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Telegraph
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Telegraph
DS 7 E-Tense review: this plug-in hybrid aims to restore comfort and joy to driving
It seemed like a great idea at the time. To go with my classic Citroën DS, why not try living with a modern DS, to see what common threads between the two – if any, given the modern version's relationship with the original could be viewed as somewhat tenuous – I could find? The trouble is, Audrey, my DS (Okay, to purists, it's not a fully-fledged DS, but rather a D Spécial) had other ideas. When the plan was made, she was due to emerge from a lengthy (and costly) period of repair and renovation. She did – for about a month – but then she broke again. So back into the garage she's gone. Which is why the picture above, intended to show the two cars together… well, doesn't. So instead, it's a rather more lonesome welcome for the DS 7 (no longer called Crossback, by the way, since a recent facelift). Our test car is a top-flight Opera, in plug-in hybrid form, with a potent combination of a 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine and two electric motors, capable of producing a not-inconsiderable 292bhp. As you'd expect from a marque with ambitions of being a serious player in the premium market, the standard specification is lavish – although not quite as fulsome as you might expect. There is a panoramic roof, electrically adjustable and heated massage front seats and 'watch-strap' leather upholstery. However the lack of a wireless phone charger shows the DS 7's age; there's no adaptive cruise control, either. I wouldn't have gone for the blacked-out chrome and matt-grey paintwork myself. It's a little bit nouveau riche for my tastes, while it also looks rather mournful on a dull day. Lux interior Inside, however, it's plush. There's a lot of quilted, diamond-stitched leather, not only on the seats but on the dashboard and the door trims. The BRM timepiece, which revolves out of the dashboard when you press the ignition, is chintzy, but does feel special (although its noisy motor takes the shine off the effect). The usual complaints about DS's over-heavy use of cheap-feeling switchgear from fellow Stellantis brands Peugeot and Citroën remain, however; the indicator stalks clack and the start-stop button feels plasticky. Then there are the door handles, which are made from silver metal-effect plastic, which really shows because their bezels are real metal. Not what you'd expect in a car costing almost £60,000. A couple of other niggles are immediately obvious, too; firstly, in the boot, where there's nowhere to store the plug-in cables, so DS issues them in a bag which takes up space. You can use Velcro to secure this to the floor – unless, of course, you've installed a dog-friendly boot liner to protect the carpet, in which case the bag slides around, much to the dog's chagrin. After some experimentation, I've managed to get the Velcro to grip the boot's carpeted side panels, keeping the cables out of the pooch's way, but this feels a bit Heath-Robinson. Annoyingly, there is an elasticated strap to secure items – but it's not large enough to hold the bag. Then there's the infotainment screen. The software it uses is a re-skin of Peugeot's but it's a system of which we aren't big fans. The main problems are the complicated menu structure and the laggy response, mainly caused by the juddering animations the system has been forced to produce as you switch screens and select options. It lacks the slickness of the systems you'd find in a genuinely premium rival. Much to like If it sounds like I'm down on the DS already, that's not entirely true. There are lots of things I like. The design, for one thing. There are some lovely details, too – just look at the diamond-like rear lights, or the daytime running lights at the front, which splay out over the bumpers before reconvening at the corner of the headlight. I also like the way the back seat area has been designed. This might sound odd, but when you spend large parts of your life buckling children into safety seats, it means a lot when you find a car that makes this operation easy. The DS's doors open wide, their apertures are large and the sizeable footwells and flat floor mean you can step one leg into the car easily, allowing you to position yourself in front of the seat rather than having to stoop over from the side. That's about the only thing I've found so far that can link it to my old DS. That, and the fact the new DS has ingenious suspension aimed at maximising comfort. The old car's hydropneumatic suspension was known for making some passengers queasy, so I'll be putting this car's commitment to comfort to the test over the coming miles for an update on whether it's a worthy successor to the famed classic. The facts On test: Citroën DS 7 Opera 1.6 E-Tense 300 4x4 Body style: five-door SUV On sale: now How much? £57,020 on the road (as tested £59,845; range from £38,810) How fast? 140mph, 0-62mph in 5.9sec How economical? 223mpg (WLTP Combined) Engine & gearbox: 1,598cc four-cylinder petrol engine, eight-speed automatic gearbox, four-wheel drive Electric powertrain: 2x AC permanent magnet synchronous motor with 14.2kWh battery, 7.4kW on-board charger, Type 2 charging socket Electric-only range: 42 miles (WLTP Combined) Maximum power/torque: 292bhp/383lb ft CO2 emissions: 29g/km (WLTP Combined) Spare wheel as standard: no (not available)
