When Paris decides to make a premium electric sedan, the DS N°8 is born – a car that smells of perfume, grinds silence and seriously asks: why should I continue to drive a German?
DS The N°8 is a car that almost demands praise with its appearance. Two-tone bodywork, a light signature with more style than the new collection Saint Laurent, and an interior where there is more detail than in the average opera scene.
But as with every French creation: The form is just the beginning. The question is – will N°8 also sing, or will it stop at a visual aria?
DS N°8: Dimensions and proportions: measured for prestige
At around 4.8 metres long, the DS N°8 enters a segment where diplomats, architects with blue frames and Parisian academics drive. It's not a Bavarian colossus in terms of dimensions, but it's confident enough to park next to one.
Where to position it? Somewhere between the BMW 5 Series and the Audi A6 – with a French touch that refuses to imitate, but rather defines its own tone. And this tone often has an emphasis on d.
Engine and drive: front, rear or both?
The DS N°8 offers several versions: from the entry-level front-wheel drive to more powerful four-wheel plug-in hybrids that combine petrol and electricity. Electric version? It's coming slowly. For now, DS is still building a bridge from the old to the new.
And when this bridge is working – with a power of around 300 hp, an electric range of up to 60-70 km, and an extremely refined ride – you can almost forget about the gas station. Almost.
Interior: Parisian Baroque with a modern twist
Cabin N°8 is more of a boutique living room than a car interior. Blue Alcantara, leather, crystal buttons and gold details that even the Sun King would be happy to sign, if only he knew about LED lighting.
Everything smells like a handcrafted experience. And literally – DS even has its own signature perfume. Understandable, because this is an automotive division that dares to be different. And kudos to them for that.
Comfort and ride: softness with character
Driving the DS N°8 is… comfort in the French way. Soft suspension, quiet materials, active damping technology and a silence interrupted only by your own sigh. It doesn't seek sportiness, but elegance. And yet, when you step on the gas, you don't find yourself at museum pace.
The N°8 is not a car for highway duels. But it is one that can easily handle the 800 km drive to the Côte d'Azur without stress, with a massage and a heated seat. Yes, it has that too.
Technology: Elegant Minimalism (with a Few Compromises)
The N°8 infotainment system is intuitive, if not ultra-visually exciting. The navigation can plan routes with electric stops (in the plug-in hybrid version), the digital instrument panel is clean and uncluttered. All that's missing is truly top-notch speakers - because, speaking of opera...
Price and positioning: an aristocrat with a provocative label
The DS N°8 is not cheap – and it doesn't want to be. Prices start at around €57,000 and climb quickly. But the competitors from Munich, Ingolstadt and Stuttgart are not making any concessions either. What DS offers is an alternative: a car that is not for the masses, but for those who dare to look over the fence.
N°8 starts at 57.700 € – this is the basic version Palace with a smaller, 74 kWh battery pack and front-wheel drive. But those who want something more – a more powerful engine, a larger 97 kWh battery and better equipment – will have to dig deeper into their pockets: 63.100 € for Palace with a larger battery or 71.000 € for version StarAnother thousand or four higher, and you're already at 75.000 € for the four-wheel drive version. And if your head is already spinning, then skip the last number: Julvern Edition – royally equipped, without compromise – 81.000 €. But hey, at least the configurator saves you a nervous breakdown because it already has everything in the package.
Conclusion: the nicest Frenchman who can park in front of your house
The DS N°8 is everything a French car should be: bold, sophisticated, full of details that eventually get under your skin. It is a symbol of individualism in a world of uniformed premium. And while it may not move the masses – it will captivate the individual.
