Peugeot-Citroen says global sales up 15% in 2017

Paris - French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen said Tuesday that its global sales rose by 15.4% last year, powered by the first-time consolidation of the newly-acquired Opel and Vauxhall brands, while sales in China and Southeast Asia plunged.

3.63 million sold worldwide

PSA said in a statement it sold a total 3.63 million cars worldwide in 2017, putting it behind rival Renault, which delivered some 3.76 million cars to customers, for the second year in a row.

Excluding Opel and Vauxhall, which the group acquired from General Motors last year, sales advanced by just 2.6%, the statement said.

Sales of Peugeot-brand cars jumped by 10.4%, driven by the success of its sports utility models.

By contrast, Citroen sales declined by 7.5%, and PSA's high-end brand, DS, sustained a drop in sales of as much as 38.5%.

In China, the world's biggest car market, and in Southeast Asia, PSA booked a decline in sales of 37.4% to 387 000 units.

PSA said:"Notably driven by the group's dynamic performance in Iran." 

At the same time, sales in the Middle East and Africa region sped ahead by 54.5% to 592 000 units.