If you move it to the C5 here,

you are more into a bit of a car.

So you have different expectations from the customers.

They are there investing more on the car.

And this car, if you look in Europe,

is mostly starting at 34, below 35,000 euros.

And this is, again, the best package of a car

that is a good 15 to 20 centimeters bigger than our competitors.

You have a comfort at an affordable price.

And again, you won't find the best electronics in the car,

but you have a car that is really oriented to the customer.

If you move in the car, you have great comfort,

you have HR's warranty.

So this is the same consistency that you have between entry

and approval, but just applied it to people

that have a different range of power.

Could Citroen be bolder in its design?

I look at the C3 compared to the very closely related

brand-new panda.

My opinion, I think the Fiat has a lot more character

in the Citroen.

Is that fair?

And I look at Citroen's, even in the recent past,

things like the C4 cactus, the air bump,

Citroen feels like it's innovated a bit more

than it's doing now in design.

Is that fair?

If you look at the C3 and the panda,

I think there are slightly different episodes in platforms,

slightly different.

The Fiat has maybe a better recognition to its DNA

and it is a success in the car.

But for us, we followed the path

of bringing more roominess, more comfort,

and the roominess in the car is, for example, offering

very close to 10 centimeters higher than the panda.

So this is the different path of bringing in French.

That's offering this inner space,

it's very important for us.

And also in the inside, you have a projection

that is the reinforced trend.

So we are innovating on some points that you may find

a bit classical compared to some of the other models

that you mentioned, like the cactus,

which was true innovator.

This innovation, you still find in our car,

you found on the end,

we were here really with the shape of a car,

bringing a car without driving lessons.

You know, we were really shaping a segment as a car maker.

There was a lot of integration at the beginning today.

We have sold more than 80% of the car in Europe,

which is a good success.

And to show you also some of the future elements

that will embody the courage of the brand C2A.

Sorry.

I welcome you again at the beginning of December in Paris

for a new vent hose,

picking the deeper on brand,

and also some new rentations inside.

Interesting.

The new C5 Aircoast,

built as a flagship model for the Citroën Ray,

it's a very different flagship to the flagship Citroën

to the past.

What makes this the pinnacle of Citroën,

as we said here today,

after some in the past,

we expressed our flagship more into a limousine.

The DDS, before we became brand,

CX, the C6, you know,

they were shaped at a limousine with comfort,

the second door with a lot of loneliness,

and also the pleasure to drive on highways.

Today, we have to understand that people

are definitely moving from limousine to SUV and crossover.

They want a higher seating position,

but we are offering a package that is still in line

with the DNA of the comforts.

For example, in the Citroën,

you have a lot of space,

you kind of recline the seat,

a lot of space, a lot of comfort

that you had in your limousines,

but translated into a shape

that is more requested by people.

This is one element,

the second that we are bringing,

the technology,

we have a bigger screen of all student's group inside.

So we are also having this sound viral

that you can define.

So it's expressed in a different way,

but it's still connected to the capacity.

The other end of the market,

it looks likely in Europe,

we can end up with a new sub-A segment

for a really, really small contrast.

Exactly.

I mean, it would be probably,

if that comes to E-car,

what was the especially looking?

Exactly that.

I mean, it would be,

if that comes true,

it would be more of a surprise if Citroen

didn't make such a model.

So what does,

is that an opportunity for the brand,

for us,

it's a stronger project,

I guess,

in first of all, it's a new project for Europe,

the democratic price card.

You know that today,

if you look at pre-COVID and post-COVID,

the only market,

the only region worldwide

that hasn't recovered is Europe.

We lost roughly two million cars.

Out of those two million,

you will find roughly one million of the cars

of Europe,

15,000 euro.

But now,

this is driven also

by a lot of regulations,

by a lot of pressures

of the 3G and CO2,

which is still good.

But we strongly believe

that there's a necessity

to recollect with those people,

you know,

who today cannot buy a new car.

So,

I would say on the used car market,

or they keep their cars

for a longer period.

So that's why the car park is aging

and when the park is aging,

it's also the addition of CO2,

moving accordingly to a dry expectation.

