DS Automobiles

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DS Automobiles
File:DS Automobiles logo.svg
Product type Luxury vehicles
Owner Stellantis (since 2021)
Produced by Stellantis
Country France
Introduced 2009
Related brands Abarth
Alfa Romeo
Chrysler
Citroën
Dodge
Fiat
Fiat Professional
Jeep
Lancia
Maserati
Mopar
Opel
Peugeot
Ram
Vauxhall
Markets Worldwide
Previous owners
Website DSAutomobiles.com

DS Automobiles is a French luxury vehicle marque introduced in 2009 as a sub-marque of Citroën before becoming a standalone brand in 2015 (2012 in China).[1][2] In May 2018, DS announced that it will launch only electric four-wheel drive and hybrid vehicles starting in 2025.[3]

DS can be an abbreviation of Different Spirit or Distinctive Series (although it also refers to the Citroën DS designed by Flaminio Bertoni and André Lefèbvre). The name is also a play on words, as in French it is pronounced like the word déesse, meaning "goddess".

History

The PSA Group originally consisted of three automobile brands, Peugeot, Citroën, and the soon dropped Talbot, but none was considered a "premium" brand. Since 1976, PSA has experimented with differentiating the brands by price level, similar to Chevrolet/Buick or Volkswagen/Audi, but neither brand had the strength to justify premium pricing.[4]

By launching the DS line, Groupe PSA decided to build on the design heritage of the original Citroën DS (1955–1975) by Flaminio Bertoni and André Lefèbvre. The DS line started with the Citroën DS3 in the beginning of 2010, a small car based on the floorpan of the new C3. The DS3 is based on the concept of the Citroën C3 Pluriel model and the Citroën DS Inside concept car, and customisable with various roof colours that can contrast with the body panels. It was named 2010 Car of the Year by Top Gear Magazine, awarded first supermini four times in a row by the J.D. Power Satisfaction Survey UK, and the second most efficient supermini (Citroën DS3 1.6 eHDi 115 Airdream: True MPG 63.0mpg) by What Car? behind the Citroën C3.[5][6][7][8]

In 2013, the Citroën DS3 was again the best-selling premium subcompact car with 40% of the market share in Europe. The DS series is deeply connected to Citroën, as the DS4,[9] launched in 2010, is based on the 2008 Citroën Hypnos concept car and the DS5,[10] following in 2011, is based on the concept car of 2005, the Citroën C-SportLounge.

According to PSA CEO Carlos Tavares, DS would keep using the same platforms and dealerships as other PSA models, but would distinguish itself from Citroën cars by using "separate manufacturing and engineering standards".[11]

The DS cars' rear badge is a new logo rather than the Citroën double chevron, and all have different styling compared to their equivalent Citroën car.[12][13] This logo has been designed by Korean designer Jin Joo.[14] Citroën produced several concept sports cars, with the fully working Citroën Survolt being badged as a DS.[15] A 2014 concept car, the DS Divine, develops the Survolt prototype as the future sport coupé of the DS range.

China

In China, DS vehicles have been sold in separate dealerships since 2014. DS models for sale in China were produced by the Changan PSA joint venture based in Shenzhen until May 2020, when the factory was acquired by the Baoneng Group. The DS 5LS and DS 6WR are only sold in China. With the facelift of the DS5 in 2015, the DS brand was also separated from the Citroën brand in Europe,[16] and standalone DS dealerships are planned worldwide.[17][18][19]

Models

Current

Discontinued

Concept cars

  • Citroën C-SportLounge[20] (2008)
  • Citroën Hypnos (2008), occasionally shown with DS emblem[21]
  • Citroën DS Inside (2009)
  • Citroën REVOLTe (2009)
  • Citroën DS High Rider (2010)
  • Citroën Survolt[22] (2010)
  • Citroën DS4 Racing (2012)
  • Citroën Numéro 9 (2012)
  • DS Wild Rubis (2013)
  • Citroën DS3 Cabrio Racing (2013)
  • DS 5LS R (2014)
  • Divine DS (2014)
  • DS 3 & DS 3 Cabrio Ines de la Fressange Paris (2014)
  • DS 4 Crossback (2015)
  • DS E-Tense (2016)
  • DS X E-Tense (2018)
  • DS Code X (2019)
  • DS Aero Sport Lounge (2020)
  • DS E-Tense Performance (2022)
  • Citroën Wild Rubis (01).JPG

    2013 DS Wild Rubis

  • Festival automobile international 2015 - DS Divine - 002.jpg

    2014 DS Divine

  • 2016-03-01 Geneva Motor Show 1078.JPG

    2016 DS E-Tense

  • DS X E-Tense, Paris Motor Show 2018, IMG 0235.jpg

    2018 DS X E-Tense

  • DS Aero Sport Lounge Concept Auto Zuerich 2021 IMG 0094.jpg

    2020 DS Aero Sport Lounge

Sales

Year Worldwide sales
2012 129,000
2013 122,694
2014 118,472
2015 102,335
2016 85,981
2017 52,860
2018 53,265

Key people

  • Béatrice Foucher[23]

Motorsport

Formula E

File:36 Andre Lotterer at Lung Wo Rd, Man Yiu St (20190310170401).jpg
Andre Lotterer driving for DS Techeetah in 2019

DS partnered with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Racing team for the second season of the FIA Formula E Championship. The team competed under the title of DS Virgin Racing, and finished in third place in the 2015/16 season, and fourth in the 2016/17 season. For the 2018–19 Formula E Championship, DS moved to partner with Techeetah, ending its relationship with Virgin. The newly renamed DS Techeetah, using the DS E-Tense FE 19 powertrain, won both the drivers and teams championships with Jean-Eric Vergne becoming Formula E's first two time drivers champion. This feat was repeated in the following season with António Félix da Costa becoming driver's champion and DS Techeetah winning the teams title for 2019–20.

See also

References

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External links

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Type 2010s 2020s
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1
Subcompact car Citroën DS3 → DS 3
Compact car Citroën DS4 → DS 4 DS 4
DS 4SCN
DS 5LSCN
Large family car Citroën DS5 → DS 5
Executive car DS 9
Subcompact CUV DS 3 Crossback
DS 6 / DS 6WRCN
Compact CUV DS 7 Crossback
Legend

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