Classic Citroen DS To Inspire New DS Automobiles EV Flagship

Since parting ways with Citroen, DS Automobiles has been striving to forge a unique styling identity befitting the premium status of its offerings. In a bid to elevate its presence, the French automaker is now eyeing the iconic Citroen DS as a muse for its upcoming flagship EV, with plans to gradually integrate certain design elements across its lineup.

The announcement came from DS Automobiles CEO, Olivier François, who also holds positions as CEO of Fiat and CMO of Stellantis. François contends that DS Automobiles is uniquely positioned as a new brand with a rich heritage, aiming to leverage this legacy to carve out a distinct identity and differentiate itself from the mainstream offerings within the Stellantis group.

More: DS 3 And DS 4 Gain New Hybrid Powertrain Before Full EV Shift

A forthcoming flagship model, drawing inspiration from the iconic DS of the 1950s, is poised to play a pivotal role in the brand’s reinvention as it embarks on its electric-centric journey.

“There are a few cars in automotive history that have become iconic because they are extremely aerodynamic,” Francois told Auto Express. “The UK may have the Jaguar E-Type, but for sure, the DS models of the sixties and seventies were exactly that. They had this incredibly iconic look, an iconic design that everyone recognized, everyone loves and everyone remembers.”

The CEO added: “If we can tie back to this design DNA, we can have the best-looking and, more importantly, the most meaningful aero-designed electric car in a world of new brands”. He then took a step further, giving us a description of the upcoming model: “The pure DS should be large, expensive, and amazing. Everyone will be in love. We can do the sensual, curvy, extremely inspiring cars that are very aerodynamic and very French – the art of travel. Soon, I’ll show you.”

Citroen DS (1955-1975)

As for the underpinnings of the new EV, the company will utilize the finest components from the Stellantis platforms to make it as exciting as possible. François mentioned that the pure DS will be among the first to adopt Stellantis’ latest battery pack, promising over 700 km (435 miles) of range. This likely refers to the 98 kWh battery recently introduced in the Peugeot E-3008.

More importantly, the CEO hinted at a brand-specific chassis setup. He went as far as referencing the height-adjustable nature of the hydraulic suspension found in the original DS and later Citroen sedans stating, “I still love the idea of the hydraulic suspension. Not just to go down when you drive, but to go up to facilitate ingress. I mean, people now love SUVs for that”.

While it’s uncertain if Stellantis would make such a significant R&D investment for a niche brand, similar functionality could be achieved through an advanced active suspension system focused on comfort and ride refinement.

More: Is Stellantis Onto Something? DS Cuts Lineup To Just Two Trims

DS has officially confirmed that a new fully electric model is coming in 2024, riding on the STLA Medium architecture. Recent spy shots suggest that the EV, rumored to adopt the DS8 moniker, will feature a crossover fastback silhouette, highlighted by an aerodynamic roofline and aggressively styled LEDs. It’s unclear if Francois is referring to this model or an even larger and more premium offering that could bear a closer resemblance to the original Citroën DS, but we certainly hope for the latter.

In any case, the CEO wants the retro-inspired styling features to gradually trickle down to the rest of the DS Automobiles lineup: “We realized that we can expand this design, this new language, to smaller cars. They’re not going to look exactly like the original, but it’s a gene that is not difficult to transmit to various categories of cars.”

The official sketch of the flying DS (above) and our slightly edited version without the wings (below).

A sketch published by DS Automobiles in April 2023 depicted a modern interpretation of the iconic flying Citroen DS from the 1965 film “Fantomas Unleashed”. Initially, it was believed that the illustration was created exclusively for a temporary exhibition featuring iconic cars from Louis de Funes films. However, recent comments by the DS Automobiles CEO have sparked hope that the sketch might offer insight into the development of the upcoming flagship and its future styling language.

The British publication speculates that the new model could be one of the eight vehicles promised to debut between 2024 and 2026, riding on the STLA Large architecture. As for the timing of its launch, the “pure DS” could arrive just in time for the 70th anniversary of the Citroen DS in 2025.