Motor Authority - blog Tag: Near-premium

Moving up in the automotive world is a difficult task, whether it's Acura trying to reach tier 1 luxury status or Hyundai-Kia seeking recognition as a globally competitive carmaker. Citroen has faced its own difficulties in recent years, producing products that outstrip the brand's reputation. The French carmaker recently unveiled a new concept car named after its legendary DS that previews a future range of upmarket vehicles that will help kick off the transformation into a “near-premium” brand.

The concept was the compact DS Inside, which was first displayed back in March at the Geneva Motor Show. The DS moniker this time... Moving up in the automotive world is a difficult task, whether it's Acura trying to reach tier 1 luxury status or Hyundai-Kia seeking recognition as a globally competitive carmaker. Citroen has faced its own difficulties in recent years, producing products that outstrip the brand's reputation. The French carmaker recently unveiled a new concept car named after its legendary DS that previews a future range of upmarket vehicles that will help kick off the transformation into a “near-premium” brand. The concept was the compact DS Inside, which was first displayed back in March at the Geneva Motor Show. The DS moniker this time around stands for "Different Spirit" and the concept provides the basis for a new line of cars to be named DS3, DS4 and DS5, hinting at bigger and better models to come. The first of these will be the DS3, which has already been spied testing in prototype form. Today, Citroen has given us the first look at the interior of the DS Inside concept car, revealing a stylish and upmarket new design trend that looks almost production ready. Aimed squarely at cars like the Mini Cooper, the DS Inside features full leather upholstery, sporty bucket seats, and an intricate center console with piano-black trim. The premium theme is further emphasized by the thick carpeting, vinyl roof lining, and special DS badging. Citroen's campaign is intended to help realign the public's perception of the brand to better fit with the near-premium product line it offers. The global effort comes as the French carmaker celebrates its 90th anniversary in the business, making 2009 a time for both tradition and innovation. The new logo that debuted at that time can be found on the new DS3. A re-ignition of the DS line is just one line of attack for this global re-branding scheme. The DS held the top slot at Citroen for 21 years, starting in 1955 and running through 1976. Despite the ensuing 33-year hiatus, the iconic outline of the DS is still the first thing that comes to mind for many car enthusiasts when the Citroen brand is mentioned. The new DS Inside bears little or no resemblance to that legendary silhouette, however. Other efforts, in terms of customer service, dealer relations, service and maintenance standards as well as the product initiative, will help Citroen present itself as a more up-scale carmaker.Citroen DS Inside Concept official photos Read More

At next month’s Geneva Motor Show Citroen will unveil a new concept designed to kick off the brand’s assault on the premium vehicle market. However, while most carmakers associate luxury with sedan bodystyles, Citroen will attempt to carve out its own niche as previewed by its upcoming DS Inside luxury hatch concept.

A new brand will be established for an entire lineup of ‘DS’ vehicles, starting with the entry-level DS3 and followed by an eventual DS4 and DS5 flagship. A prototype for the DS3 five-door was spotted recently while undergoing cold weather testing in Northern Europe, and now we have the first shots of... At next month’s Geneva Motor Show Citroen will unveil a new concept designed to kick off the brand’s assault on the premium vehicle market. However, while most carmakers associate luxury with sedan bodystyles, Citroen will attempt to carve out its own niche as previewed by its upcoming DS Inside luxury hatch concept. A new brand will be established for an entire lineup of ‘DS’ vehicles, starting with the entry-level DS3 and followed by an eventual DS4 and DS5 flagship. A prototype for the DS3 five-door was spotted recently while undergoing cold weather testing in Northern Europe, and now we have the first shots of the three-door variant. The latest prototype appears to be much closer to production than the previous test-vehicle, revealing that the final car will be very similar to the concept. Shared features include an almost identical alloy wheel design and LED accented tail-lights. The DS3 is likely to replace the current C2 hatch but will be positioned more upmarket to tackle premium compact vehicles such as the Mini Cooper and upcoming Audi A1. It is tipped to appear in showrooms by the second half of 2010, with a bigger DS4 to follow later that same year as a replacement for the C4. Power will come from a range of efficient petrol and diesel engines and eventually there could even be a diesel-electric hybrid option on offer.Citroen DS Inside Concept official photos2011 Citroen DS3 spy shots Read More