The DS brand is going to compete with Rolls-Royce and Bentley

The brand’s long-term development strategy involves moving into the luxury segment, and a feeling of luxury will be created with the help of carefully selected finishing materials and attention to detail. The process is not fast, it can take 10 or 20 years.

DS intends to become something like the Louis Vuitton of the automotive industry and move into the highest price segment in order to compete not with Mercedes-Benz and BMW, but with Rolls-Royce and Bentley (Jaguar also dreams of the same thing). The chief designer of the brand, Thierry Metroz, spoke about this in an interview with the British magazine Autocar. According to him, repositioning will take time, and since the brand is still very young (it gained independence in 2014), it is far from a fact that even in 20 years it will be able to become luxury.

DS Automobiles The DS brand has reimagined the iconic Citroen model

True, even today the French focus on the quality of materials and are sensitive to detail. For example, the interior of the DS N°8 crossover is more reminiscent of the interiors of Rolls-Royce and Bentley than of Audi or Volkswagen. Metroz admits: it is very difficult to make hatch cars on the same architecture as other Stellantis brands, but fortunately they can play with proportions, lowering the roofline and increasing the so-called prestige distance.

DS Automobiles The DS brand has created the interior of the future

New DS models will fit into this paradigm, but the first-born will still be N°8. The crossover was created under inspiration from the Aero Sport Lounge concept four years ago, is equipped with an electric power plant with a capacity of up to 350 horsepower and is capable of driving 750 kilometers without recharging. Nappa leather, canvas and Alcantara are used to decorate the interior of the G8. Instead of “sanitised chrome” there is a Light Gold coating, referencing the luxury cars of the 1930s. The start of sales of the crossover is scheduled for the middle of this year.

Expanded palette: special liveries for select cars