PSA Retail opens two Opel points of sale in Cologne, a German first, as part of a wider European strategy

PSA Retail, the distribution subsidiary of Groupe PSA, is opening one new Opel site in Cologne today, namely at Raderberggürtel, and will open a second outlet on the Widdersdorfer Strasse.

With the Raderberggürtel site, PSA Retail will close a former gap for the Opel brand in the Cologne area.

The installation of PSA Retail in Cologne is part of a wider move by the Groupe PSA subsidiary to fulfil its ambition of quickly entering into the circle of the top five distributors of the brand with the lightning-bolt badge in Europe and to contribute to the continued success of the PACE! plan.

To succeed in achieving this ambitious goal, the German market is key. With this in view, the German-first Opel-PSA Retail opening embeds itself in a wider Opel brand, European Business Development strategy, of PSA Retail.

Two well-situated outlets to serve Opel customers in Cologne

The two new sites, ideally situated in the south and west of the city, will deliver the full range of services, including new and used car sales along with after-sales services for Cologne-based Opel customers.

A move that comes as part of a wider European strategy

The distribution of Opel/Vauxhall, following the integration of the two brands in the enlarged Groupe PSA in August 2017, quickly became a strategic target for PSA Retail.

Beginning from nothing in January 2018, PSA Retail will have secured altogether the opening or acquisition of 29 Opel and Vauxhall sites in seven countries (France, UK, Germany, Italy, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland) by the end of 2019.

As from January 2020, PSA Retail will also distribute Opel/Vauxhall original spare parts through its network of 35 spare parts hubs in Europe.

Anne Abboud, Director of PSA Retail, said: “The opening of two Opel sites in Cologne is a major move for PSA Retail as it sustains its ambition to accompany Opel’s ‘PACE!’ plan, as well as to become, in the short term, one of the five top distributors of the brand with the lightning-bolt badge. A wider and profitable presence on the German market is obviously a key element to reaching this goal.”

Ulrich Selzer, Managing Director of Opel Germany, said: “The opening of this new point of sale shows how the Opel brand benefits from Groupe PSA. The second new location in the Cologne area will make us even more efficient and open up the local growth potential of Opel in the region. We also want Opel models and services for our customers in places where no Opel dealerships were previously present. At the same time, we want to continue working on the identity and differentiation of the Opel brand.”