Citroën DS5

The Citroën DS5 was revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show on April 18, 2011. It will be the third model in the new premium (Luxury vehicle) sub-brand DS created by Citroën to run alongside its mainstream cars.
The DS5 mixes coupe, wagon and sedan styling cues to arrive at an end result whose silhouette hints at a shooting brake. The overall styling is heavily influenced by the C-Sportlounge concept car shown at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. It is 177 inches long and 72 inches wide, dimensions that are similar to those of the Peugeot 3008. This is hardly a coincidence: the DS5 is based on the 3008, not on the C5 as its name would imply.

Buyers will be able to choose between several petrol and diesel engines but the drivetrain that Citroën is focusing on is PSA’s Hybrid4. It marries a 163 hp 2.0 HDi diesel engine with a 37 hp electric motor mounted on the rear axle and sends the power to all four wheels as it is needed. The electric motor can power the car by itself if the battery is sufficiently charged. The drivetrain will make its debut later this year on the Peugeot 3008 and will be the world’s first production diesel-electric hybrid. It is also worth noting that the DS5 will be the first Citroën with a hybrid drivetrain, a technology that is not as widespread in Europe as it is in the United States.
The DS5 will go on sale across Europe in late 2011. No price has been announced yet but it is estimated to start at about €25,000 and top out at €40,000 for a fully loaded Hybrid4 model.