The DS Automobiles brand was launched in 2014. Unlike the phoenix, it is not yet 500 years old. Yet, just as the phoenix bursts into flames in its nest when its end seems nigh, before rising from the ashes more vibrant and resplendent than ever, will DS Automobiles be set to open a new chapter in its history? Last May, the naysayers predicted certain doom following the announcement of the brand’s return to the Citroën fold. Today, DS is proving that the phoenix intends to rise from its ashes. Introducing the DS Fever concept car, a foreshadowing of a potential DS No. 3. The first ‘E’ in its name is turned on its side to suggest the number 3.
This is undoubtedly one of the highlights of this year’s Motor Show: DS Automobiles is still going strong! Better still, the brand has just unveiled the Fever concept, a preview of the DS No. 3 based on the new STLA One platform – the same one used for the future Peugeot E-208 due in 2027. This DS No. 3 is expected to hit the market after its Peugeot cousin, and the reveal at the Paris Motor Show sends out several messages…
For design enthusiasts, there is the radical shift in design language. We’ll come back to this later. And for the motoring world, this near-production concept car is a manifesto of a genuine desire to return to the path of growth, with a model that draws on the DNA of the very first generation of the DS3 from 2010, shown below. A generation that enjoyed commercial success. It is THIS model that can revitalise the brand in European markets.
The concept is that of a dynamic saloon, offering the ultimate in customisation. The DS Fever features an electric powertrain and is designed for a long range. As proof of this, the car has been lengthened by around ten centimetres (wheelbase of 2.70 m) since the project was launched, in order to accommodate a higher-capacity battery. This is certainly good news following a poorly handled announcement last May, when Antonio Filosa explained that the DS Automobiles brand would henceforth be “steered” by Citroën, without providing any further details!
Naturally, some observers have concluded that this would mean the outright disappearance of the young French brand, founded in 2014. Yet one need only consider the economic repercussions that such a disappearance would have caused. What about the Italian factory, which relies on the DS N°8 and DS N°7 for its survival? What about the now highly developed dealer network? And above all, what of the investments made in the DS No. 8 and DS No. 7, which also rely on Lancia and others to turn a profit? Not to mention the ongoing deliveries of the DS No. 8 and DS No. 7. And, of course, the men and women committed to this brand. Shutting down DS Automobiles would undoubtedly cost far more than giving the brand a chance to get back on its feet.
That is what the company has announced today. And the timing is right, as the Fever concept unveils the saloon that has been missing from the range – one that is sure to deliver high sales volumes (and profits?). Thierry Métroz, Head of Design at DS Automobiles, states clearly that “DS FEVER is an exploratory concept that sets out our vision for a new compact DS.” With this saloon, DS aims to “shake up our own conventions and those of the market.” This vision of the compact DS is “more exclusive, even more desirable and, above all, designed for the masses.” Does this mean that this future DS No. 3 will be more affordable than the current DS 3? Undoubtedly.
Its design heralds a genuine shift in design language. Gone are the days of extremely complex body side panels, as seen on the DS No. 4 and No. 8. No more sleepless nights for the press operators – almost all of whom have gone bald! Make way for simplicity of form. Thierry Métroz revisits a key theme from the first-generation DS3 personalisation. With Fever, “Frédéric Soubirou’s team designed the car to be highly customisable, and so thought carefully about the different cut-outs in the body panels, which provide an incredible canvas for this customisation.” The ring running around the roof will be the largest component that can be customised to one’s heart’s content.
The front light signature has been simplified to a single hook, whilst the grille has disappeared entirely, replaced by a central totem that is also found at the rear. The front end incorporates driver-assistance systems (radar, lidar, etc.), whilst its rear counterpart features indicator lights. The rear lights adopt the 3D design principle but are rendered here with even greater depth. It feels as though they extend right down into the glove compartment below! The effect is stunning. The subtle contours of the wings break with the design language of the other DS models in the range. The enormous rear windscreen, which extends well beyond the wings, will be split into three separate elements as standard. A new beginning…
The DS No. 3, which is said to be based on the Fever concept, would be the first model at Stellantis to fully implement the new ‘intelligent design’ philosophy. This is based on the idea of designing the car with a minimum of components – in other words, a simple design, fewer parts and, consequently, fewer tools required to manufacture them. And fewer lorries to transport them… with benefits in terms of weight and, importantly for this premium saloon, improved perceived quality with fewer adjustments required.
Will the development of the Fever as the DS No. 3 be able to proceed smoothly? We don’t live in a fairy-tale world. The impact of DS Automobiles’ return to the Citroën group is having consequences for the teams. Let’s limit ourselves to the field of design. Officially, Xavier Chardon has taken the helm of the DS brand, in addition to that of Citroën. Xavier Peugeot, previously head of the DS brand, is leaving his ‘baby’, the Fever, behind to take charge of Jeep for Europe. On the design front, unofficially, Sandeep Bhambra – the likely future head of design at Citroën (see our article here: https://lignesauto.fr/?p=46015) – is also set to take charge of design at DS Automobiles. The DS design team, currently based in the heart of the ADN Creative Centre – the large design centre in Vélizy – is therefore expected to move and join the Citroën team a little further along in the building.
Citroën will therefore end up with two heads of exterior design (Pierre Sabas at Citroën, Frédéric Soubirou at DS), and the same will apply to interior design, pre-production development and concept cars. Questions therefore remain very much in the air in mid-October regarding this reorganisation. The ailing DS Automobiles appears to have been saved. Not without some consequences for staff, however. There are no miracles in the automotive world.
