Kirby Garlitos wrote:It takes a special kind of gravitas to name a car ‘Divine’. That brings out a number of expectations that might not be met. But Citroen doesn’t seem to be unfazed about the kind of expectations its new Divine DS concept is going to have. On the contrary, the French automaker is actually putting a lot on the concept’s plate, essentially developing it as a preview of its future plans for the DS line.
The launch of the DS3 in 2010 proved to be a success for Citroen and gave the company a model that could compete with its rivals in Europe, so much so that it’s been touted as its own brand that has the potential to become more popular in the coming years.
If this is the road the Citroen DS is going to, then save some room for us in the bandwagon.
I, for one, am impressed at the design of the Divine DS. It’s got a sporty and aggressive character that can be used to build on the Citroen’s plans for the DS to be a stand-alone brand. The concept itself doesn’t wear any Citroen badges. It doesn’t even have the company’s logo. Instead, we see a prominent ‘DS’ emblem on the front grille, which is as good an indication as any on what the Divine DS really aims to accomplish.
There are currently no plans to build a production version of the Divine DS anytime soon. I’m not even going to get my hopes up that Citroen will actually build one.
Instead, I expect the company’s future DS line to carry the DNA of the Divine DS. If that does happen, then sign me up as a fan.
Exterior:
The Divine DS is too pretty to be a production model, which is my way of saying that it looks and feels the part of a concept car. The overall design is highlighted by a Metallic Grey body work and speaks to a new level of style and aggression I haven’t seen from any of the company’s DS models. The front section, in particular, is dominated by a large radiator grille that sparkles in different shades of chrome. It’s also contained in a pretty peculiar design that extends on all corners of the front, cradling the new lights setup that features two high-powered laser diodes and a Swarovoski crystal fabric at the base of each unit. I’m not sure those Swarovskis will make their way in any future production model, but it’s still pretty ridiculous seeing something like it on a concept.
From the side, it’s easy to notice the dramatic body lines that sweep along the length of the car, creating a muscular appearance that adds to its bold design. The chrome strip is a particularly creative design, stretching from just below the side mirrors all the way to the rear, encasing the taillights in the process. Believe it or not but somewhere under these strips are the door handles. Another particularly appealing design is the chrome design on the lower side panels. I’m not exactly sure what the aesthetic purpose is, but it’s unique enough to catch my attention.
The roof of the Divine DS is another style "highlight" of the concept, if you can even call it that. The company says that it was designed to resemble reptilian scales, only if the scales featured alternating style effects like matt and satin finishes combined with transparent and opaque panels. This scale pattern extends over the rear window, although it’s pretty weird to look at and is another part of the concept’s design that likely won’t make it into production.
Finally, the rear section of the Divine DS is the least “concept-ish” part of the car’s design. Those LED taillights aren’t particularly exciting. Same with the small camera installed on the sweeping rear window. If anything, the chrome diffuser’s the most impressive part of the rear section.
Interior:
The interior of the Divine DS doesn’t lack in its own unique design. Step inside and you’ll be immersed in a highly individualized and customizable cabin that’s pretty jarring to the senses. There’s a rectangular steering wheel that sits comfortably in front of a digital instrument cluster that looks straight out of the Minority Report. It also has one of the most unique dashboards of any concept I’ve seen in recent years. Even the individualised sports seats look incredibly unique, especially with its full-grain aniline leather upholstery that was designed by the Seton tannery.
All of those things will already play tricks on your eyes, but they’re nothing compared to the centre console. Citroen says that it resembles the car’s backbone and it’s hard to argue against what the company is saying. The intricacy of the console’s design is magnified when you consider that it contains a number of driving functions, including special toggle switches that have been decorated with gemstones. There’s also a digital clock with a black granite stone set with matching speckles sitting comfortably in the middle of the console.
All of that and I haven’t even talked about Citroen’s new “Hyper-typage” design philosophy. According to the company, this new philosophy is set to bring a whole new level of personalization to the Divine DS’ cabin. Basically, prospective customers are given the freedom to chose the interior trim of the vehicle ranging from three ‘dress codes’ that create three radically different personalities.
There’s ‘Mâle’, which as the name suggests, evokes a more masculine appearance that uses generous amounts of burnished leather and carbon fiber.
Then there’s ‘Parisienne Chic’, which is admittedly a little bit more pleasant to the eyes. It’s characterised by a full grain ivory-coloured leather with pleated silk and satin, which, in turn, comes with embroidered with beads and crystals sewn by Lesage.
Finally, there’s ‘Fatale Punk’. Again, the name gives it away. This interior “personality” evokes a bold, dark, and glamorous design, highlighted by a deep black, padded leather trim studded with crystals.
Drivetrain:
For a car of its size - it’s roughly the same size as the Volkswagen Golf - the Divine DS does come with a spitfire 1.6-liter turbo four engine that produces 270 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 243 pound-feet of torque at 1,900-5,500 rpm. Citroen hasn’t announced the concept’s performance numbers, but with an output like that, you can expect it to at least cover 0 to 60 mph in a little over five seconds to go with a top speed of 155 mph.
That’s an impressive haul for a turbo-four and if the future DS line carries this powertrain, it’s going to go a long way in establishing the brand’s performance-tuned identity.
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Everything is right, except the interior.