Auto Express
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
New DS No4 hatch takes aims at the VW Golf with hybrid and EV power
DS Automobiles is hoping a new EV powertrain option and a new name will give its premium Volkswagen Golf-sized hatchback some added street cred when it arrives in the first quarter of 2026. Launched as the DS4, it's now called DS No4, in line with the all-new DS No8, and adds a full-EV powertrain for the first time, plus some new styling elements and upgraded tech. Advertisement - Article continues below The front-mounted e-motor generates 213bhp and draws energy from a 58.3kWh battery pack that's enough for a claimed 280 miles of range on the WLTP cycle. The No4 is capable of up to 120kW DC fast charging, topping up the batteries from 20 to 80 per cent in around 30 minutes. These are not groundbreaking figures, but compare favourably with similarly sized mixed-powertrain rivals such as the Peugeot E-308 that also need to support both ICE and EV layouts. The plug-in hybrid No4 has gained its own upgrades, with a more impressive 50-mile electric range thanks to a bigger 14.6kWh battery pack. This powers a 109bhp e-motor that's integrated into a new seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, and is paired with a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol engine that generates 176bhp on its own. DS rates the combined power figure at 222bhp. The entry-level hybrid option combines a 143bhp 1.2-litre three-cylinder engine with a small e-motor and six-speed dual-clutch transmission. DS claims this model can run on e-power for around 50 per cent of the time in urban environments. Alongside these technical upgrades is a subtle collection of styling and tech updates; up front, the lights, grille and bonnet have been redesigned for a new lighting signature that extends across the nose. The rear end has also been freshened up, with new rear lights connected with a dark chrome strip. Wheel sizes vary between 19 and 20 inches, the latter optional. Inside, DS's intricate design remains but incorporates a larger 10-inch driver's display screen in addition to the existing 10-inch touchscreen and an additional touchscreen mounted on the centre console. With three different powertrains, boot space varies between 430 litres for the hybrid, reducing to 390 litres for the EV and 360 litres for the PHEV. Click here for our list of the best family cars ... View DS 4 View DS 4 View DS 4
Yahoo
10-02-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Retromobile 2025 Photo Gallery
Retromobile is the greatest gathering of French cars, car art, racing memorabilia, car parts, and literature in the world. It's like Hershey, Monaco and the Pebble Beach concours but all in French. Held every year in Paris, the 49th Retromobile just wrapped up Sunday, with thousands of satisfied Francophiles coursing through the gates. Retromobile announced last year that it would come to the US in 2025, though exactly where and when is not out yet. The show opened with dancing. Organizers explained the Citroën DS exhibit: "This year, for our exhibition's 49th anniversary, we decided to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Citroën DS in an original if not slightly unusual way. Through its place in automotive history, this vehicle called for a stroke of folly. Under our partnership with DS Automobiles, we wanted to shine a light on a previously less-publicized episode in the career of the DS. "In 1959, Claude Puech, the French brand's adman, dreamt up a promotional campaign showcasing the benefits of the car's hydropneumatic suspension, replacing the wheels with four inflated balls. At Retromobile, we made our slightly eccentric dream come true by not only making it this year's key visual and giving it center stage, but also by recreating it. Starting from a car wreck, GARAC—the automotive professions academy—has conducted its mission with enthusiasm and determination. "Since September last year, 30 young students from the training college, supervised by the teaching staff, have taken turns during the week and even at weekends to give a new lease of life to the DS Balloons in time for the show. But that's not all, because since one stroke of folly often provokes another, we had to give this model a worthy backdrop of the cause. This is what brought us to strike a deal with Régis Mathieu, the founder of the chandelier company