A report in French Newspaper Les Echos suggests that while PSA Group and Toyota will continue to collaborate in light commercial vehicles they are planning to end their joint venture in the Czech Republic which manufactures small cars.
The Kolin plant currently builds the Toyota Aygo, Peugeot 108 and Citroen C1. Neither manufacture has confirmed the report which suggests that Toyota will buy out PSA’s share of the venture and production of the vehicles at the 300,000 unit pa plant would end in 2021.
The report says that the PSA plant in Vigo, Spain, will make Toyota commercial vehicles in addition to an existing collaboration in LCVs.
The report suggests the move has been driven by a manufacturing network review at PSA which followed the acquisition of Opel/Vauxhall facilities and low capacity utilisation rates at some plants. The Kolin pant produced around 200,000 units in 2017, well down on its 300,000 unit annual capacity.
The report – described as exclusive in Les Echos – cited no named sources.