So, that's why this car is a super-super answer.

We believe that something close to the car,

the electric, affordable,

made in Europe makes sense.

And it makes a lot of sense

for what Citroën.

Why? Because it's in our footprint.

Not need to go many years ago.

C1 was a great example.

I remember when I was head of Citroën in France,

where I was selling a lot of this car

at the price,

and we go 8,000 euros.

And of course, the inflation.

But the car was affordable,

mainly used for urbanism.

You had five laws,

you had an engine,

you could take the highway,

you wanted it.

So,

it was a great car,

and

I do hope that we can be able

to produce those cars again.

And this is definitely a Toyota Citroën.

It feels like

even without this category,

a big gap in the Citroën range

between Niami and the C3.

I mean, it's quite a lot of...

It's existing,

because you're right.

And it's starting at 8,000 euros.

But it's a good way to democratize a car.

It's today in transport,

60 euros per month.

So, basically instead of

it's even cheaper than a smartphone.

We have an internet,

so you can get a car.

Of course, it's limited to 45 kilometers per hour.

You can go on the highway,

but it's a greater than the answer.

And it's working.

And then you have the C3.

What is good with the C3?

That we made some effort in prices.

So,

starting roughly below 1640 euros,

quite interesting package on the second.

And if you have incentives for DVDs like in France,

this month,

we are even launching a car

with what we call the European range,

with 200 kilometers range,

starting in France at 15,750 euros.

So, it's 100 euros cheaper

than the equivalent in petrol.

So, of course, it depends from market to market.

But if you're getting incentives,

we are able to democratize electric vehicle

at a super attractive price.

For the other markets,

so it's roughly around less than 24 euros,

about incentives.

But still there is a big effort

that we do to democratize our education

and make it affordable for more people.

Has there been a success?

In its markets in France.

So, I mean, it's a great success in France,

it's a great success in Italy.

It's not a great success yet in the UK,

but we are just starting right.

So, we had some issues

to want to get the car into the car

and to go a bit more time.

But now we'll see how things are,

of course it is also in this big market.

But we are sending the car in 17 markets in Europe

with positive momentum.

About three different questions in one here now.

How big a range of cars does Citroen need?

And then that leads into its position within Stellantis.

Does being within such a large car group

force you to really focus in?

Perhaps a smaller number of models

that you really specialize in rather than overlapping

with like a figure.

Look at this one.

I don't believe that we really find a brand

but the number of SUVs and shapes

and bodies we're having in, of course,

we all had in mind the slide,

even if you are doing not solely for time,

which we could see whenever able to do

with model 3 and model 1.

So basically I believe that if you have the right shape,

the right answer,

and it's clear to the people

and this is more or worse,

more important instead of paying enough shapes.

For us, we believe that between the B and the C segments

is where we experience the best of our potentials

or DNC,

it's a hatch and SUV medium.

But what is also super important

for Citroen is that we keep our SUV offer.

We have a messenger car offer starting with Annie

and the expanding.

But at the same time,

we are also offering SUVs

and we do offer a campus.

So it's also important for our Malaysia.

This is super important.

We are very happy we are doing this batching.

The jumpy,

it's this batch in the UK.

So the dispatch holidays,

which is an offer that we are also having.

This is also super important for this better life

and quality of life we want to find in our country.

And how much autonomy is there within Stellantis?

You've come over from several years.

The Vogue is so great,

but when you're...

I would say it's the same logic.

You know, a voice again,

you have different brands

that you will drive in a position.

And with Stellantis, you have 14 brands.

And of course, we have the same platform.

We have similar modules,

but does it make sense?

You address it in custom rooms.

So if you drive, for example,

C5 and the visual role,

you will see that we are much more family-oriented,

much more comfortable driven,

while they are more focused on the driver

and driving individual driving pleasure.

So that's what is super important

that we can continue to do this

and address different kinds of stuff.

Some of your colleagues at other brands

have started talking about their cars

that will come from the Stellantis small platform,

your colleagues at Opel and Persia.

Is that quite an exciting architecture

for the smaller Citrus?

And I would say what is interesting for us

is that we have the small part at home

that is between Master 4 and C3

and the C3 across.

