"Our Back in the Race restructuring program has been successfully completed," brand chief Yves Bonnefont told Automobilwoche. "Now comes the next step. And this has put the issue of the U.S. on the table."

The DS brand, launched in 2010 and sold in China and Europe, is to Citroen what Lexus is to Toyota. It uses many of the same vehicle architectures to underpin premium vehicles. It is a "natural candidate" for PSA in North America, Bonnefont said.

Citroen sold its last car in the United States in 1974, and Peugeot did so in 1991.

PSA maintained a North American presence for more than two decades after Peugeot halted U.S. sales.