DS 8 rendered as stylish saloon of the French future

Should the premium saloon from DS look like this?

16 February 2019 at 11:15

PSA's DS brand aims to take the Peugeot-Citroën conglomerate into more premium territory, and the brand's next addition could be a classy saloon wearing the DS 8 moniker. This rendering imagines what the flashy four-door might look like to join the current lineup consisting of the DS 3 hatchback, DS 3 Crossback crossover, and larger DS 7 Crossback.

For this render, our artist uses the DS3 Crossback as the primary inspiration for this saloon's front end. A large hexagonal grille dominates the centre of the four-door's face. The headlights have an odd shape that has sharp edges towards the centre of the vehicle but is smoother at the corners. LED light strips cascade down to the front fascia. There's a heavily contoured bonnet with raised creases at the edges that flow into the A-pillars. While our render only shows the model from one angle, it imagines a smoothly arching roof that transitions to a similarly shaped rear deck.

The hybrid powertrain from the DS 7 Crossback E-Tense seems perfect for the DS 8. The crossover uses a 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder producing 197 bhp and two electric motors for a total system output of 296 bhp and 332 lb-ft. The electrified setup should provide a combination of smoothness and power that a luxury vehicle buyers might like.

DS aims to expand considerably in the coming years through a product plan that would add a new model every year through 2025. A range-topping saloon like the DS 8 is reportedly among them, although there are no details yet about when the four-door might arrive.