2009 Citroen DS Inside

A New Era - Citroen Reinvents Itself And Presents The DS Inside Concept Car

PARIS, France: Today, at 90 years of age, and on the birthday of its founder, Andre Citroën, French car manufacturer CITROËN is turning a new page in its history, and begins a global brand project that encompasses a new visual identity, a new relationship with its customers and an exciting new line of automotive products.

In a difficult economic climate, and in a period of changing relationships between customers and brands, CITROËN is taking action and reinventing itself. The Marque aims to pursue the excitement generated by the success of its products launched over the past ten years, by enhancing the CITROËN brand to strengthen and support the range.

New Identity

Developed jointly by CITROËN’s Marketing and Styling teams, headed by Jean-Pierre Ploué, and the Landor agency, an international branding and design network, the logo is the first visible sign of change. The chevrons have broken free from their frame and become three-dimensional, gaining in strength and body. Bridging CITROËN’s past and future; the colour red is used for the new brand name typography. The red assumes a new, deeper tone.

Brand identity: Créative Technologie

CITROËN strongly recognise the alliance between creativity and technology; being the first to propose Stop & Start technology, on the CITROËN C2 and C3. It also leads the European market with its automated manual gearboxes and has pioneered particulate filters. The Marque illustrated its ecological and economical commitment in 2008 by confirming its European leadership on vehicles emitting 110 g/km of CO2 or less, thanks to the CITROËN C1.

Rather than aiming for pure technological exploits, CITROËN innovates for the benefit of its customers. It invented Hydractive suspension, the wide-angle panoramic windscreen, and new driving aids such as the lane departure warning system. It has also developed new designs with maximum use of space, as seen on its latest new model, the CITROËN C3 Picasso.

CITROËN has the boldness to completely rethink the automobile. The CITROËN C4 Picasso has transformed the segment, becoming the leading model in its class in 2008 and going on sale in the first-quarter of 2009, the CITROËN C3 Picasso has the same ambitions. With the new CITROËN Berlingo Multispace, launched in May 2008, and CITROËN Nemo Multispace, coming in early 2009, CITROËN will have a range of five, renewed MPV vehicles, making it the standard-setter in this segment.

For the future, the CITROËN Hypnos concept car heralds diesel hybrid technology and the CITROËN C-Cactus is a new vision of the automobile.

Non-conformist advertising spirit

CITROËN’s new advertising strap line is Créative Technologie. Written in French, identical worldwide and rich in meaning, these words form the basis of the new advertising strategy. Every advert demonstrates the promise of the brand and the benefits for the customer, whilst remaining playful and optimistic. For the first time since 1983, the Marque is launching a new advertising campaign co-developed with Agence H, a subsidiary of the Havas group.

Graphic principles for visibility and consistency

Today CITROËN is introducing new graphic designs, a single typography and a unique tone of voice to boost the visibility and consistency of the brand. The new brand will universally reflect the Marque's new status. The key colours are white, denoting openness and elegance, and red, to express vitality, together with black, grey and chrome, for status and power.

Development strategy

Renewing models and making them significantly better than their predecessors is already an ambitious programme. But some customers want deeper-seated changes as mentalities shift from “wanting more” to “wanting better”. This strategy is based on two approaches: Practical but stylish

The first approach, consisting in satisfying fundamental mobility needs, addresses customers who, having down-sized, are on the look-out for more economical – and more intelligent – products.

Some would describe this as low-cost, but it isn’t. The real challenge for CITROËN is designing products that are less expensive but with no loss in appeal. This approach is perfectly illustrated by the CITROËN C3 Picasso, a real recession proof car. And, going forward, our CITROËN C-Cactus project will be an even more accomplished solution. Motoring pleasure and pride of ownership

In contrast, the second approach favours motoring pleasure, with no loss in practicality. Customers here are looking for outstanding products that confer status and bring them an all-new automotive experience. They want prestige, thrills and refinement, without the rigid codes of traditional upper-range models.

To address this need, CITROËN is today launching a new line of products to broaden its current range. The new line will consist of three new cars, positioned in the small, medium and large car segments, launched successively from 2010.

The first illustration of this new product line is the CITROËN DS INSIDE concept car. The concept car and vehicle line are characterised by forthright choices on styling, onroad performance and use. These are accessible objects of desire, cars that stand apart by their creativity, intelligent design and build quality, embodying the very best of CITROËN. The new product line will perfectly illustrate CITROËN’s new spirit of “Créative Technologie”.

The new line will also have a new naming system. Like the main range vehicles, which carry the letter C and a number, and, like the MPVs, which sport the Picasso signature, the new models will feature a special name: the DS line.

DS stood and continues to stand for a new approach to automobiles and the future. CITROËN is taking inspiration from its design DNA to strengthen the positioning of its new product line. The range instills the different spirit, that the name DS inspires. Hence the distinctive model line up will be called DS3, DS4 and DS5. DS: Different Spirit.

SOURCE: Citroen