DS Automobiles

Vélizy-Villacoublay and paris (France, Europe)

11/17/2018 | 04/17/2019

Every successful brand starts with an innovative product, which becomes an icon. This product is the historical Citroën DS designed by Flaminio Bertoni (designer) and André Lefèbvre (automobile engineer). Bertoni worked at Citroën for decades, and his other successful creations were the Traction Avant (1934), the 2CV better known as the famous and popular "Ente" in Germany, the H van and the Ami 6. All these models built the fundament of the French carmaker's history and future. The automobile engineer Lefèbvre worked along with Bertoni and Paul Magès (designer). He was part of the creation of four of the most dramatic, boldly designed vehicles of the 20th century. Pierre Boulanger was an engineer and the general director of Citroën in 1938. He was responsible for the project “VGD” which was aimed to build a mass-product car. His project culminated 17 years later and five years after this death to great success with the creation of the first DS.

Some people may not know what DS is because it is a very young brand and rose out of the French brand Citroën. The first DS model was announced at the beginning of 2009 by Citroën itself and it was considered to be a premium sub-brand of the company. Since 2015 or 2012 in China, the DS brand has been a stand-alone brand in the industry. The abbreviation of DS is uncertain, but it can be "Different Spirit" or "Distinctive Series" but we cannot ignore that the name is a reference to the historical Citroën DS. The name is also a pun because in French, it is pronounced like the word "déesse", which means "goddess". The DS car evolved in a whole new lineup with many different models beginning from 1955 to 1975. Even the French president-general Charles de Gaulle welcomed famous politicians and guests with the DS.

The rights for the photos and the sound shown above belong to Citroën, DS Automobiles, and PSA.

The first model of DS was the Citroën DS3 in 2010, which is a small car based on the C3 in the technical aspect, and design-wise is a mixture of the Citroën C3 Pluriel and the Citroën DS Inside concept car. The DS3 got many awards, and three years after the official launch it was again the best-selling premium subcompact car with a market share of 40% in Europe. The later launched DS4 (2010) is based on the 2008 Citroën Hypnos concept car, and the DS5 (2011) is based on the Citroën C-SportLounge concept car (2005). Therefore the DS line has a deep connectedness with Citroën. PSA CEO Carlos Tavares said that DS keeps using the same platforms but will distinguish from Citroën cars by using "separate manufacturing and engineering standards". Besides, Citroën also created a variety of concept cars that have the DS badge for instance, dramatic sports cars like the 2016 DS E-Tense or the DS Divine from 2014. The first DS concept car was the DS Wild Rubis in 2013. Deviating from the usual conventions in design and technology, the 2018 DS X E-Tense was a whole new chapter in the development and thinking about concept cars when referring to the radically different design with an asymmetric chassis.

The DS brand also partnered with Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Racing team for the Formula E Championship under the title of DS Virgin Racing. Later on, DS moved to another sponsor named Techeetah.

The rights for these photos shown above belong to Citroën, DS Automobiles, and PSA.

I drove a DS5 as my first car, and I immediately fell in love with the brand very easily. So now, let's talk about some of my most favorite designs of DS.

The headlamps of the Divine DS concept car contain Swarovski crystals and was the first time that a car manufacturer used this material. The structure of the headlamps and the front headlights were the inspiration and design fundament for mass-market DS models like the second generation DS line, including the DS7 Crossback, the DS3 Crossback and the all-new DS9. The DS E-Tense was the start for the future because it is an electric-powered race car. The dream of 2035 is the DS X E-Tense, and it became famous because of its asymmetric design and cocoon interior. The DS Light Veil light is a unique technology and I cannot wait to see it in mass-production. The DS Aero Sport Lounge also provides a glimpse into the brand's fully electric future and stunning interior design.

The rights for these photos shown above belong to Citroën, DS Automobiles, and PSA.

The second generation of the DS line includes the DS7 Crossback, a premium and elegant SUV. The design is instantly recognizable because of the DS wings and its DS Active LED Vision lights. The DS3 Crossback is a small SUV that is also available as a 100% electric model. The all-new DS9 has yet to launch, and I cannot wait to see more details soon. I had the opportunity to talk with Senior Vice President of DS Design. He is in charge of design for DS Automobiles alongside his colleagues Gilles Vidal at Peugeot and Pierre Leclercq at Citroën. We talked about the DS Design studio, the employees in this department, and the their design attitude. If I understand it the right way, the DS Light Veil light is possible to produce for the mass-market but it is too expensive at the moment. DS is bold, and every single design is forward-thinking. Therefore a DS5 looks stunning and modern even nearly ten years later. It is a success that no other car designer has ever achieved to bring my fascination to the point. In my opinion, only Tesla with Franz von Holzhausen and DS have achieved this position. Thierry Metroz is an incredible person and it was an honor to meet him. DS Automobiles has a unique store near the Champs-Élysée in Paris, better known as the DS World. You can find DS's latest models in this luxurious store and get an overview of the history and tradition of DS with its origin, the Citroën DS. Some exhibitions are also in this store to portray the fascination of DS.

The rights for these photos shown above belong to Citroën, DS Automobiles, and PSA.

In addition to my enthusiasm for DS, I also have criticism that I have been expressing for a few years now. I cannot understand the marketing and retail strategy of the brand. The first DS models under the Citroën brand were allowed to be sold by Citroën dealers. After the spin-off, this was no longer possible, and the number of dealers sank enormously. Since a newly purchased DS model can only be serviced by authorized DS dealerships, even though it is PSA technology, you have a very little chance of driving a DS in your everyday life. Many people think the models are terrific but are confronted with a small dealer network and, therefore, with few local support and contact points. In my opinion, DS has a lot of potential, mainly because French goods actually enjoy an excellent reputation, but unfortunately, this is disregarded. I understand that PSA wants to create a unique selling point with DS and its DS Stores and DS Salons. They do not want that DS looks like a mass product as well as other French luxury brands like Louis Vuitton and Hermès, but DS is not in the same luxury position as Bentley, Rolls Royce and Co.

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