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Sales of French cars in China have been unstable in recent years, and Citroen is no exception. Dongfeng Citroen's C3L sales are even more miserable, according to relevant data: Citroen C3L sales of only 16 vehicles in June, January-June cumulative sales of only 95 vehicles. On average, only 15.83 cars are sold per month, which is crushed in the Class 100000 compact sedan, and even though sales are so low, the car is still on sale and has not stopped production.

It is understood that on June 8, 2020, Dongfeng Citroen C3L officially launched four models with a price range of 8.49-105900 yuan. This is a brand new model for the Chinese market, which is seen as a "turnaround" of the Citroen brand in the Chinese market. It is positioned as a cross-border model with the body of a hatchback while maintaining the chassis height of the SUV. However, the market has proved that there is obviously no market for such models, not only because its styling design is not accepted by most consumers, but also because the reputation of French brands is declining, resulting in the sales of Dongfeng Citroen C3L falling short of market expectations.

From the appearance, the front face of C3L C3L is basically the same as the C3-XR, the central LOGO extends two chrome-plated decorative bars, the headlights are placed on the extension line of LOGO, and the grille uses a small honeycomb shape, which is also the latest family-style design style of Dongfeng Citroen. In terms of size, the length, width and height of the car body are 4504/1748/1513mm and the wheelbase is 2655mm. However, the most prominent is its ground distance reached 175mm, such ground distance with the car body is really awkward, seems to be forced to integrate the characteristics of SUV and car. In terms of power, the Citroen C3L is equipped with a 1.2T three-cylinder engine codenamed HN11. As we all know, the three-cylinder engine market in the Chinese market is basically unpopular with consumers, but Citroen C3L still carries three-cylinder engine. From all aspects, Citroen C3L really does not have the characteristics of popular models. Strange alternative styling design may not be accepted by consumers, coupled with consumer exclusion of the three-cylinder engine, Citroen C3L is very difficult to win.

According to relevant data: DPCA mainly has two brands: Dongfeng Peugeot and Dongfeng Citroen. According to an earlier poster of DPCA, a total of 40558 units were sold in the first half of 2021, an increase of 75% over the same period last year, with a target completion rate of 105%. DPCA sold 32768 cars from January to May in 2021, including 22091 from Dongfeng Peugeot and 8511 from Dongfeng Citroen. Dongfeng Citroen has Tianyi C5 AIRCROSS, Citroen C6, C3L C3L, Citroen C3-XR and other models, these models basically sell less than 1000 vehicles. In May, for example, Tianyi C5 AIRCROSS sold a peak of 881units, followed by Citroen C6s with 649s, Citroen C3L with 147s and Citroen C3-XR with 124s, with less than 100 other models. To change the situation, Dongfeng Citroen will launch the Citroen Versailles C5X in September this year. However, whether this model can reverse Dongfeng Citroen's market difficulties is still unknown, and its pricing will become an important factor affecting sales.

From the list of the "worst" joint venture models in 2020, it can be seen that French brands occupy the largest number of places on this list. French cars have always been popular in the Chinese market, and as a French luxury brand, Citroen C3L sold only 484 cars in the Chinese market last year. At present, the legal brands on sale in China are Peugeot, Citroen and DS. Peugeot and Citroen rely on Dongfeng Motor, which are relatively common in China, while DS, as a luxury brand of PS Group, has a lower and lower sense of existence in the domestic market. The share of French brands shrank further in 2020, from 0.6% in 2019 to 0.3% in 2020, reflecting the impact of elimination of legal brands in the domestic market. The French brand Dongfeng Renault has announced its withdrawal from the domestic fuel passenger car market due to its poor market performance, which is another reason why French brands have shrunk again.

In recent years, Citroen has gradually faded out of the eyes of consumers. It is not too late to enter the Chinese market, but it has screwed up a brand with romantic characteristics. In 2021, consolidation and survival of the fittest in the auto industry are accelerating, and time may be running out for Citroen.

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