► DS plots surge of new models
► Latest news on new launches
► Sales chief reveals plans to CAR
DS Automobiles only became a standalone brand in 2014, but they’ve not been standing still in the Paris HQ; a host of new models are planned, which company bosses will hope solidify and enhance DS’s position.
Speaking at the London ePrix in Battersea, Arnaud Ribault, global sales and marketing director of DS Automobiles, confirmed two waves of DS models to CAR. ‘The first wave was DS3, DS4, DS5 and E-Tense,’ he said. ‘The second wave will be six new cars, from SUV to sedan [saloon], B-segment [supermini] to D-segment [family car].’
The DS SUV is coming
Our sources have strongly hinted that the first new DS model will take the form of an SUV, ready for a 2017 unveiling and dealer launch the following year. It’s unclear whether the new model will share any design aspects with the China-only DS6 crossover, although the company’s focus will increasingly be on non-diesel engines.
Senior figures at DS have expressed concerns over the future of heavy diesel-powered cars, citing worries over emissions as a reason to concentrate on petrol and hybrid-electric powertrains. Hence the company’s involvement in the ePrix electric race series with its DS Virgin Racing team (below).
Such an attitude resonates with Ribault’s forward-thinking mission statement for DS. ‘Two words that summarise DS are refinement and technology,’ he said. ‘We want our cars to embody the know-how of French luxury.’
How I’ll make DS a luxury brand – by Citroen chief Carlos Tavares
