PSA plots U.S. re-entry with DS brand

PARIS -- PSA/Peugeot-Citroen could re-enter the U.S. early in the next decade with its DS upscale brand.

The plan to return to the U.S. is part of a global strategy to sell DS vehicles in 200 large cities worldwide after 2020. Of those, 30 would be in North America including 20 in the U.S., DS CEO Yves Bonnefont told Automotive News Europe.

“We want to make DS a global premium brand, and you cannot be global without the U.S.,” Bonnefont said in an interview at the Paris auto show.

Peugeot pulled out of the U.S. in 1991.

Bonnefont said a decision to return to the U.S. would come in 2017 at the earliest, and U.S. sales would not begin until after 2020.

None of the five current DS models is compliant with U.S. federal standards.

Since becoming a subbrand in 2010 with the launch of the DS3 subcompact, DS has sold 500,000 vehicles, mainly in Europe and China.

PSA decided to make DS a stand-alone brand earlier this year. Before that, it was a division of the Citroen brand.

DS models take their name from Citroen's iconic lineup produced from 1955 to 1975. The revived versions compete with premium vehicles such as the Mini and Audi A3.

DS will produce six vehicles by 2022 compared with five this year.