DS could launch a plug-in hybrid supercar with 600 CV

The premium brand of the PSA Group is reportedly planning to develop a supercar based on the E-Tense prototype, according to Auto Express.

The DS brand has received a major boost from the PSA Group over the past year. The luxury marque is now fully differentiated from the rest of the French manufacturer’s brands and, for the first time, is starting to launch models of its own; until recently, it only produced versions from the Citroën range. DS’s first proposal was recently unveiled and will be an SUV: the DS7. But this is not where it ends… The premium brand could launch a plug-in hybrid supercar.

According to Auto Express, DS is reportedly planning to create a supercar with a hybrid powertrain based on the E-Tense Concept prototype, a model that was presented last year at the Geneva Motor Show.

The PSA Group recently signed a joint venture with the Canadian companies Exagon Motors, Investissement Québec and Indus Tech, with the aim of developing high-performance components for electric vehicles. This collaboration, which has been funded with 16 million dollars from the Canadian government, could help the French group build DS’s supercar, as it would have the elements needed to develop its hybrid powertrain.

If the rumours are confirmed, the supercar would become a tough rival for the BMW i8. Everything points to the model inspired by the E-Tense having around 600 CV of power; the current i8 offers just 362 CV, although the next generation is expected to raise that figure considerably.

The possibility that this supercar will actually be produced is real. Good evidence of this is the statements of DS’s chief executive, Yves Bonnefont, in an interview with Auto Express: “It is a possibility, yes, but it is far too early to talk about anything,” he confirmed.