The lid has been lifted on MINI’s hottest rival yet! Citroen unveiled its all-new DS at the Geneva Motor Show in March – but until now has managed to keep the interior under wraps.
These first official pictures reveal just how radical the new style-conscious line-up will look beneath the bodywork. And it’s the striking roof that will catch MINI fans’ eyes first. Made from treated leather, and embossed with the firm’s new DS logo, it shows just how much buyers will be able to customise their cars when the order books open next year.
In fact, the company claims there will be a whopping one million possible combinations on offer when the car launches, with the coloured roof decals topping the options list.
Inside, a sculpted, slimline dash creates extra legroom and gets the top’s cream leather finish. It’s complemented by soft-touch plastics and high-gloss trim, while well bolstered hide seats get an upmarket wrist-watch pattern. A heavy cowling over the instrument dials, plus a flat-bottomed steering wheel, plush carpet and plenty of DS badging – a clever rearrangement of the Citroen chevrons – add to the luxury, sports-car feel.
Much like the MINI, a small rear screen limits the amount of light in the cabin. But the DS3 shown here – a three-door hatch that will kick-start the new line-up – boasts a much bigger boot than its key rival, and more rear legroom, too. That is because it’s effectively the same length as MINI’s estate variant, the Clubman.
DS design chief Mark Lloyd admitted he’d put the MINI and the DS3 “back-to-back” when comparing key selling points. But he added: “The two have quite a different style. The MINI relies very much on heritage; the DS3 is 100 per cent modern.”
Citroen claims the newcomer will compete on ride and comfort and is set to undercut the MINI’s entry-level price tag, too. That means buyers can expect to pay around £12,000 when it goes on sale next March, powered by punchy diesel and petrol units. The production-ready DS3 will get its first public airing at September’s Frankfurt Motor Show, alongside the all-new C3. For more details click here.
Thanks to: Auto Express
