The DS 5 is a subcompact executive hatchback designed and developed by Citroën and launched in Europe in November 2011 as the third model of the premium DS sub-brand. Released as the Citroën DS5, it was relaunched as the DS 5 in 2015 when Citroën moved its DS models to the DS brand.
DS 5 at a glance
| Maker | Citroën, then DS Automobiles |
|---|---|
| Launched | November 2011 in Europe |
| Revealed | Shanghai Auto Show, April 2011 |
| Length | 4,530 mm |
| Width | 1,871 mm |
| Platform | PF2, as used by the Peugeot 3008 |
| Body | hatchback and estate styling, a shooting brake |
| Engines | turbocharged petrol, two diesels, and the Hybrid4 |
| Hybrid4 | 163 hp 2.0 HDi plus a 37 hp electric motor on the rear axle |
| CO2 | 99 or 107 g/km depending on trim |
| Built at | Sochaux, Peugeot’s main European plant |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the DS 5
2011: a shooting brake from Sochaux
The DS5 was revealed at the Shanghai Auto Show in April 2011 and went on sale in Europe that November. It mixes hatchback and estate styling in the manner of a shooting brake, 4,530 mm long and 1,871 mm wide, dimensions close to those of the Lancia Delta — hardly a coincidence, since it is based on the PF2 platform also used by the Peugeot 3008 rather than on the C5 its name might suggest. It fills the place left by the first-generation C5 hatchback, since the current C5 no longer had a hatchback version. In 2011 the DS5 became the first Citroën-branded car to be assembled at Peugeot’s main European plant at Sochaux.
Aviation in the cabin
Like the original concept car, the interior is heavily inspired by aviation, with two centre consoles, one on the roof directly above the other, and a head-up display in front of the driver so that the cabin resembles a jet cockpit. To emphasise the link with aviation and with the original Citroën DS, Citroën partnered with the C-Forum fan club to recreate an old photoshoot of the car with a Concorde.
The hybrid
Buyers could choose a turbocharged petrol engine, two diesels or PSA’s diesel-electric Hybrid4, which combines a 163 hp 2.0 HDi diesel with a 37 hp electric motor on the rear axle and sends power to all four wheels as needed. Depending on trim it emits 99 or 107 g/km of CO2 and can drive on electricity alone when the battery is sufficiently charged. The DS5 was the first Citroën with a hybrid drivetrain and the first production car with a diesel-electric hybrid drivetrain. A hybrid convertible DS5 was chosen by François Hollande for his investiture parade as President of France in May 2012. The Hybrid4 won Best Eco Car at the Scottish Car of the Year 2012, and the DS5 was Top Gear’s Family Car of the Year 2011. In 2015 the car was relaunched as the DS 5 without Citroën badging.
The concept behind it
The DS5 was prefigured by the Citroën C-Sportlounge, a concept car shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September 2005, designed by Frédéric Soubirou under design chief Jean-Pierre Ploué. The concept had rear-hinged doors, while the production car has normal-opening ones, a 1,997 cc engine, a six-speed automatic, twenty-inch alloy wheels with 255/40 tyres and a drag coefficient of 0.26, with an interior inspired by aeroplane cockpits.
Design and features
- Hybrid4: a diesel front axle and an electric rear axle, making it four-wheel drive when needed.
- First diesel-electric hybrid: the first production car with such a drivetrain.
- Aviation cabin: two stacked centre consoles and a head-up display.
- PF2 platform: shared with the Peugeot 3008 rather than the C5.
- Sochaux build: the first Citroën assembled at Peugeot’s main plant.
DS 5 versions
- DS5 petrol: turbocharged petrol engine.
- DS5 diesel: two diesel options.
- DS5 Hybrid4: 163 hp diesel plus a 37 hp rear electric motor.
- DS 5 (2015): the relaunched car without Citroën badges.
The DS 5 followed the DS 3 and DS 4, and its hybrid technology later appeared in cars such as the C5 X. More cars are in the Citroën collection.
Video: Einzeltest Citroen DS5
Video by auto motor und sport on YouTube.
Sources
- DS 5, English Wikipedia: launch, platform, cabin, Hybrid4, awards, C-Sportlounge
