PSA Groupe, parent company of, among others, Vauxhall and Opel, will not make a decision until the end of this year about the continuity at its British factory, where the Vauxhall Astra is being built. Then there must also be more clarity about the outcome of the Brexit negotiations.
This is the factory at Ellesmere Port in North West England, where PSA makes models for Vauxhall. Earlier this location was designated as a place where, just like the previous generations, the new generation of the Astra may also be made. With the British leaving the European Union and the negotiations for a new trade relationship, however, the question is how companies can trade in the future across the British border.
“The decision will not be taken until we have a clear picture of the outcome of the negotiations between the British government and the European Union,” said Carlos Tavares, chief executive, to journalists on Tuesday. He added that there is probably no answer for this year or the end of 2020.
Earlier Tavares announced that the new Astra will probably be introduced later than planned due to these uncertainties. If PSA decides to no longer build the Astra in Ellesmere, it must look for a replacement location. Rüsselsheim, where the Opel version of the Astra is now being built, cannot have the Vauxhall production. The Astra production is already taking over from the factory in Gliwice, Poland.
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