bearing his name. Deservedly renowned for his know-how, this 'magician of light' offers you a visiting experience the like of which has never been seen before at an exhibition." Jean-Claude Olivier (28 February 1945 – 12 January 2013), often referred to simply as "JCO," was a French motorcycle racer and president of Yamaha Motor France SA from 1992 to 2010. He helped launch the careers of many famous French riders including Stéphane Peterhansel. He was a veteran of nine editions of the Dakar Rally, placing second in the motorcycle category in 1985. Olivier was president of Yamaha Motor France SA until he retired in 2010. There was an exhibit honoring the life of Adolphe Kégresse, a French military engineer who invented the half-track and dual clutch transmission. Books, art, and parts spread out across the halls. A special exhibit honored French participation in F1. French driver Alain Prost drove for Ferrari. The evolution of F1 tires from Pirelli. Indian motorcycles had old and new bikes at Retromobile. This stand commemorates Hondas raced in National Motos. A recreation of the Ace Cafe in London, where great motorcycle culture flourished in the post-war period. GS DO BRAZIL says it is "passionate about the first-gen Volkswagen vans, and is responsible for finding and bringing your future collector's vehicle up to current French quality and safety standards. Our goal is to bring you a quality turnkey Combi T1, which, in addition to its unique charm, will provide you with the highest guarantee of safety and quality. We drive our VW T1 Combis with our families and want you to do the same with complete peace of mind!" "Essence" means gas. Show map. One of the body shops represnting at Retromobile, and a fan. Early affordable transportation. Mario Isola, director of F1 for Pirelli. More model cars! Bring me the helmet of Jean Alesi. ...or Alain Prost. French race car driver Gerrard Larousse was one of the interviewees. F1 presenter Julien Febreau was featured, too. Stylish show attendee. Name this taillight, win a prize. Olivier Panis won the 1996 Monaco Grand Prix in a Ligier. Old cars were available for rides outside the show. Old cars were available for rides outside the show. A Mercedes shop had an exhibit. Watches, too. Brabus also works on classic cars. Another view of the Citroen DS 70th anniversary. The Renault Filante Record 2025 is a battery-electric streamliner used to develop new technologies—and maybe set a land speed record for EVs. This wild machine uses an 87-kWh battery pack, which has the same capacity as the Scenic E-Tech SUV. The Filante Record 2025 streamliner takes inspiration from the 40 CV Des Records from 1925-26, Nervasport Des Records from 1934, and Etoile Filante from 1956. Also on the Renault stand was an R5 TL. Very cool Mercedes. ...from any angle. More rides outside the show. More rides outside the show. Toyota brought a RAV4 EV and an early Prius. Cadillac brought this historic entry. 1960 Ferrari Tour de France Fiskens Cars brought this 1976 McLaren M26/1 ex James Hunt/Jochen Mass. The first McLaren M26, raced in period by both Jochen Mass and Britain's beloved world champion James Hunt— retained by McLaren into the 1990s, and offered from nearly 25 years' of ownership and prolific success in historic racing—importantly the only M26 eligible for Grid E at Monaco. 1970 Ferrari 312 B, another fine Fisken Car. Peter Auto is a racing organization that hosts historic races for sports prototypes, touring cars, and grand touring cars. The races take place on circuits like Spa-Francorchamps, Dijon-Prenois, and Paul Ricard. Metalworking. Representin'! American cars at Retromobile. USA! USA! USA! The Armored Vehicle Museum display and Teuf-Teuf offered "Ever more breath-taking demonstrations." Everyday, visitors were able to see the AMX PAC 10 tank in action in front E of Pavilion 1. The Le Mans Classic race had a stand. Art works. Posters. More art. Car models. A Michael Schumacher driving suit. Miniature Mille Miglia. Fashions. Parts. Patches. Signs. The family that Retros together, Metros together. One of the many live interviews at Retromobile. Artcurial holds an auction every year at Retromobile. Among the Artcurial lots was this Shelby Cobra. Porsche 911s. More of the 70th anniversary of the Citroën DS. More of the 70th anniversary of the Citroën DS. Is that... The Stig? The Renault 4, or R4 in short (and 4L, pronounced "Quatrelle" in French) was an economy car built from 1961 to 1994. Suzuki Samurai for sale. 1993 Austin Mini has 133,000 kms on the clock. Artcurial did motorcycles, too. Artcurial Ferraris at auction. Paul Alexandre Belmondo (born 23 April 1963) raced in Formula One for the March and Pacific Racing teams. Around 1981, Belmondo gained fame for becoming the lover of Princess Stéphanie of Monaco. The French F1 exhibit featured a visit by driver Jacques Lafitte. ...and by Jean-Pierre Beltoise. Jackie Stewart got his first F1 title in a Matra.
