DS Automobiles

DS Automobiles
Premium brand of Groupe PSA
Industry Automotive
Founded 2009: as a premium sub brand of Citroën
2014: as a standalone brand of Groupe PSA
Founder Citroën
Headquarters Paris, France
Area served
 Worldwide, except United States, Canada, Mexico, and South Asia
Key people
 Yves Bonnefont, CEO[1]
Products Automobiles
Luxury vehicles
Owner Groupe PSA
Parent Citroën
Website www.dsautomobiles.com

DS is the premium automobile marque of Groupe PSA. The DS was first announced in the beginning of 2009 by Citroën as a premium sub brand added to its certain models, with DS being an abbreviation of Different Spirit or Distinctive Series (although the reference to the historical Citroën DS is evident), in order to run in parallel to its mainstream cars. The name is also a play on words, as in French it is pronounced like the word déesse, meaning goddess.

The DS is a standalone automobile marque since 2015 (since 2012 in China),[2][3] It is the top segment premium marque of Groupe PSA.

History

PSA originally consisted of three automobile brands, Peugeot, Citroën, and the soon dropped Talbot, but none was 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 obtain Premium pricing.[4] Eventually, the concept of introducing a third brand was tried: DS. This had been done successfully by other manufacturers, notably the Lexus and Infiniti premium brands.

The original Citroën DS (1955 to 1975) is an iconic design, so it was decided to build on that heritage. 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 JD Power Satisfaction Survey UK[5][6][7] and second most efficient supermini (Citroën DS3 1.6 e-HDi 115 Airdream : True MPG 63.0mpg) by What Car? behind the Citroën C3.[8]

In 2013, the Citroën DS3 was again the most sold premium subcompact car with 40% of these market shares in Europe, validating the business model of this product development. 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 2005 Citroën C-SportLounge concept car.

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

Their rear badge is a new DS logo rather than the familiar Citroën double chevron, and all will have markedly different styling from their equivalent sister car.[12][13] Citroën has produced several dramatic-looking concept sports cars of late with the fully working Citroën Survolt[14] being badged as a DS. Indeed, the 2014 DS Divine concept car 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 are produced by the Changan PSA joint venture based in Shenzhen. The DS 5LS and DS 6WR are only sold in China.[15][16] With the facelift of the DS5 in 2015, the DS brand was also separated from the Citroën brand in Europe[17] and standalone DS dealerships are planned worldwide.[18]

Models

Current

DS 3 DS 4 DS 4S DS 5 DS 5LS DS 6 DS 7 Crossback

Future models

Concept cars

Sales

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

Motorsport

Formula E

DS link up 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, finished season 2015/2016 at the third position, season 2016/2017 fourth. For the season of 2018/2019, DS will sponsor Techeetah, ending its relationship with Virgin.

See also

References

Notes

  1. ↑ "Yves Bonnefont biography". PSA Peugeot Citroën. Retrieved 29 January 2016.
  2. ↑ "A new visionary experience of luxury-premium brand DS launches shining with DS 5 and DS 4". DS Automabiles China. 28 June 2012. Retrieved 27 January 2016.
  3. ↑ Alex Robbins (10 September 2014). "DS brand's split from Citroën confirmed". The Daily Telegraph.
  4. ↑ "Peugeot & Citroen Luxury Brand? Panhard". Car Advice. 18 June 2007. Retrieved 12 June 2017.
  5. ↑ "Citroën DS3 first supermini in the 2012 JD Power Satisfaction Survey". JD Power. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  6. ↑ "Citroën DS3 first supermini in the 2013 JD Power Satisfaction Survey". The New Zealand Herald. 3 June 2013. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  7. ↑ "Citroën DS3 first supermini in the 2014 JD Power Satisfaction Survey". JD Power. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  8. ↑ "Citroën C3 and DS3, most efficient small cars". What Car?. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  9. ↑ "First Citroën DS4 launched". Auto-Power-Girl.com. Retrieved 7 December 2014.
  10. ↑ "First Citroën DS5 launched". Auto-Power-Girl.com. Retrieved 8 October 2014.
  11. ↑ "DS brand to drop Citroën badge in Europe in 2015". Autocar. 12 September 2014.
  12. ↑ "Citroën DS returns". Auto Express. 6 February 2009. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  13. ↑ "Site officiel de la Citroën DS3". Citroën. Retrieved 17 September 2009.
  14. ↑ "First Citroen Survolt Concept". Auto-Power-Girl.com. Retrieved 2014-10-08.
  15. ↑ Smy, Damion (15 April 2014). "Citroen DS 6WR (2014) first official pictures". Car. Retrieved 16 June 2014.
  16. ↑ "Citroen goes sporty with the DS 5LS R for the 2014 Beijing Auto Show". Car News China. 7 April 2014.
  17. ↑ "De nieuwe DS 5: symbool voor het merk DS" [The new DS 5: a symbol for the DS marque] (in Dutch). Citroën Netherlands. 18 February 2015.
  18. ↑ Fallah, Alborz (16 September 2015). "Citroën's luxury brand DS to open 160 independent stores by 2020, Australia included". Retrieved 27 January 2016.
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