Citroen’s first DS SUV promises ‘versatility and sophistication’

Following on from the Wild Rubis concept car shown last year, Citroen has revealed its first production DS SUV, the DS 6WR. The DS brand has been a big hit for Citroen in China (hence the car's unveiling at the Beijing Motor Show) and it will form a key part of incoming PSA Peugeot Citroen boss Carlos Tavares' plans to create a standalone premium brand based around DS. It's telling that there is not a single double-chevron Citroen badge to be seen anywhere on the car.

Promising “SUV versatility with DS sophistication and refinement”, the DS 6WR uses a choice of turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engines and manual or automatic gearboxes.

Perhaps as telling as the lack of Citroen badging is the equal lack of any word of a diesel engined version – for now the 6WR is unlikely to come to Europe. It sits on the same platform as the Peugeot 2008 (and uses that car's Grip Control traction control system to try to compensate for a lack of four-wheel drive) and Citroen bosses fear that a European launch may detract from the similarly sized, but far more affordable, C4 Cactus.

Citroen’s SUV cast list is indeed becoming dangerously overcrowded as it also launched C-XR concept in Beijing, which also shares mechanical bits with the 2008 and which also seems unlikely to come to Europe just yet.

Citroen also showed off its new four-door DS saloon in China, the DS 5LS and, you’ve guessed it, that’s another car which may never see the light of day on European shores.