So we have a very interesting car

that we are sharing with our brands in the group.

So let's say,

let's for our entry models.

But at the same time,

we are very happy

to have the Stellan medium

for the C3 across.

And we don't be able to have this carbon massacchar

when we are not sharing the platform

and wanting it with Persia and Opel.

So the Stellantis small

is not completely our answer.

We have the small part,

where we should be comfortable,

that is already in the streets

at the bottom of our factories,

and we believe that there is a strong future

for our affordability

and offering more

and an interesting price for us.

But the previous,

I said,

the previous management,

the previous era,

Citron was starting to drop a few hints,

some clues around something

inspired by the 2CV,

one of Citron's icons.

How do you say you're a car guy in your first answer?

What does the 2CV mean to you?

And what would that mean to you?

The 2CV is for me.

It's an icon.

2CV is France.

If you remember,

there was a survey

in a couple of

models that was issues in France,

what are the competence,

most of the famous models in France

and you will find great models for that in mind.

And the number one is to see

if you come to Paris

and you see the tourist that are driving

and I live within the Citron.

And so far from Thrifan,

you will see the T-Share of people

getting married with the 2CV in the background.

So this is part of the French culture.

More than the 2CV for me,

what is important is to connect with the origin of 2CV.

It's the T-P-V,

type of T-V, so very small vehicle.

It was the origin of the 2CV,

so before World War II.

And if you look at the brief,

how can you democratize,

how can you give access to people

who have a limited buying power?

How can they have access to the dual mobility?

How can they have a car that is easy to buy

but also affordable to use

in different ways?

So you can transport 4 people,

but you could at a time transport 50 eggs

or 50 kilos of potato

in what was the briefing at that time.

And today I think this briefing is super important

and you can, and my duty is to take this brief

and bring it to 2025, 2026.

It's super important to make individual mobility affordable again,

and we spoke about the car, we spoke about those things.

And here it means that you have also to make some choices.

If you look at the 2CV,

not the most fancy car,

the joke that you have a very kind of choices car

with the 4 electric windows

and your French guys say,

that's something better for me,

when I put one window down, the three overs are open.

It was this kind of funny thing

that we had at the time with the 2CV

but I think it's also showing that

this is this DNA

and this drill that we want to reject

in some of our future projects,

it's too early to speak about it.

So it sounds just from that.

It feels it's more of a 2CV,

it's more of an e-force,

a mantra rather than a...

It's a mantra more than the physical...

It's not only a physical inspiration.

So the shape is well known,

but you have to understand,

mantra is a good word.

What is the...

Why this shape was done like this

and why it was successful?

Is it nice?

Do you think that the 3CV is a nice car?

If you look at the shape,

one wonder why this car is still so iconic?

It's iconic because it's also put people...

For many, many people,

the Freud's experience of having access

to individual mobility, freedom.

And this is kind of freedom

that we have to reinvent in 2026 until 2025.

And are these some of the things

you'll be telling us more about in December?

Some of them yes,

maybe lots of them,

and we have to make it up a meeting

with pleasure.

And just to finish you,

and you say you're a car guy,

you love industry,

what are you driving?

What are you driving?

I driving a brand new C5A

across the Black and Hybrid,

when I had a C5A across the Electric

and now I'm testing the hybrid.

Great car,

fantastic car.

And every morning when I drive this car,

I smile.

I have some pain in the back

and since I have this car,

my roof was still packed.

It was still packed.

It's not so happy

because I'm not seeing it as much as it was before.

Very good.

Thank you so much.

You're joining us a lot.

It was great.

Thank you.

Thank you a lot.

Thank you for joining us

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Bonus: Autocar Meets Citroen CEO Xaiver Chardon

About this episode

Citroën

DS

market share

brand positioning

Chevrolet C5

Citroën C5

smart mobility

comfort of suspension

Citroen AMI

Audi S3

Citroën C5 Aircross

Fiat Panda

Citroen C3

SUV and crossover

Citroën C1

C3

Stellantis

Tesla Model 3

C5

Citroën 2CV

Citroen 2CV

3CV

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