French automobile manufacturer, Citroën, part of the Stellantis Group, has signed a partnership agreement with CarWale to enable a ‘last-mile’ vehicle delivery model in India for the brand’s first flagship offering in the country, the new Citroën C5 Aircross SUV.
Customers, who purchase the car 100% online, on Citroën’s India website, will have an option to get the vehicle delivered at their doorstep. The delivery will be made to the buyer by CarWale in select cities. Through its network across India, CarWale will also help Citroën get the car registered on behalf of the customer at the nearest RTO.
The newest vehicle brand in the country, Citroën currently has physical presence through its La Maison Citroën phygital showrooms in 10 cities across India – Bangalore, Ahmedabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Delhi, Kochi, and Gurugram.
The new arrangement allows customers in over 50 Indian cities to order directly from the factory. They will also be supported by a dedicated test drive fleet, e-sales advisor, virtual product demo and a doorstep delivery facility.
Banwari Lal Sharma, CEO, CarWale said, “We at CarWale feel one with Citroën’s customer-first approach, pivoting on 360 degree comfort strategy for the Indian market and are delighted to be a part of Citroën’s landmark journey in the country.”
For CarWale, this partnership presents a unique opportunity to further expand its set of offerings in the automotive space and helps it take another step towards creating and building products and services for its customers, Sharma said.
Saurabh Vatsa, Head-Brand Citroën in India said, “The 100% direct online selling model is part of Citroën’s seamless, omni-channel brand experience that we offer through ATAWADAC (anytime, anywhere, any device, any content). We believe this direct online selling model will see rapid adoption in the future as digitisation continues to grow in India. This last-mile delivery partnership with CarWale for the new C5 Aircross SUV ties up very well with our brand ethos of Citroën 360 degree comfort to enhance the overall customer experience.”
Launched in April, customers can purchase the new Citroën C5 Aircross SUV in two variants — the entry-level ‘Feel’ variant and top-end ‘Shine’ variant. The C5 Aircross SUV features a 2.0 litre diesel engine, which produces 177 hp of power, and 400 Nm of torque. The engine, combined with an eight-speed automatic transmission delivers fuel efficiency of 18.6 kmpl.