What's French for hoonage? I don't know for two reasons: I don't speak French, and PSA Peugeot Citroën hasn't sold cars here since the early 1990s. But they're considering coming back to America, the land of freedom, so we can enjoy their offerings again! Maybe. If other things work out.
Edmunds has a report quoting PSA's new CEO Carlos "The Other Carlos" Tavares as the company could potentially return to the U.S. if they achieve several goals. Those include establishing three brands — Peugeot, Citroën and the more "upscale" DS — cut their overall number of models down, modernize manufacturing, and perhaps most importantly, figure out how to be profitable internationally.
While the European economy and its car market have rebounded in recent months, the Euro-centric sales model of PSA has meant the company has suffered hard in recent years, losing a whopping $6.4 billion in 2012.
There is hope, however, in the form of a big 'ol load of Chinese cash care of Dongfeng. Edmunds says PSA wants to emulate the model they have in China, where they actually do make money, if they go abroad. If they're successful in these endeavors by the close of this decade, they could contemplate a return to our shores. And while GM has since sold their share in PSA, a joint development program remains in place, so it's possible they could be an avenue for sales here, maybe.
Obviously, all of this is very iffy at the moment. But if PSA came back here, would Americans even get behind their cars? Our history with French automobiles has been a relatively rocky one, but if they bring the right cars here and market them properly, hell, they may have a shot.
At any rate, I want a DS3 Racing, so I'm hoping this will happen for that reason alone, even though it will probably take 10 years or so.