 | |
| Product type | Luxury vehicles |
|---|---|
| Owner | Stellantis (since 2021)[1][2] |
| Produced by | Stellantis |
| Country | France |
| Introduced | February 5, 2009; 16 years ago (2009-02-05) (as aCitroën brand) June 1, 2014; 11 years ago (2014-06-01) (as an independent brand) |
| Related brands | |
| Markets | Worldwide |
| Previous owners | Citroën (2009–2015) PSA Group (2015–2021) |
| Ambassador | Xavier Peugeot (CEO of DS brand)[3] |
| Website | dsautomobiles.com |
DS Automobiles is a Frenchluxury-premium marque created in 2009. Formerly part ofAutomobiles Citroën S.A., DS has been a standalone brand ultimately owned byPSA Group, laterStellantis. The independent DSmarque was created in 2014 from the formerDSsubbrand and line of models of Citroën cars made since 2009, although it had been separated from Citroën in Asia since 2012.[4][5][1][2]
The name DS is considered a nod to the classic executive carCitroën DS. The name is also a play on words, as inFrench it is pronounced like the worddéesse, meaning "goddess".
ThePSA Group originally consisted of three automobile brands,Peugeot,Citroën and the soon droppedTalbot, but none was considered a "premium" brand. Since 1976, PSA has experimented with differentiating the brands by price level, similar toChevrolet/Buick orVolkswagen/Audi, but neither brand had the strength to justifypremium pricing.[6] By launching the DS line, Groupe PSA decided to build on the design heritage of the original Citroën DS (1955–1975) designed byFlaminio Bertoni andAndré Lefèbvre.
The DS line started with theCitroën 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 theCitroën C3 Pluriel model and theCitroën 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 byTop Gear Magazine, awarded first supermini four times in a row by theJ.D. Power Satisfaction Survey UK, and the second most efficient supermini (Citroën DS3 1.6 eHDi 115 Airdream: True MPG 63.0mpg) byWhat Car? behind theCitroën C3.[7][8][9][10]
In 2013, the Citroën DS3 was again the best-selling premium subcompact car with 40% of the market share in Europe. The DS series is deeply connected to Citroën, as theDS4,[11] launched in 2010, is based on the 2008Citroën Hypnos concept car and theDS5,[12] following in 2011, is based on the concept car of 2005, theCitroën C-SportLounge.
According toPSA CEOCarlos Tavares, DS would keep using the same platforms and dealerships as other PSA models, but would distinguish itself from Citroën cars by using "separate manufacturing and engineering standards".[13]
The DS Automobiles rear badge is a new logo rather than the Citroën double chevron, and all have different styling compared to their equivalent Citroën car.[14][15] This logo was designed by Korean designer Jin Joo.[16] Citroën produced several concept sports cars, with the fully workingCitroën Survolt being badged as a DS.[17] A 2014 concept car, the DS Divine, develops the Survolt prototype as the future sport coupé of the DS range.
In China, DS vehicles have been sold in separate dealerships since 2014. DS models for sale in China were produced by theChangan PSA joint venture based inShenzhen until May 2020, when the factory was acquired by theBaoneng Group. The DS 5LS andDS 6WR are only sold in China. With the facelift of the DS5 in 2015, the DS brand was also separated from the Citroën brand in Europe,[18] and standalone DS dealerships are planned worldwide.[19][20][21]
In the end of 2023, DS Automobiles announced it was withdrawing from the Chinese market.[22]
The DS Store is thedealership network of DS Automobiles. It was introduced in China in 2014, and in Europe in 2015. In 2021, it was announced that a number of DS Store dealerships in the United Kingdom were set to close as a result of "poor volume and little return" of DS Automobiles vehicles, with just 233 new vehicle registrations in the United Kingdom for the company in March 2021.[23] Despite the announcement, DS Automobiles announced a growth plan for the market in the United Kingdom at the end of March 2021, with the company claiming that "new dealerships and personal customer service" was pivotal for success in the British market.[24]
In addition to DS Store dealerships, the company also operates the DS Only You privilege club which allows members to benefit from personalised services.[25]
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| Year | Worldwide | Europe | China |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 205[31] | ||
| 2010 | 53,336 | ||
| 2011 | 97,579 | ||
| 2012 | 129,000 | 117,374 | |
| 2013 | 122,694 | 110,554 | 1,271[32] |
| 2014 | 118,472 | 85,093 | 26,008 |
| 2015 | 102,335 | 75,163 | 21,451 |
| 2016 | 85,981 | 65,456 | 16,156 |
| 2017 | 52,860 | 45,863 | 5,847 |
| 2018 | 53,265 | 45,251 | 3,867 |
| 2019 | 52,597 | 1,254 | |
| 2020 | 43,597 | 427 | |
| 2021 | 43,970 | 1,853 | |
| 2022 | 49,510 | 1,373 | |
| 2023 | 48,444[33] |
DS Performance is the competitions department of DS Automobiles, which it claims was established to accelerate the electrification transition of the brand. Although the department doesn't participate directly in motorsport by using partners instead, it assists with technological development of Formula E cars and related marketing activities.[34][35]
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DS partnered with Sir Richard Branson'sVirgin Racing team for the second season of theFIA Formula E Championship. The team competed under the title ofDS Virgin Racing, and finished in third place in the 2015/16 season, and fourth in the 2016/17 season.
For the2018–19 Formula E Championship, DS moved to partner withTecheetah, ending its relationship with Virgin. The newly renamed DS Techeetah, using the DS E-Tense FE 19 powertrain, won both the drivers and teams championships withJean-Eric Vergne becoming Formula E's first two-time drivers champion. This feat was repeated in the following season withAntónio Félix da Costa becoming driver's champion and DS Techeetah winning the teams title for2019–20.
The partnership with Techeetah ended at the end of the2021–22 Formula E World Championship, with DS then partnering with Penske Autosport to createDS Penske from the2022–23 season.[36]
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