Leading European car company PEUGEOT is strengthening its presence in the Philippines with the appointment of Astara, one of the biggest automotive distributors in Europe and Latin America, as its new distributor in the country.
Already, the company has kicked off 2022 with the launch of PEUGEOT 5008, a premium 7-seat SUV, as the first of its promised new product line up for the year.
To bring the brand closer to more Filipinos nationwide, PEUGEOT Philippines aims to open seven more dealerships on top of the current four outlets, totaling 11 by end of 2022.
The appointment of Astara, formerly known as Bergé Aut, also marked the partnership with Stellantis, one of the leading global automakers where the PEUGEOT brand is housed. PEUGEOT was distributed in the Philippines previously by Eurobrands Distributor Inc.
The partnership also ushers in Astara’s expansion in Asia, starting in the Philippines, as it has seen much potential in the market with the local automotive industry slowly recovering.
“Having just celebrated our tenth anniversary in the Philippines, we are energized to continue building our momentum in the country through our great vehicles and after-sales service offerings with Astara as our partner,” PEUGEOT Philippines Brand Head Maricar Parco said.
“Astara will bring to the Philippines its strong expertise in strategy implementation and a wealth of cross-market experience to realize the potential of PEUGEOT in the Philippines,” Stellantis Senior Vice President for ASEAN and General Distributors Christophe Musy shared.
Musy further noted that Stellantis has already achieved great success in ASEAN in 2021, both in market share and value. “I am eager to see this momentum continue into 2022,” he said adding, “We are eager to realize the potential of this market.”
He said the Philippine market being the fourth largest market in the region is a “clear priority now for our business and will be key to our success in the coming year.”
Musy further revealed that Stellantis is investing more than 30 billion euros globally through 2025 in electric vehicles and software to create next generation technology platforms.
For his part, PEUGEOT Philippines Managing Director Raoul Picello said “Our investment will help infuse a renewed sense of vigor for PEUGEOT Philippines and its patrons, creating a more purposeful brand that resonates to the Philippine market.”
“We hope that, as we move forward and grow together, these exciting changes can help us meet the ever-changing needs of Filipinos.”
Picello cited that the economic recovery of the Philippine automotive market is already starting despite the pandemic. “It is not fast or slow but a regular pace,” he said.
Stellantis expressed their optimism in the new distributor paving the way in unlocking more opportunities for PEUGEOT in the market.
Astara’s global expertise in cutting-edge technology will support PEUGEOT Philippines’ digital transformation at all levels by the second quarter of this year.
For the New 5008, the 7-seater SUV is priced at P2.26 million and is now available at all PEUGEOT Philippines showrooms in the following colors: Emerald Crystal, Nera Black, Pearl White and Amazonite Grey.
Parco said their entry in the SUV market was driven by the potential due to the huge local market preference for this kind of vehicle. Parco noted that of the estimated 280,000 unit sales in 2021, the SUV vehicle category accounted for 58 percent share.
She also noted that sourcing its products from neighboring country Malaysia, instead of Europe previously, enables them to price their products more competitively and bring them in quicker.