In 2015, Citroen created its own luxury brand, DS Automobiles. With DS, Citroen wanted to showcase its ability to build cars to a higher standard of quality, luxury and prestige than its conventional models.
With the DS9, DS Automobiles, comes to "invade" the luxury saloon car sector, a market segment saturated by German manufacturers. After its two crossbacks, the DS3 and DS7, DS comes to take on the most challenging part of the market on a global scale. That of the saloon.
If you ask the average person which cars come to mind when talking about large sedans (or saloons), the answers are usually Audi A6 & A8, BMW 5 & 7 Series or Mercedes E Class & S Class. Some more "well-read" people might mention the Volvo S90 or the Jaguar XE & XF. But no one mentions a French model. That's exactly what the DS9 comes to change.
French refinement, with plenty of space for the passenger cabin
The platform on which it rests, the updated EMP2 (Efficient Modular Platform 2), allows it to measure 4.93 metres in length, 1.85 metres in width and 2.9 metres in wheelbase. This size benefits the rear passenger space most of all. Adding to its spacious design is its aggressive, yet elegant styling, which completely differentiates it from the, let's be honest, uninteresting DS9 sedan of the German manufacturers.
With design elements that hark back to those used by the French on the original DS in 1955, the DS9 features a sleek silhouette with a continuous design flow from front to rear.
E-TENSE : The plug-in hybrid heart of the DS9
Initially, the new DS9 will be available with a plug-in hybrid powertrain with a total output of 225 hp, capable of driving in a range of 40 to 50 km (WLTP), similarly electric. The internal combustion engine, is a petrol engine (although no official details have been released yet, we assume it is the 3-cylinder 1.2) PureTech engine combined with an electric motor producing 110 hp and 320 Nm of torque, with a battery capacity of 11.9kWh.
The DS9's electric motor is capable of driving it at speeds of up to 135km/h, similarly electric, while always supporting the conventional one, in increased power demand from the driver. With the functions electric mode (likewise electrical operation), hybrid mode (switching between electric and normal motor) and E-TENSE Sport Mode (continuous operation of a normal engine with support from the electric motor), the DS9 adapts to the driver's needs.
In addition, battery charging is supported by the energy recovery system during braking, with an additional Intense Recovery mode, in which the car slows down to a large extent from energy recovery, with minimal need to use the brake system, which stores more energy in a shorter time in the battery. Also, with the mode E-Save, the DS9 always ensures that there is always a sufficient level of energy in the battery to operate zero emissions, when the car is driven in urban or zero-emission zones (known as Ring Roads).
There is also, being a plug-in hybrid, the possibility to charge the battery from a conventional power outlet, with the on-board charger, taking only 1 hour and 30 minutes to fully charge the battery (considering that the charging is from 0% to 100%).
Soon, two more E-TENSE engine sets and one conventional set will be added to the range. The first E-TENSE, will have an output of 250 horsepower and increased range for fully electric drive (with transmission to 2 wheels), while the second will have an output of 360 horsepower (we speculate with a more powerful internal combustion engine) with an intelligent all-wheel drive transmission , as DS tells us. Finally, there will be a version with only a single PureTech petrol engine, with an output of 225 hp. All DS9s, are fitted with an 8-speed automatic transmission.
DS Lounge : An interior envied by all
There is no doubt that the interior is the most important part of any car. Yes, a beautiful exterior is good, but the place where we "experience" our car is the interior. And in the DS9, we have a lot to experience and enjoy. To begin with, DS uses top quality materials and they believe the quality of assembly is commensurate with the materials.
The personalisation of the interior to each owner's wishes and taste is made possible by the various themes, the DS Inspirations. Each DS Inspiration, named after a famous Parisian apartment, has its own unique character, which in turn defines the aura of the DS9's interior.
DS Inspiration BASTILEE and DS Inspiration RIVOLI use grained leather on the seats (with Alcantara upholstery on the headliner), DS Inspiration PERFORMANCE uses Alcantara on almost the entire interior, while DS Inspiration OPERA uses Nappa leather with a watch strap design along the centre of the seat. The French refinement we were talking about.
