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Peugeot dealer Urysia expands with Citroen, Jeep brands
Workers assembling a car at French automaker Peugeot S.A. in partnership with local franchise holder Urysia Thika-based Kenya Vehicle Manufacturers (KVM) on July 11, 2019.
Motor vehicle dealer Urysia, which has been selling Peugeot models, has expanded by introducing French brand Citroen and brought back the American brand Jeep which was previously sold by DT Dobie.
This makes Urysia a multi-brand dealer in Kenya’s competitive new vehicle market, following the strategy by other players including CFAO Mobility Kenya, Isuzu East Africa and Inchcape Kenya.
Urysia has been selling Peugeot models exclusively since 2013, reintroducing the franchise that was previously held by the defunct Marshalls East Africa until 2007.
The dealer is betting on the expanded brands and models lineup to grow sales in a market where a diverse portfolio of popular brands is key in driving aggregate sales.
The launch of Citroen and Jeep sales marks an expanded partnership between Urysia and the Netherlands-based automaker Stellantis which also makes Peugeot vehicles.
Stellantis was formed in 2021 from the merger of France's PSA Group and Italy's Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
“The company, which is locally known as the home of Peugeot, will now host the three brands in its expanded portfolio of automotive brands as well as provide after sales service and original manufacturer spare parts for Peugeot, Jeep, and Citroen,” Urysia said in a statement.
“The launch marks a transformational shift in Urysia’s strategic direction, positioning the company to meet the country’s evolving mobility needs through a wider product range, stronger customer support systems and enhanced access to world-class automotive technologies.”
Urysia’s managing director Claude Mwende said the company is now able to offer customers premium sports utility vehicles (SUVs) through Jeep, efficient cars for urban mobility (Citroen) and versatile sedans (Peugeot) with the expanded partnership with Stellantis.
“Our new business strategy allows us to serve every segment, whether it’s lifestyle adventurers, family buyers, fleet operators, SMEs or ride-hailing drivers. This is the future of mobility retail in Kenya, and Urysia intends to lead it,” he said.
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles started looking for a new dealer for Jeep in the Kenyan market in 2019 after it disagreed with its long-time partner DT Dobie over strategy. DT Dobie was later merged with Toyota Kenya to form CFAO Mobility Kenya.
Fiat Chrysler had at the time approached DT Dobie to also start selling its other brands including Fiat trucks and vans.
DT Dobie declined the offer, arguing that Fiat vehicles were not popular in the local market. The dealer was also afraid that taking on Fiat vehicles would have cost it the Volkswagen franchise which it had just acquired from rival CMC Holdings.
The parties later reached an agreement where DT Dobie would continue to sell Jeep spare parts and service the cars as FCA shopped around for a new dealer.
Data from the Kenya Motor Industry Association (KMI) shows sales of Jeep cars hit highs of 100 units in 2014 and declined steadily before disappearing in the absence of a new dealer.
The Jeep models that DT Dobie used to sell include Dodge, Grand Cherokee and Renegade.
