There's no doubt that the French are struggling to stay in the sales game when it comes to the Mondeo-size D-sector.
Last year Peugeot made the best fist of things, with 122,000 407s and 6600 607s sold in Europe. 
Renault managed 72,000 Laguna sales and just 3000 Vel Satis. Citroen shifted 48,000 of the ancient C5 and just 7200 C6 saloons.
But then Citroen has the new and handsome C5 about to be rolled out into the showrooms. It'll be a difficult push though.
The new Mondeo is on sale, the Mazda 6 is here and the new Honda Accord is coming off the boat from Japan. So how would you launch the C5 into such a competitive market? Not under the strapline "Unmistakably German", probably.
But this is the extraordinary approach Citroen's marketing experts have taken. I can't begin to explain it. Still, have a look at the website and have a go at the clever on-line quiz, presented by a sword-wielding German aristo. I managed to get 10 out of 10, so I must be as German as the new Citroen C5.
Go to the Citroen C5 'How German are you?' quiz