Citroen DS1 on way
Striking new DS1 will based on the C1, and take styling inspiration from the bigger DS3 to rival the Fiat 500
Citroen is setting its sights on the Fiat 500 with a new addition to the DS family. The DS1 will join the DS3, DS4 and DS5, and offer a genuine alternative to the fashionable Fiat city car.
Our exclusive illustrations show how the DS1 could look, and the similarities to other cars in the family are obvious. The double chevron grille features again, with LED daytime running lights either side. The three-door will also borrow the floating C-pillar design cue from the DS3, allowing the side windows to flow seamlessly into the rear windscreen.
Under the skin, the new model will use the platform of the next-generation C1, which will grow slightly to close the gap left by the C2, axed in 2009. The DS1 will be around 3.6 metres long and identical in size to the Renault Twingo, but Citroen is positioning it further upmarket.
It’s expected to be revealed at March’s Geneva Motor Show, with sales starting in 2013. Prices should kick off around £10,000 - that’s £1,300 more than the entry-level C1 – but there will be a big leap in equipment and attention to detail. As with the rest of the DS range, personalisation will be a big part of the appeal, with colour-coded options for the dash, door panels and upholstery.
Two new three-cylinder petrol engines will be offered. The 67bhp 1.0 and 81bhp 1.2-litre engines will feature stop-start and emit less than 100g/km of CO2, and they are due to debut on the new Peugeot 208 in the summer.
