I've just been on a lovely drive down to Akuna Bay in New South Wales in Sydney, where we were having a look at the new 2008 Peugeot small SUV.

There I met Peugeot/Citroen Australia’s Managing Director Kate Gillis.

Kate has an interesting background in working for companies that place great importance on brand value and produce quality products. Waterford Crystal was one of her former employees.

After the event we had a good chat about what Peugeot as a brand represents and where it might go with its products.

Subjects covered include:

• Peugeot’s 210-year history

• Should Peugeot have products that reflect its earlier activities such as coffee mills and salt and pepper shakers

• The impact of COVID on our culture and travel habits

• The use of the internet in marketing and selling cars

• Electrification

• Freight transport especially deliveries

• The “beautiful” 2008. The GT model is more Sportwagon than SUV