Photo: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
At the present moment, DS Automobiles has three nameplates to offer in the guise of two crossovers and an executive sedan that’s assembled in China. Next year, a fourth member will join the lineup with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that drives only the front wheels.
DS 4 is how the newcomer is called, and the vehicle architecture on which it’s based is the EMP2 that Groupe PSA rolled out seven years ago. Spied cold-weather testing in Scandinavia alongside the all-new Peugeot 308, the five-door hatchback in the photo gallery doesn’t feature the Crossback suffix like the DS 7 and DS 3 crossovers do.
The similarities between this pre-production prototype and the Peugeot 308 are hard to ignore, but then again, both models feature the same platform. According to DS Automobiles, the sleek-looking hatchback can go up to 30 miles (50 kilometers) in EV Mode.
Under the hood, the E-Tense plug-in hybrid system combines a 180 PS (177 hp) turbo four-cylinder engine with a 110 PS (108 hp) electric motor for a total of 225 PS or 222 brake horsepower. Coincidence or not, this drivetrain is shared with the Peugeot 508 HYbrid sedan and wagon.
DS Automobiles further mentions “a variety of powertrains,” which means that mild-hybrid options may be in the pipeline as well. An all-wheel-drive PHEV like the 508 HYbrid4 may also make the cut if the beancounters can make a case for such a complex and costly system.
Even though it’s impossible to tell from the spy shots, the DS 4 is rocking an “extended head-up display.” By means of an optical illusion, the EHUD projects driving data four meters beyond the windshield for ease of view. That’s not the only technological highlight, though.
The French manufacturer has also confirmed an innovative ventilation system, class-leading responsiveness thanks to the DS Active Scan Suspension, and infrared camera-based night vision. The smartphone-inspired infotainment system, which is called DS Iris, is complemented by gesture control.
Last, but certainly not least, DS Drive Assist 2.0 is how the French automaker refers to Level 2 semi-autonomous driving. Emphasis on “semi” because this is the highest standard allowed in Europe nowadays.
Honda, by comparison, prepares to roll out the first series-production vehicle with Level 3 autonomy next year in Japan in the guise of the Legend.
The similarities between this pre-production prototype and the Peugeot 308 are hard to ignore, but then again, both models feature the same platform. According to DS Automobiles, the sleek-looking hatchback can go up to 30 miles (50 kilometers) in EV Mode.
Under the hood, the E-Tense plug-in hybrid system combines a 180 PS (177 hp) turbo four-cylinder engine with a 110 PS (108 hp) electric motor for a total of 225 PS or 222 brake horsepower. Coincidence or not, this drivetrain is shared with the Peugeot 508 HYbrid sedan and wagon.
DS Automobiles further mentions “a variety of powertrains,” which means that mild-hybrid options may be in the pipeline as well. An all-wheel-drive PHEV like the 508 HYbrid4 may also make the cut if the beancounters can make a case for such a complex and costly system.
Even though it’s impossible to tell from the spy shots, the DS 4 is rocking an “extended head-up display.” By means of an optical illusion, the EHUD projects driving data four meters beyond the windshield for ease of view. That’s not the only technological highlight, though.
The French manufacturer has also confirmed an innovative ventilation system, class-leading responsiveness thanks to the DS Active Scan Suspension, and infrared camera-based night vision. The smartphone-inspired infotainment system, which is called DS Iris, is complemented by gesture control.
Last, but certainly not least, DS Drive Assist 2.0 is how the French automaker refers to Level 2 semi-autonomous driving. Emphasis on “semi” because this is the highest standard allowed in Europe nowadays.
Honda, by comparison, prepares to roll out the first series-production vehicle with Level 3 autonomy next year in Japan in the guise of the Legend.
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