Citroen will launch DS 8 Flagship in 2018

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Citroen are planning a range-topping model for the new stand-alone brand DS, with a DS 8 planned to arrive in China and Europe in 2018.

Citroen set the DS brand free last year, but so far all that’s on offer are slightly titivated versions of Citroen’s mainstream models – like the new DS 5 sans Citroen badge revealed in February – which isn’t helping sales much.

In fact, sales of Citroen’s DS models are falling – despite their appeal – with sales down by 20 per cent in the first five months of 2015. But Citroen has a plan.

The plan is to extend the range from the current DS 3, DS 4 and DS 5 to six models – and no doubt variants on those new models – including a range-topping saloon and SUV. And the range-topping DS is now coming in to focus.

French car site Auto Moto is reporting that Citroen are planning a range-topping DS 8 model – which will arrive in 2018 as a global model – with styling cues from the original DS, the Numero 9 Concept (below) and the Divine DS Concept (above).

Under the skin, the DS 8 will be built on the same EMP2 platform as the 308 and C4 Picasso and will be aimed at cars like the Mercedes E Class, BMW 5 Series and Audi A6. Which is probably going to make the DS 8 a tough sell.

But Citroen are determined to push the DS brand as ‘Premium’, mainly because margins for premium cars are so much greater, and they seem convinced the premium DS brand is the way to go.

Let’s hope they’re right.

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