Martin Vodička | archiv Kopecký s.r.o.
The PRESTIGE magazine’s partnership with the largest PEUGEOT dealer in the Czech Republic continues into the new season. Martin Vodička, Sales Director, will talk about the brand’s and Czech ‘Peugeot men’s’ plans.
The first question that comes to mind is what’s new with the PEUGEOT brand.
Last year, Peugeot introduced the new 5008, completing a generational change. It was the last model with the old lion on the bonnet. Thanks to this year‘s increase in production capacity, sales are only now getting into full swing and, overall, the brand is managing to fulfil its orders, including free stock cars. Delivery times for client orders are usually 3 to 4 months. At the same time, for all models, including commercial vehicles, there are now exhibits with fully electric drives and, of course, with Kopecký customers can test-drive them all.
The latest news is the facelift of the 308, which we offer with all engines, including the diesel version. Finally, there’s a new, larger diesel engine for the Expert, Boxer and eight-seat Traveller utility models.
And what’s new with KOPECKÝ CAR DEALERSHIPS?
The biggest novelty is the extension of the official repair services to Citroën, Opel and Fiat brands for utility models. Customers can now get vehicles from the Group’s other companies serviced here, which was not previously possible, and as a result even more customers are taking advantage of ‘Services that are easy to get used to’. This was also the reason for the investment we undertook in the Vysočina region, where Mr Kopecký started, and where the capacity of the existing plant was no longer sufficient. That’s why a new Peugeot brand sales and servicing facility is being built here.
For BMW, the situation is stable. The authorised repair services and sales under the BMW SELECTION brand also run smoothly thanks to an engine offer that meets customer demands. There, too, customers are complaining about the non-sensical switch from buttons to touch screens and the number of assistants, and everyone expects a return to more intuitive solutions.
The term ‘automotive industry’ has been used in all senses and on all occasions in recent years. How do you see automotive trends and how does the PEUGEOT brand feel about them.
Electromobility is often linked to the Green Deal and its impact on the automotive industry and supply chains. The introduction of energy efficiency measures increases costs for manufacturers and consumers, and in a country that lacks a well-developed charging infrastructure, customers rightly ask why they should invest in a car that causes range anxiety. Nevertheless, the Czech Republic is one of the fastest growing markets for electric vehicles, mainly due to more affordable models, improved infrastructure and pressure to reduce emissions in company fleets. However, the overall share of electric vehicles is still below the European average, where we see pricing, underfunded grant schemes and lack of charging stations as the main obstacles to growth, and the situation is unlikely to significantly change over the next 2 to 3 years.
And how is PEUGEOT dealing with this situation?
The PEUGEOT brand became part of the global Stellantis Group in 2021. One can only speculate why this is the case and whether this outcome was necessary, but the plan was probably an attempt to increase competitiveness and reduce the costs of technology development, electromobility and autonomous systems. From this change until the beginning of this year, Stellantis was led by Carlos Tavares, who went too far in voicing his support to European legislation by promoting electromobility, often without considering the opinions of customers, dealers and servicing staff. How his dismissal and the associated changes will manifest themselves will only be seen with the passage of time.
The positive news for customers is that some popular engines remain on offer and the pressure to sell electric cars at all costs has eased. We believe that people will buy cars again for the joy of driving. I don’t think we can avoid assistance and autonomous systems any longer, but on the other hand some of them make sense, especially when we are often distracted while driving.
Anyway, enough is enough.
And what would you recommend to our readers?
If you are planning on buying a new car, or having your car serviced, or if you want to be inspired and become a Peugeot man or a BMW owner, KOPECKÝ CAR DEALERSHIPS stand at your disposal in person, over the phone and online. They operate in five locations in the Czech Republic: Prague, Vysoké Mýto, Bystřice nad Pernštejnem, Ústí nad Labem and Pardubice. And, most importantly, they offer services that are easy to get used to.
KOPECKÝ CAR DEALERSHIPS:
Style, security, care
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Peugeot and BMW under one roof – new and used cars
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5 locations in the Czech Republic: Prague, Pardubice, Ústí nad Labem, Vysoké Mýto, Bystřice nad Pernštejnem
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Uncompromising repair services – Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, Fiat, BMW
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Individual approach – test drives, personal consultations, fast delivery times
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Tradition & Innovation – a family-owned company with a vision that keeps pace with the times
