Local News: Citroen introduces the DS4

The DS line itself was created to continue the legacy paved by Citroën classics such as the original DS, and the SM. The original DS, short form for Deesse which means Goddess - in French, was named the ‘Most Beautiful Car of all time’. It reflected French luxury of that epoch but made no apologies for being unique. It offered unprecedented style and comfort with intriguing innovative solutions.

Throughout the world, the DS has become iconic and was famous for being ahead of its time. Today the DS line reflects French luxury with a hypnotic modern twist as it did in the 1950’s.

Citroen DS4 exudes a certain seductive style and beauty and it further cements Citroën’s ‘Créative Technologie’ ethos. It subscribes perfectly to the DS philosophy, by demonstrating bold decisions in terms of style, feel, design and refinement. Citroën always pushes the creative envelope further when it comes to automotive avant-garde and it does so without the need to ever compromise on practicality.
As a testament to Citroën’s design flair, Citroen DS4 was voted « The Most Beautiful Car of the Year » in a competition which drew together the opinions of over 60,000 car enthusiasts from 62 countries world-wide. This award was presented against the backdrop of the 26th International Automobile Festival. In addition to such wide recognition from the general public, a jury of industry leaders in the fields of design, sport, culture and the media itself, awarded the Citroën the “Most Beautiful Interior” prize at the same festival. To top it off, Citroen DS4 also won the 2011 Auto Bild Design award.

The Citroen DS4 combines sophistication and refinement with a dynamic coupé-like body, creating exceptional versatility and day-to-day practicality within a compact design - 4.27m (L), 1.81m (W) & 1.53m (H). CITROËN DS4 delivers a new “at-the-wheel” experience with unrivalled driving sensations and outstanding agile on-road handling. With its slightly raised stance and taut lines, DS4 is a unique and eye-catching addition to the segment.

Finely crafted to convey a prestigious presence both inside and out, CITROËN DS4 offers meticulous detailing from carefully applied chrome touches to premium cabin materials – such as the finest quality Habana leather seats. A large panoramic windscreen, offering enhanced occupant visibility, illuminates the driver-focused cockpit, creating a bright and welcoming environment.

Combining coupé style with 4 door practicality, the Citroen DS4 offers three full-sized rear seats, accessed by rear doors with hidden handles that are seamlessly integrated into the body’s flowing lines. CITROËN DS4 also benefits from a capacious 370-litre boot and a host of clever storage solutions. CITROËN DS4 comes with a choice of two variants, both powered by a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine mated to either 6-speed EGS or 6-speed manual transmission.

An example of truly creative design, Citroen DS4 boldly blends a mix of the most desirable styling references to create an exciting new automotive proposition. Marc Pinson, DS4’s chief stylist, comments, “Reinterpreting cues opened up new possibilities, bringing practical and surprising solutions to automotive mobility”. Compact and muscular, the DS signature on the bonnet is complemented by a striking LED light signature around the front fog lights. The LEDs are illuminated both day and night. The eye-catching profile, featuring a chrome finished waistline surrounding dark tinted windows, is enhanced by muscular wheel arches - that emphasise the large wheels (up to 19”) - and is crowned by a tautly drawn roofline with a spoiler for added vitality. The lower part of the rear bumper is finished in chrome and the horizontal detailing on the rear light clusters highlights their innovative boomerang design.

As with its prestigious exterior, Citroen DS4’s cabin exudes power, dynamism and refinement. The driving position is ideally designed, with chrome-surround dials focused directly towards the driver’s eye-line. The distinctive, sculptured dashboard also uses high quality materials for a superior tactile feel.

Citroen DS4’s cabin is dominated by the large panoramic windscreen that extends backwards into the roofline. Offering up to 45° of upward vision, the panoramic glazed area combines with DS4’s slightly raised stance to provide optimised visibility for the driver, with a bright yet intimate, airy cabin environment for passengers.

For an added touch of luxury, CITROËN DS4 is equipped with high quality leather with a ‘Bracelet’ design on the seats, evoking the links of a watch strap. There is chrome detailing on the air vent surrounds, instrument cluster, gear lever and parts of the central console. Aluminium pedals, embossed leather door handles and ambient lighting are further evidence of the Citroen DS4’s attention to premium detail.

With its high-set, taut and agile stance, Citroen DS4 is tuned for dynamic performance, appealing to drivers looking for an involving motoring experience. On the road, Citroen DS4 exercises exemplary control, giving occupants a reassuring sense of safety in all circumstances. Fitted with a MacPherson type suspension assembly at the front, a flexible transverse beam at the rear and hydraulic steering with an electric pump unit, the platform is a tried and tested solution tailored for the distinctive set-up of the car.
CITROËN DS4 is fitted with with dedicated braking control systems, including ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA). Ensuring optimal vehicle control in the most demanding driving situations, Citroen DS4 also features intelligent traction control with ESP.

Citroen DS4 will be both fitted with two turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol powerplants, THP 155 and THP 200 which are co-developed with BMW. The THP 200 engine – delivers flexible power delivery and performance thanks to its power output (147kW), plentiful torque (275Nm at 1,700rpm) – with low CO2 emissions of just 149 g/km. Special attention has been given to the car’s internal acoustics, retaining the refined atmosphere on-board by minimising engine vibration, wind and road noise. This has been achieved by specifying a laminated panoramic windscreen with damping film, fitting additional sound absorbent material around the engine compartment and enhanced sealing barriers on the body and doors.

The base model with EGS sequential manual box retails for a reasonable $136,888 while the 200bhp manual comes in at just $6k more over the EGS.

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