The seats inside the DS9 are heated, air-conditioned and have a massage function. To improve comfort, the DS ACTIVE SCAN SUSPENSION active suspension, in which a camera and a host of sensors continuously adjust each shock absorber individually. What makes the difference, however, is the system's camera, which, by reading the road, prepares each shock absorber to be adjusted accordingly in order to make the best possible damping, making it as unnoticeable as possible inside. Clever, eh?
In addition to all the above, there is the extensive use of soundproofing material along with double glazing on all the car's crystals, which further reduces any form of unwanted noise inside the car. For the desired 'noise', the DS9's entertainment system consists of 14 speakers, so you can enjoy your favourite music to the full.
The star of the interior, however, is none other than the French B.R.M. clock located in the centre and top of the dashboard, above the engine's Start/Stop switch. It has a rotating mechanism that performs a 180 degree rotation, folding up when the engine is started and stopped. Vibes of Bentley and Rolls Royce.
Driving aids and technology to a superlative degree
Beyond its impressive design and DS Lounge, the DS9 (like the other two DS models) remains at the forefront of technological innovation and driving aids through a wealth of systems.
DS Drive Assist
With DS Drive Assist, which is a Level 2 semi-autonomous driving system, which means that it requires the driver to hold the steering wheel while the system keeps the car's speed, its position in the lane it is driving in and its distance from the vehicle ahead, using a multitude of sensors that monitor the whole area around it.
DS Park Pilot
The DS Park Pilot system allows the DS9 to check for parking spaces, both vertically and in parallel, at speeds of up to 30km/h and takes over the parking of the car in a fully automatic manner, without any intervention from the driver. The system works both for entering and exiting a parking space.
DS Night Vision
The DS Night Vision system uses an infrared camera mounted on the front grille of the car to read the road at a distance of 100 metres and detect pedestrians, cyclists and animals, which it highlights in yellow and then red on the instrument panel.
DS Driver Attention Monitoring
The DS Driver Attention Monitoring system continuously monitors, via an infrared camera mounted on the instrument panel, the blinking of the eyes, the position of the head and where the driver is looking, to detect signs of fatigue, combined with how the car is moving on the road (unnecessary left-right lane movements, etc.). If it thinks the driver is showing signs of fatigue, it will display a warning on the dashboard, prompting the driver to stop and rest.
DS Active LED Vision
The DS Active LED Vision system ensures that the lights are optimally adapted to the driving conditions. The system has 5 functions: Parking, Town Beam (the illuminated angle increases 5 seconds after the car starts moving), Country Beam (after 50km/h, it focuses on shining farther in a straight line), Motorway Beam (after 110 km/h, it focuses on illuminating even further away) and adverse weather (reduces the length of the distance and focuses on better lighting at close range). The system is complemented by the function Turning Headlight (active cornering light) and High Beam (automatic switching between medium and large ladder).
DS Smart Access
Through the MyDS App, the driver and up to 5 other mobile users can unlock and start the DS9 without the presence of the key. The system, based on the use of Bluetooth technology, in order to be able to work even if there is no mobile network coverage.
All in all
The DS9, comes to invade the German-dominated space of the E Class, 5 Series and A6. Its other competitor is Volvo's Swedish S90. Objectively speaking, the German sedans have a way of standing out, with details, of course, that have no particular "value" in themselves (e.g. the light show on the Audi unlocking). They are, however, very expensive, you see them everywhere, and the models two classes below them are almost identical in design both inside and out, the only difference being volume. And the quality of the materials, not exactly commensurate with their price, with some parts having hard, cheap-feeling and aesthetic, plastics.
On the other hand, there is Volvo, with the S90, which "looks" like the DS9. It has its own philosophy of what a luxury sedan is, disregarding the "must haves" imposed by the German companies. And so DS, with its own unique proposition, is coming in strong in the market, around the world, with the DS9. It is expected to go on sale in the summer of 2020.
Would you still choose one of the German ones?
