WELCOMING the 62nd (or so) automotive brand to set up shop down under is a relatively underplayed affair DS Automotive has just a single model, no dealerships (technically speaking) and a very long range plan it doesn’t make for a big occasion.

Of course, the cars have been here before and have been sold all around the world as Citroen DSs – now they will be sold as DS Automobiles, free of Citroen badging and, going forward, influence.

The brand’s aim is to bring back the idea of French prestige motoring that was, virtually defined by the revolutionary Citroen DSs of the 1950s and 1960s.

Driven by celebrities and movie stars, the DS – along with the 2CV – are still two of the world’s most iconic cars.

The premium brand game, of course, is one that’s fraught with peril. While Lexus has succeeded as the luxury arm of Toyota, others – like Nissan’s Infiniti and Mazda’s Eunos – have not had as much luck convincing punters that premium sub-brands are good value.

DS isn’t about adding a mark-up to tarted-up Citroens, though backed by one of the world’s biggest car companies in PSA Peugeot Citroen, and with a long-range plan to grow the brand, there appears to be an understanding within the company that success won’t come overnight.

The first DS model to lob into Australia is the made-over DS5, which will be sold in just one powertrain spec – itself somewhat of a surprise.



Click here for the full review...