FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW: PSA's DS brand to unveil three show cars

French brand DS Automobiles, originally a luxury subset of Citroen's product portfolio, has announced it will front up to Frankfurt with its new DS 4, DS 4 Crossback and DSV-01 Formula E racing car.

Additionally, the manufacturer has in store a 'noteworthy surprise', but there is no hint as to what the surprise may be, other than the fact it will be a concept car designed specifically for a Frankfurt debut.

The DS 4 Crossback is essentially a high-riding version of the DS 4 – raised 30mm – featuring black wheel arch trims and grey roof rails. Both cars will be powered by engines rated at up to 210hp (157kW), the manufacturer revealed in a press release issued overnight.

Inside, the DS 4 is a mix of conventional luxury fixtures (with Nappa leather upholstery as standard) and high-tech modernity. For tech-savvy audiophiles, Apple's CarPlay will be available and the infotainment system runs through a seven-inch colour touch screen interface to reduce the number of buttons on the dash by 12. 'Mirror Technology' reproduces the active display on a paired smartphone on the touch screen. Other comfort, convenience and safety features available include a reversing camera, keyless entry/start and blind spot monitoring.

A colour palette of nine colours will be complemented by four coordinating colours (for roof, rear spoiler, the door mirrors and wheel centre caps). Three of the colours are new: Tourmaline Orange, Artense Grey and Platinum Grey. According to the press release, the DS 4 can be specified in up to 38 different two-tone colour combinations.