Citroen India is gearing up for the market launch of its first product, the C5 Aircross SUV, which is expected sometime around July-August this year. The SUV will be sold via the brand’s first set of dealerships that will start operations by mid-2020.

We’ve got our hands on a set of images that reportedly are the French brand’s pilot outlet in India, which is located in Ahmedabad and will be operated by Karnavati Wheels. Citroen’s Ahmedabad outlet will have space for around 5-6 display cars and has an area of around 5,000 square feet. This showroom, and other upcoming dealerships, is based on the French firm’s ‘La Maison’ concept (which means ‘home’ in French). As we had reported earlier, La Maison uses wood and earthy tones accented by bright highlights to create a warm and inviting atmosphere. There’ll also be a highly interactive virtual system that potential buyers can use to configure their cars at home and then carry on the configuration process in the showroom. The focus here is on outstanding customer experience, driven by digital tools and a feeling of warmth rather than sheer size.

According to our sources, Citroen India aims to have around 10-15 dealerships in the first phase, which will sell the C5 Aircross in limited number for starters. The French brand’s dealership network is expected to grow gradually as more products are brought to our market.

Future vehicles for our market that will follow the C5 Aircross will be heavily localised and will be built according to Indian tastes and requirements. The company is readying not one, but two new products for India. Read more on that here.