Citroën takes the Divine DS to Paris, a first look at the next DS4

French manufacturers usually take advantage of the Paris Motor Show to present some of their most eye-catching prototypes. PSA has already revealed its two best cards for this year’s play: the Peugeot Exalt and the Divine DS. The purpose of the latter is not only to guide the future design language of the Citroën sub-brand, but also to offer a glimpse of how the next DS4 will look.

The new generation of the model, which is not expected to arrive before 2018, will become a compact in the C-segment in its own right. It measures 4.21 metres long, 1.98 metres wide and 1.35 m high, that is, just a few centimetres shorter than an Audi A3 or a Mercedes-Benz A-Class, but considerably wider and lower than its potential premium rivals.

The front combines the headlights (with LED and laser technologies together) of the DS5 LS and DS6 designed for China with a larger and upright grille, which gives the vehicle a more robust appearance. Other features include the sharp corners of the bumper and the ridges on the bonnet.

In profile, the Divine DS displays voluptuous shapes, several side ridges, a chrome strip that rises diagonally from the front doors to the upper edge of the elongated rear lights, and the absence of B-pillars. The rear view is cleaner, less busy and, in a way, is reminiscent of some coupés such as the Alfa Romeo Brera. Its main feature is the slats on the rear glass, which can rise to improve the aerodynamic drag coefficient.

As is customary with this type of prototype, the cabin is very futuristic and plays with the imagination. The driver’s area is designed differently from the passenger’s; the former carries the technological load, though with a somewhat minimalist layout, while the latter is free of screens and buttons.

Citroën states that the materials of the dashboard and the door panels can be changed in about fifteen minutes. There are three types of ambiance, named “Mâle”, “Parisienne Chic” and “Fatale Punk”. Among the companies that collaborated with the French brand to develop the materials are the famous jeweller Swarovski and the Parisian embroiderer Lesage.

The only information about the engine of the Divine DS that Citroën has disclosed so far is that it produces 267 hp and sends its power to the front wheels. The rest of the images, live, in our coverage of the Paris Motor Show.

Source | Citroën