Inchcape and Stellantis to end Peugeot distribution partnership in Australia

A mutual split after nine years

Inchcape Australia and Stellantis have mutually agreed to end their distribution partnership for Peugeot in Australia, with the final date to be confirmed following a transition period, according to an Inchcape statement reported by CarExpert. The brand has been distributed by Inchcape since 2017, when it and sister marque Citroen were picked up from previous importer Sime Darby. ¹⁷

"As part of Inchcape's standard approach to portfolio management, we continuously review our partnerships to ensure we have the right portfolio of brands for our business, aligned with our strategic growth objectives," Inchcape said in the statement. The company added that it was working collaboratively with Stellantis "to ensure a smooth transition for the brand, with a focus on supporting customers, dealers and partners". ¹⁵

GoAutoNews Premium, which reported the news on 7 July 2026, characterised the move as Peugeot's Australian business returning to the parent company, noting it is the second brand Inchcape Australia has dropped after ending its Citroen distributorship on 1 November 2024. Neither company has identified who will import and distribute Peugeot once the transition concludes. ⁶²

What Stellantis says about the brand's future

Despite the split, Stellantis has confirmed the Peugeot brand will continue in Australia and will provide updates on its local plans in due course, as quoted in the Inchcape statement. In a separate statement reported by CarExpert, Stellantis Australia said: "Peugeot has a strong future in Australia, supported by a robust product pipeline and a clear long-term strategy. We intend to maintain continuity of distribution in Australia and will provide updates as arrangements progress." ¹

Stellantis has stopped short of confirming it will handle distribution itself, and appears to be leaving the door open for another importer to pick up the brand, CarExpert analysis noted. The Stellantis Australia business unit currently handles Alfa Romeo, Abarth, Fiat and Jeep locally, while Ram and Maserati are managed by Ateco Group and its subsidiary European Automotive Imports respectively. Chasing Cars reported there had yet to be any statement from Stellantis Australia confirming its future plans beyond the continuation commitment. ¹⁴

Support for existing owners during the transition

Inchcape says it will continue to support the sale of existing stock and handle warranty and servicing work for existing Peugeot owners during the transition period, CarExpert reported. Throughout the changeover, customers will continue to have access to factory-trained technicians, genuine Peugeot parts, ongoing servicing, recall campaigns and diagnostic updates, according to the statement also published by AutoTalk and Torquecafe. ¹⁵⁷

Cars24 listed the continuing obligations in more detail, reporting that during the transition Inchcape will sell existing vehicle stock, honour manufacturer warranty obligations, provide scheduled servicing, supply genuine parts, carry out recall campaigns and deliver diagnostic software updates through factory-trained technicians. Both companies say they will work together to minimise disruption for customers, dealers and business partners. ²

CarsCoops reported that vehicle imports are frozen while existing dealer stock clears out, meaning prospective buyers can still access existing Peugeot stock but the importer will not be taking new orders, with final date for the split still to be announced. ³

The sales slide behind the decision

The split follows a long decline in Peugeot's Australian sales. The brand peaked at 8807 deliveries in 2007, when it was managed by Ateco Group, and transferred to Sime Darby in 2013 before Inchcape took over in 2017, Torquecafe recounted. Last year Peugeot Australia delivered just 1350 vehicles despite having eight model lines, CarExpert reported. ⁷¹

Peugeot has recorded 373 deliveries to the end of May 2026, down 35 per cent on the same period last year, according to CarExpert, with Chasing Cars and CarsCoops reporting the same year-to-date figure. GoAutoNews Premium cited a slightly different window: 320 units to the end of April 2026, down 32 per cent year on year, with the 20 dealers sharing 68 sales in April. ¹⁴³⁶

The Partner van is Peugeot's strongest-selling vehicle by a considerable margin, CarExpert reported, accounting for 43 per cent of the brand's sales so far in 2026 with 161 deliveries. Chasing Cars noted that more than half of the year-to-date total was accounted for by commercial vans. GoAutoNews Premium reported the 2008 as the best-selling passenger car in April with just 10 national sales, while sales of the Expert, Partner and Boxer vans were up 4.4 per cent on 2025. ¹⁴⁶

For context, Chasing Cars reported that the leading French brand in Australia is Renault, managed locally by Ateco, with 1695 sales to the end of May 2026, though that figure was also down 12 per cent on the same time last year. ⁴

A shrinking model range and a second French brand axed

Peugeot currently has 29 dealers across every Australian state, though not the territories, CarExpert reported. The lineup spans the 308 small car, the high-riding 408 mid-size hatch, the 2008, 3008 and 5008 crossover SUVs, and a wide van range: the small petrol and electric Partner, the diesel and electric mid-size Expert, and the large diesel-powered Boxer. All cars and SUVs are offered exclusively with mild-hybrid power. ¹

CarExpert noted the electric lineup has contracted: Peugeot Australia confirmed in September 2024 it would phase out plug-in hybrids and delay various EVs, then announced an EV expansion from 2025 that never eventuated, leaving just the E-Expert and E-Partner vans. Small numbers of E-208 and E-308 hatchbacks were imported but never launched as permanent additions, and the facelifted mild-hybrid 308 confirmed for launch in the first half of 2026 never eventuated. ¹

This is the second French brand Inchcape has dropped in two years, as Chasing Cars put it. Citroen was axed in 2024 after ending sales in Australia on 1 November 2024, wrapping up a run of more than 100 years of the brand locally, having first gone on sale here in 1923, GoAutoNews Premium reported. Inchcape retains Subaru, Deepal and Foton in Australia, and Torquecafe noted Subaru is by far its most consistent performer, regularly around 35,000 to 40,000 annual sales, while the newer Chinese additions Deepal and Foton have so far delivered 594 and 557 units respectively to the end of May 2026. ⁴⁶⁷¹