Thierry Koskas, CEO of Citroën: 80,000 orders for C3 and C3 Aircross pending delivery

One might think that soaring inventories are the privilege of toy stores at Christmas or summer sales, but no, the automotive industry knows a thing or two about it as well. Citroën in 2025 presents us with quite a remarkable performance: a staggering stock of 80,000 orders for C3 and C3 Aircross patiently, whether wisely or not, waiting for delivery. Thierry Koskas, the flamboyant general director of Chevrons, finds himself maneuvering a ship in a stormy sea where production is bogged down while customers are banging their feet. This raises some reflections on the state of automobiles in these times when supplying resembles an achievement.

The challenges of production and order management at Citroën

When the phone rings at Thierry Koskas's office, it’s often to ask him why these orders for C3 and C3 Aircross, which are ostentatiously listed in the reports, do not turn into smoothly delivered cars. The hitch is that in an era where assembly lines have to juggle component shortages and production constraints, the commercial machinery operates at a slow pace. The result? An order book as full of promises, but with delayed deliveries that would make a Swiss watchmaker grind his teeth.

This colossal delay is not merely a scheduling error. It rather embodies a heavy trend in the sector, where global trade conflicts, creeping de-globalization, and complex health regulations turn market conquest into an especially frustrating waiting game. And this raises the troubling question: what good is an order book if its execution is so long in coming?

Thierry Koskas between marketing and industrial reality

The head of Citroën doesn’t mince words when it comes to announcing ambitions. A true conductor of marketing and sales at Stellantis, Thierry Koskas also wears the hat of operational management at Citroën. A dual role that is no small feat when one must rhyme communication with tangible results.

And yet, he calmly claims to aim for a return to 5% market share in Europe, a goal that, with 80,000 suspended orders, borders on a titanic challenge. This hoped-for return draws its strength from the emblematic models that are the C3 compact and the C3 Aircross, a duo that still today stands out as stars in the brand's automotive arsenal.

The strategic stakes of the order book in an unstable automotive market

The figures, however impressive, are situated within a context where the automotive sector in Europe is trying to adapt as best as it can. With the establishment of an American-style protectionist policy and a surge in global trade tensions, the fluidity of exchanges and the circulation of spare parts resemble a marathon strewn with obstacles.

In this context, these tens of thousands of orders are not merely about delay, but reflect a strategic challenge for Citroën: to maintain its visibility in a saturated and stalled market, all while juggling issues of supply, assembly, and delivery.

This is reminiscent of other brands facing their own order books, much like the difficulties reported at Ford or the similar challenges encountered by Renault in managing their volumes. Nevertheless, eyes remain fixed on these orders which, on the surface, seem to be a credible promise of a bright future… meanwhile, patience is clearly the name of the game.

While geopolitical tensions affecting the chain are playing out behind the scenes, Citroën must navigate a market where demand is leaning towards used electric cars, often with prices that are unattainable in new models. The evolution of preferences cannot be ignored, especially when the giant CATL innovates with its sodium-ion batteries for electric cars— a cry of hope for reviving sales, but one that does not sweep away the current bottlenecks.

When strategy becomes a test of patience

For Thierry Koskas, leading Citroën through this storm is a bit like trying to match a badly rehearsed choreography: one must keep the rhythm despite the missteps. But managing to deliver these 80,000 suspended orders feels like a magician’s feat. Because at a time when connected and autonomous cars are beginning to make their appearance, as illustrated by the recent announcement from Volkswagen, industrial pragmatism has never been more essential.

Pending delivery: a symptom rather than a simple setback

One might think that Citroën's situation is just an exception, but it highlights a much deeper issue that plagues the modern automobile industry. Whether it’s the global political game, tariffs, or the trade war that make production stumble, the consequence is clear: orders are piling up, time is slipping away, and the customer sighs. We are far from the dream of immediate consumer society.

Ultimately, this mountain of orders for C3 and C3 Aircross waiting for their time testifies to the tension between commercial ambitions and industrial reality. Thierry Koskas, at the helm of this chaotic dance, will have to juggle between orders and deliveries like an old magician handling his favorite tricks.

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