Peugeot to expand distribution in Philippines

MANILA, Philippines — Peugeot Philippines is stepping on the gas pedal for a faster and bigger expansion in the country, with a new distributor, more launches, and more dealerships, unlocking the full potential of the brand in the Philippine market.

In a press conference yesterday, company officials announced that it has named Astara, one of the biggest automotive distributors both in Europe and Latin America, as its new Philippine distributor.

The takeover marks the partnership of Astara and Stellantis, one of the leading global automakers where the Peugeot brand is housed, Peugeot Philippines brand head Maricar Parco said.

It 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.

Peugeot Philippines managing director Raoul Picello said the strength of Astara and Stellantis would unlock the potential of the company in the Philippines, giving way to a stronger and better Peugeot in the country.

“Customers can look forward to a better experience. 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,” he added.

Peugeot Philippines brand head Maricar Parco said that having just celebrated the company’s 10th anniversary in the Philippines, they are energized to continue building the momentum in the country through great vehicles and after-sales service offerings, with Astara as its partner.

Currently, Astara offers a whole range of products and services focused on mobility, such as ownership, subscription, and new channels. These are supported, in turn, by a self-developed digital platform that allows interaction with customers throughout the different steps in their journey.

For this year, Peugeot Philippines plans to introduce four new vehicles upgraded with rewarding and inspired technology that promises quality driving experience, starting with the new Peugeot 5008 SUV, which the company launched yesterday.

“The new Peugeot 5008 SUV breaks new ground as a premium seven-seater SUV. Inside, the new generation Peugeot i-cockpit offers a unique and immersive driving experience. Driver confidence has been innovated to new levels with a multitude of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) – including active blind spot detection, lane keeping assistance, and driver attention alert – making driving safer and ultimately, more enjoyable,” Peugeot said in a statement.

The new Peugeot 5008 SUV is assembled at the Stellantis manufacturing plant in Gurun, Malaysia. All vehicles built in the Malaysia plant undergo specific endurance and quality testing to deliver best-in-class performance to meet the needs of customers in South East Asia.

Stellantis expressed optimism in the new distributor paving the way in unlocking more opportunities for Peugeot in the market.

“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 said.

Moving forward, Peugeot Philippines aims to open seven more dealerships on top of the current four outlets, totaling 11 by the end of 2022.