PSA unveils the DS 5 LS specifically designed for the Chinese market
- Citroën unveiled the world premiere of the fourth vehicle of its DS range, intended exclusively for the Chinese market (for the moment) : DS 5 "LS", the initials LS mean "Luxury Sedan". Compared to the European DS 5, the body of the DS 5 LS is completely different with a sedan design (the European DS 5 is hatchback) with a grille on which the Citroën logo has disappeared completly, replaced by a DS logo.
- Indeed, in China DS is a brand in its own right, separate from Citroën and Peugeot. Sales networks are also separate, as well as production plants (Shenzhen Changan for DS, Wuhan Dongfeng for Citroën and Peugeot).
- In fact, PSA repeats the operation carried out in 1989 by Toyota with Lexus, Nissan with Infiniti and Honda with Acura, namely the creation of a separate and differentiated brand in terms of service and price.
- The DS 5 LS (a term that has already used by Lexus) will be produced in the Shenzhen plant, which has a production capacity of 200 000 vehicles per year. Wider and longer (4.70 m) than the European DS 5, the LS version also features a separate trunk, the DS 5 LS meets the usual Chinese luxury codes. However, it shares the same technical platform as the DS 5. The DS 5 LS is expected to have 50 000 customers in 2014, that same year a new DS will be launched exclusively for the Chinese market, the DS-X, an SUV based on the DS 5, and should also be marketed at about 50 000 units per year when it reaches cruising speed.
