Vision Design

In 2024, the Brand will celebrate its 10th anniversary and open a second chapter.

By entering this new era, marked by major technological breakthroughs such as electrification, autonomous driving and A.I. (Artificial Intelligence), but also the massive arrival of new players on the market, we will have to be even more avant-garde. And we are already listening to the expectations of customers in the Premium universe, who are also looking for a breakthrough in interior and exterior design. The codes of premium are changing!"
Thierry METROZ • DS Automobiles Design Director

Interior design and on-board experience are becoming decisive factors in the purchase decision. The relationship with driving is evolving : people now let their cars drive them. Customers expect an architecture that offers more space on board, with a different driving posture and new interactions with infotainment systems.

This evolution is a great opportunity, in line with our brand positioning, the French Art of Travel. We design the interior of our models to offer exceptional space on board, first-class comfort, absolute silence and fewer screens for greater serenity. We want to incorporate light right from the design stage of our interiors, to create spectacular lighting atmospheres that interact with the material. These unique ambiances will become a signature of the brand, just like the exterior lighting signature.

Customers are expecting an even more assertive exterior design, which illustrates the change of era between the two worlds of internal combustion engines and electric powertrains, and that's very good news for us!
We have seized this opportunity to guide our exterior design.

Aerodynamic elements become markers of our formal language, as on the DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE concept. The thin, stretched light signatures, as on DS 4 and the DS LIGHT VEIL on DS 7, are part of the Brand's DNA. We want the light signatures to be even more spectacular on our future creations. These extended light signatures will visually replace the traditional chromes, to emphasise the styling lines and reinforce the identity of the front and rear ends.

Five pillars guide the design of all our creations, present and future. 

• ART : The artistic dimension, which feeds the imagination of our designers
• HIGH TECH : The use of technology to create magic
• SPIRIT OF AVANT-GARDE : Our relationship with Paris and the avant-garde of French design
• HIGH CRAFT : Our attachment to craftsmanship and the use of sustainable and noble materials
• SENSORIAL EXPERIENCE : The sensorial experience, translated into immersive light and sound environments

• High Tech is technological expertise, reflected in aerodynamic efficiency, the integration of driving aids, the development of human-machine interfaces, lighting technologies and new materials.

• High Craft is the expression of artisanal know-how. These skills bring emotion, sensuality and pleasure to our cars, in a world where A.I. is challenging our points of reference.

Excellence in craftsmanship, which is DS Automobiles' raison d'être, will therefore remain at the heart of our future creations.

With the CMF teams (Colours & Materials  & Trims), we are working to accelerate the concept of sustain-nobility. This word refers to 'sustainability' which, combined with the nobility of materials, takes on an artistic dimension. We are looking at alternatives to leather, using materials that are innovative but still exceptional, to meet our customers' expectations. These unexpected materials, such as cork, mother-of-pearl inlays and straw marquetry, are natural. They have a history, an experience and are new to car interiors. We are also working on 'oil-free' bio-sourced materials, such as compressed linen.

And finally, we're still very attached to the great partnerships we've created over the last few years, which have made a major contribution to nurturing the creativity of our teams. For example, with LESAGE and LEMARIE on our concept cars. The DS x METIERS d'ART calls for creativity help to identify emerging expertise and future trends, by promoting French talent. They are creativity accelerators.

In conclusion, in the face of predicted disruptions, the perfect balance between High Tech and High Craft will guide the design of our future creations. The integration of art and know-how and the emotion they generate will distinguish the design of DS models. They will contribute to a unique experience of the French Art of Travel!

Frédéric SOUBIROU • Exterior Design Manager DS Automobiles

“The silhouette of DS models combines dynamism and fluidity, with a marked slimness at the rear. This attitude, present on the DS 4 and the DS AERO SPORT LOUNGE (ASL) concept car, will continue on future models.

Aerodynamic efficiency will influence the design of future DS models. As illustrated on the ASL concept, Efficient design combines very clean, prominent and vertical lines at the front and rear, while the sides are fluid, muscular and almost organic.

These new aesthetic codes lighten the silhouette and reinforce its elegance.

The ultra-thin V-shape LED headlamps seen on DS E-TENSE PERFORMANCE will be the hallmark of future DS models. These new lights, with their unprecedented finesse and scale, emphasise the vertical and horizontal edges of the car's corners. At the rear, the tortoise-shell treatment of the lights will be reinterpreted. With electrification, the grille will become a new area of expression. It will come alive to highlight the logo and reinforce the light signature.

The two-tone treatment of the bodywork, present on DS 3 and DS 4, will be a design feature of future models. The effect will be accentuated by a continuation of the black cab colour on the bonnet and radiator grille. Introduced on the ASL concept, this process visually stretches the car."

Thomas BOUVERET • Interior Design Manager DS Automobiles

“In future DS models, the travel experience will be amplified with refined, customisable interiors. 

The architecture will free up space, allowing the interior design to become more fluid and purer. The subtle balance between the volumes of the cabin, the softer materials and the firm-touch decors will give passengers a feeling of well-being.

The storage spaces will be tailor made : we want to reinterpret the travel trunk, in the spirit of Vuitton, which adapted its trunks to the needs of its customers, turning them into extensions of their office or dressing room.

The sound will contribute to the enjoyment of the occupants. Its unrivalled acoustic quality will be accompanied by the sound system being grouped together in a single unit, to lighten the visual impact of the cabin and avoid overloading it with loudspeakers. Lighting will enliven the cabin and also contribute to its personalisation.

The human-machine interface will be immersive. The screens will disappear to reveal the materials, enhancing the cabin and freeing the occupants' minds.

We want to go even further in showcasing the artistic pieces, which are the result of the expertise of the craftsmen. Connoissers will be able to take greater ownership of the interior of their DS and elevate themselves through art.”

Vincent LOBRY • CMT Manager DS Automobiles

“In future interiors, we want to make greater use of the skills of the craftsmen by using sustainable and noble materials. We call them sustain-noble. 

Calling on the creative skills of craftsmen allows us to let ourselves be surprised, to open up the field of possibilities in our explorations to dress our future interiors.

The pleated fabric in wild silk satin in our latest M.i. 21 manifesto has a metallic appearance. Its brilliance illuminates the interior and visually reinforces its volumes and reliefs. It's a one-off piece, but we're thinking about using this shiny material in our production models. Our challenge is to adapt this hand-crafted, artisanal creation to the production of thousands of cars featuring refined parts, without losing the emotional essence.

Similarly, the decorations in the M.i. 21 manifesto are resin rods inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold leaf. These inclusions allow us to make real mother-of-pearl appear in a car, because we can't afford to make mother-of-pearl marquetry on an industrial scale, but we can use offcuts. 

This is the very essence of sustain-nobility: to magnify craftsmanship and make the most of natural materials.”