The re-invention of the DS brand starts here. The French luxury car maker has, since it was spun-off from Citroen, sometimes struggled to find its niche in the highly competitive premium car market, but with this new DS No.8 electric car, can we humbly suggest that the one word that now sums up DS is… drama!
Rear pillars
This is a seriously dramatic-looking car, with the high-ish ride height of a crossover, tall body sides, but a low roofline that looks as if it has been sucked down from within, and dramatic (see?) rear pillars that almost put one in mind of a 1970s Jaguar XJS.
Combine all that with ultra-slim LED lights front and rear and an almost shovel-nosed front, and the DS No.8 is definitely a car that brings the visual drama. “DS No.8 combines the best of both worlds: charisma with a strong front and rear identity, an elegance visible in the purity of its fastback profile, emphasised by a flowing and continuous roof line to the tailgate. With DS No.8, the designers envisaged the evolution of SUV coupés, illustrated by an efficient, elegant shape with a spectacular and high-tech light signature” said Thierry Metroz, DS Automobiles Design Director.
Electric only
While the No.8 shares its STLA Medium platform with the likes of the Peugeot E-3008 and the Opel Grandland, unlike those cars, the DS won’t be offered with a petrol-hybrid engine — instead, you will be able to have it with a big 97kWh pack, offering that massive 750km range on one charge.
The shape of the No.8 has been heavily influenced by the 2020 Aero Sport Lounge concept, and it’s done a good job of bringing those dramatic (again) concept car lines to production. Those lines are hugely aerodynamic, with a drag coefficient of just 0.24, which is how the DS No.8 can go further on one charge than its Stellantis Group cousins.
We’ve seen the cabin of the No.8 already, but it bears repeating here that it’s a new take on luxury by DS, with a big four-spoke steering wheel that seems to reference the classic aeroplane propellors of the 1920s — a time when the French aviation industry led the world — and with clever neck-warming vents in the seats, because apparently that’s the most efficient way to heat you up on a chilly day without draining the battery too quickly.
Minimalist cabin
The cabin has quite a minimalist but gorgeous look — rather like a high-end Parisian hotel, and that big central screen stretches for a full 16 inches across its widest axis.
As well as the big 97kWh battery version, there will also be a more affordable 73kWh model with a still-impressive range of 572km. There will be a choice of 276hp single-motor models and a two-motor, four-wheel drive model with 370hp. That fastest model will hit 100km/h in just 5.6 seconds, but it does lose a bit of range — down to 687km with the big battery.
Undergoing a revolution
“At a time when our industry is undergoing a revolution, DS Automobiles is at the forefront by accelerating its electrification strategy. With DS N0.8, the brand is part of the energy transition by offering sustainable and uncompromising mobility in a setting driven by the ‘French Art of Travel.’ The men and women from DS Automobiles have chosen materials and technology that position DS No.8 in this dimension” said Olivier François, DS Automobiles’ CEO.