It will wear the No8 badge on its rear, next to a ‘DS Automobiles’ emblem, in a new ‘separated branding’ arrangement that, the firm says, will ensure “a clear division between the brand and the model”.
Future models will follow the same strategy. The current DS 3 and DS 7 are unlikely to be rebadged, given that they are thought to be up for replacement within the next two years, but the 4 is likely to become the No4 as part of a mid-life facelift in 2025.
The No8’s name has been revealed alongside the first image of its radical new cabin, which will depart completely from the brand’s current interior designs.
A wide-format floating touchscreen stretches across the centre of the dashboard, hosting what looks to be a heavily updated infotainment operating system, while the digital driver display is framed in a distinctive hexagonal display behind an unusual new steering wheel design with X-shaped spokes.
A row of illuminated haptic buttons features under the touchscreen for various key controls, while the centre console has what appears to be a large charging pad for smartphones and is decorated by a dramatic LED lighting pattern that’s echoed by the design of the speaker grilles in the doors.
