DS was born in 2009 as a sub-brand of premium cut within Citroën. Created as a tribute to the legendary Citroën DS Tiburon of the 1950s, the firm began its journey with the Citroën DS 3, a highly successful utility vehicle that was considered by many to be the “French MINI.” A few years later, in 2014, the PSA leaders decided that DS would emancipate itself from Citroën, making it an independent brand.
Production of the model renamed the DS 3, ended in 2019 after a very long commercial career of ten years. Its indirect replacement was the current DS 3 Crossback, a B-SUV based on PSA’s new CMP modular platform. This model has become the first DS with a 100% electric version, the DS 3 Crossback E-TENSE.
However, the French firm does not lose sight that segment B is a category of great importance and is studying the possibility of returning to it with a new premium utility, a direct heir to the discontinued DS 3. At the moment, it is not clear if it will keep that denomination or if it will bet on another, although it is most likely that it will be baptized as DS 2 to mark distances with the DS 3 Crossback.
This model will be a “clone” of the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, which also use the CMP platform. It will have a differentiated exterior design and a more luxurious cabin, possibly very similar to that of the DS 3 Crossback. It will be offered with gasoline and diesel engines, but you will also enjoy a 100% electric E-TENSE variant.
The latter will become a direct rival to the Honda e and MINI Cooper SE, although it should have a greater range in exchange for more discreet performance: its 50 kWh battery will provide about 211 miles of range (also, you can charge at 100 kW of power in direct current), while its electric motor will yield 136 HP and 260 Nm.
Although reports are favorable, the project is still in the study phase and has not yet received the green light. In case it finally goes ahead, it will be launched between mid-2022 and early 2023 since its development would be very fast (the same happened with the Opel Corsa, which is still a reworked version of the Peugeot 208).