France is characterized by its passion for fashion, art and culture of excellence. Our neighbors even have an expression for it: savoir-faire , which translated would be something like ‘French know-how’. This concept is what underpinned the design philosophy of DS, PSA’s premium firm that spun off from Citroën almost five years ago. Since that independence, the brand has developed a range of specific vehicles that will have to be completed , models that no longer arise from a chevron body despite sharing architecture. The first to arrive were the DS 7 Crossback and the DS 3 Crossback, two SUVs with modern aesthetics and clear Asian intentions. Not for less, this firm owes a large part of its success to that market. Now it is the turn of his proposal for the segment of the representative saloons: the DS 9 .
Seen from the side, the DS 9 looks like a collection of models on the market, but ends up showing its own character. Its nose flees from the vertical trend that we see in its competitors and its coupe drop ends in a kind of dovetail . The optical groups manage to give it a different image, resorting to the diamond effect that the firm abuses so much. In addition, it is welcome to see a new car that does not use the light line that crosses the tailgate, a bit of personality in an increasingly homogeneous market.
France is a country proud of its industry. What’s more, the President of the Republic travels in a DS. The DS 9 comes at a crucial time for the industry, which is in the transition to zero emissions propulsion. The firm knows this and, for that reason, it will start marketing this saloon with E-Tense engines, its plug-in hybrid system consisting of a gasoline block and an electric motor that add up to 225 HP of power.
The range of engines will soon be completed with the arrival of a 250 hp E-Tense engine , front-wheel drive and greater autonomy, together with the more powerful 360 hp and adaptive all-wheel drive. They will also incorporate a 225 hp PureTech gasoline version, all with an eight-speed automatic transmission.
