Exactly one month out from its 2010 Paris Motor Show world premiere, Citroen has released the first images and details of the all-new DS4 premium hatch.
The second vehicle revealed under the French marque’s new DS styling line – following the DS3, which will be launched in Australia in just a matter of days – is also bound for Australian shores and is expected to go on sale in the third quarter of 2011.
At 4.27m long, 1.81m wide and 1.53m tall, the DS4 is 10mm longer, 30mm wider and 70mm taller than the current C4 hatch and is uniquely styled with coupe looks, four doors, five seats and a 370 litre boot.
Citroen will offer the DS4 with five different Euro V-compliant four-cylinder engines from launch – two HDi diesel powerplants and three petrol units.
The diesels include the 81kW/270Nm 1.6-litre HDi 110 from the C3 and the 120kW/340Nm 2.0-litre 160 HDi from the C4.
The HDi 110 will be available in Europe with Citroen’s micro-hybrid e-HDi technology which incorporates stop/start, brake energy regeneration and gear change optimisation for fuel consumption and CO2 emissions reductions of up to 15 percent.
The three 1.6-litre petrol engines – developed in collaboration with BMW – include an 88kW/160Nm VTi 120, a 115kW/240Nm THP 155 and a new 147kW/275Nm THP 200 which emits 149g/km CO2.
All engines will be available with either a six-speed manual transmission or the self-shifting EGS (Citroen’s robotised electronic gearbox system).
The unique styling exudes class and quality with its large panoramic windscreen, rear doors with hidden handles, up to 19in alloy wheels and premium leather seats.
Inside, Citroen has focused on both practicality and personalisation.
Numerous storage compartments – including glove box, under-seat draw, door pockets with room for 1.5-litre water bottles, and a central compartment with an audio-jack, USB port and 12-volt socket – can handle most challenges, while on-board ambience can be tuned with the choice of four mood settings – classic, crystal symphony, jungle fantasy and urban rythmik – for the vehicle’s audible alerts and reminders.
The instrument panel is also available in a range of colours to suit the driver’s preference.
On top of the standard ABS and ESP, safety features in the DS4 include eTouch Assistance System, which automatically makes emergency calls if the car has been immobilised or in an accident; front fog lamps with static cornering lights, increasing visibility by up to 75 degrees to the left and right; blind-spot monitoring with wing mirror display; and cruise control with speed limiting.
Pricing and precise local powertrains and specifications will be confirmed closer to the launch of the 2011 Citroen DS4 in around 12 months time.
