With government intervention, the final price of Citroen C3 made in Iran via collaboration between local car company SAIPA and France’s Citroen has been announced.
Following rumors and speculations about the vehicle’s price, SAIPA-Citroen joint venture announced on its verified Instagram account that as per a mandate from the Consumers and Producers Protection Organization, affiliated to the Industries Ministry, the C3 hatchback will cost 1.82 billion rials ($14,560).
Last May when the JV launched a limited presale of the model, 2,000 people paid 600 million rials ($4,800) in advance for the small city car.
After extended delays in delivery, SAIPA-Citroen delivered ‘three units’ in early January.
Ali Momeni, sales manager of the JV says, “So far, 700 Citroen C3s have been produced and work will continue as planned.”
SAIPA and Citroen signed a 50-50 joint venture in late 2016 under which the Paris-based carmaker was to invest €300 million ($342 million) in Iran. After US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal and re-imposed sanctions, Citroen’s parent company PSA Group decided to walk away.
However, PSA often talked of measures to deliver the cars it presold before being forced to fully suspend its Iran connection. It remains to be seen whether or not Citroen will fulfill its commitment.
The firm earlier said it has enough spare parts to provide customers with adequate after-sales services and that 36 containers carrying C3 parts had been imported.
In December 2018, media reports said SAIPA had priced the Citroen C3 made in Iran at 2.4 billion rials ($19,200). The same car costs 2.9 billion rials ($23,200) on the car dealership website bama.ir. The company did not comment on prices at the time.
