ATLANTA — PSA Group's plan to reenter the U.S. with the Peugeot brand was uncertain as the automaker completed its merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, Peugeot CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato said last week on the eve of the deal's closing.
PSA, which pulled out of U.S. retail sales in the early 1990s, has been moving toward a return by 2026, taking an "asset-light" approach, with an emphasis on software tools and a low-investment retail network.
Late last week, just ahead of the scheduled weekend merger completion, PSA North America CEO Larry Dominique said planning for Peugeot's return to the U.S. has not changed. "We are continuing all of our plans related to distribution and vehicle development," Dominique said.
But he added, "Any decisions in context of Stellantis will be made after the merger is completed."
By combining with FCA to form the new company Stellantis, PSA will automatically have an established presence in the U.S.
One of PSA's rationales for the merger was to give the French company better geographic balance. The vast majority of PSA sales and revenue currently come from Europe.
Imparato told journalists that Peugeot's return to the U.S. is still "on the table" for the future. But he said it was important that the new company not overlap brands.
"We were last speaking about [Peugeot's U.S. reentry] a year and a half ago, before Stellantis," Imparato said. "We can't not take into account that in the coming days, Peugeot will be part of this new world. I imagine in the coming months due to the new strategy, we will have to adapt and reconsider all elements, including this one."
Nick Gibbs of Automotive News Europe contributed to this report.
