DS 3: the first model of Citroën’s premium sub-brand

The DS 3, formerly the Citroën DS3 and later the DS 3 Crossback, is a luxury supermini initially produced by Citroën and officially launched in January 2010. Positioned below the DS 4, it was the first and entry-level model of the DS premium sub-brand, spun off in 2016 as DS Automobiles.

DS 3 at a glance

Based on one source (English Wikipedia).

History of the DS 3

From C3 Coupé to DS Inside

The car was originally intended as a three-door, second-generation Citroën C3, and projects from 2007 show it sharing its front with the production C3 with no mention of a DS sub-brand; at that stage it was called Citroën C3 Coupé. The design appeared first as a concept called Citroën DS Inside, unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show on 5 February 2009, which introduced both the 2009 Citroën logo redesign and the DS sub-brand. The production car, named Citroën DS3, was introduced in August 2009, two months after the C3 II, with no emphasis on how much the two had in common. One of its strongest selling points was personalisation: buyers could mix body and roof colours, decals and trim, and the range eventually offered ten body colours. The DS3 also became the first car to have product placement in a British music video, in the Pixie Lott song “What Do You Take Me For”.

The DS3 Racing and the cabrio

A 207 hp version, the DS3 Racing, was introduced at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show as the road version of the rally DS3 R3, with 0–62 mph in 6.5 seconds and 146 mph. It was offered in only two schemes, white with grey accents or black with orange accents — including the roof, wheels and interior — and was distinguished by real carbon fibre on the front splitter, grille, wheel arches, rear diffuser and interior. In October 2011 Citroën announced 2,400 cars, well above the 1,000 first planned. The DS3 WRC was used by the Citroën World Rally Team from 2011 to 2016. The DS3 Cabrio was unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September 2012 and sold from 2013: a fixed-profile convertible that kept its side bodywork and used a roll-back fabric sunroof, like the Fiat 500 and the Citroën 2CV before it. A Matière Grise edition of 750 cars came in flat grey paint with chrome details.

Facelifts and the second generation

The range was updated for the summer of 2011 with a new colour, Brun Hickory, and a new roof decal, received a mild facelift in 2014 with revised engines and Xenon-LED headlights on the top models, and was facelifted again in 2016 while dropping any reference to Citroën. From 2018 the name went to a five-door crossover, the DS 3 Crossback, built until 2022. The DS3 was named Top Gear’s 2010 Car of the Year, was awarded first supermini four times in a row by the JD Power Satisfaction Survey UK and was the most efficient supermini in a What Car? test at 63.0 mpg in the 1.6 e-HDi 115 Airdream version, and in 2013 it was again the best-selling premium subcompact car with 40% of that market in Europe.

Design and features

• Personalisation: ten body colours and a free choice of roof colour and decals.
• DS3 Racing: 207 hp, carbon fibre panels and 2,400 cars planned.
• Fixed-profile cabrio: side bodywork kept, with a fabric roof that rolls back.
• Rally pedigree: the DS3 WRC competed from 2011 to 2016.
• Awards: Top Gear Car of the Year 2010 and four JD Power wins.

DS 3 versions

• DS3 hatchback (2010): the three-door supermini.
• DS3 Racing (2010): 207 hp with carbon fibre trim.
• DS3 Cabrio (2013): the fixed-profile convertible.
• Matière Grise: a 750-car edition in flat grey.
• DS 3 Crossback (2018–2022): the second generation, a five-door crossover.

The DS 3 was the entry model below the DS 4 and DS 5, and it replaced the C2 in the range. More cars are in the Citroën collection.

Video: im test: Citroën DS3 | motor mobil | DW Deutsch

Video by DW Deutsch on YouTube.

Sources

• DS 3, English Wikipedia: launch, concept, personalisation, Racing, cabrio, facelifts, awards