Citroen DS3

Citroën DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

Fashion designers reinterpreting premium hatchbacks seems to be all the rage these days, and the latest combines the efforts of one Orla Kiely with those of French automaker Citroën.

The resultant Citroën DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection is made up of four different models, each painted in one of four different colors with four different roof designs that feature Orla Kiely's signature stem or acorn design – a theme which repeats in the interior and on the rear tailgate. There's also contrasting door mirror shells and 17-inch alloys in either white or black depending on the design.

Only 500 examples will be made in all, and you can see them in the high-resolution image gallery below.

Gallery: Citroen DS3 by Orla Kiely Collection

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Citroen DS3 by Kenzo

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

The market for designer editions of premium retro hatchbacks has not been lacking for special editions, but can now count one more example in its ranks as French automaker Citroën and Japanese fashion house Kenzo have teamed up for a unique one-off.

The Kenzo edition Citroen DS3 features a unique retro motif applied to its roof and interior upholstery. Love it or hate it, however, the collaboration remains a one-off unavailable for purchase, much like the Yves St Laurent edition DS3 that preceded it.

Meanwhile, rival Mini's successive collaborations with the likes of Kenneth Cole, Calvin Klein and Agent Provocateur (to name just a few) have raised big bucks for AIDS research and awareness, while the Fiat 500 by Diesel is available on the open market.

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Citroen DS3 for Yves Saint Laurent

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It seems the latest trend with premium hatchbacks is to tie in with a major fashion label, sit back and see how it turns out. Recent examples have included a Lancia Ypsilon by Versus, a Fiat 500 by Diesel and a constant stream of Minis decked out for the annual Life Ball by the likes of Missoni, Versace, Agent Provocateur and The Blonds. Now Citroen is ready to join the party with this one-of-a-kind DS3 adorned with the logo of Yves Saint Laurent.

The special-edition DS3 was created for a retrospective event honoring the fashion label and its departed founder, and was used to shuttle celebrities and VIPs around Paris. Unfortunately, the tie-in with YSL seems to have gone no further than a special paint job and a logo on the roof. Which may be more than the fashion-forward DS3 needs, but less than we expected.

Tags: citroen, citroen ds, citroen ds3, ds, ysl, Yves Saint Laurent

2010 Geneva Motor Show: Les Françaises

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

It's been said before, but it warrants repeating. The French can do upscale fashion. And they can do cars. (If you're in the market for a minivan or budget hatchback, at least.) Combining the two, however, has traditionally been a sticking point for the country's automakers. But that doesn't mean they're not working to rectify that problem.

Nowhere has that been more evident than at this year's Geneva Motor Show. In the hallowed halls of the Palexpo, Peugeot, Citroen and Renault each unveiled their plans for taking their products into a new level of premium. Follow the jump to see what they had in mind.

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Citroen to Unveil Exclusive DS3 Racing in Geneva

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Citroen is forging further ahead with its premium DS initiative at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show with the debut of the limited edition DS3 Racing.

Based on the Mini-rivaling DS3 premium hatchback, the DS3 Racing packs a 1.6-liter turbocharged engine producing 200 horsepower. Tuned by Citroen's world championship rally team, the DS3 Racing sits 15 millimeters lower and 30 millimeters wider than the stock version. Special graphics, wheels, bodywork and carbon-fiber trim also help differentiate this special model, which will only be produced in limited quantities and, sadly, not available in North America.

Gallery: Citroen DS3 Racing

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Citroen Releases New Premium DS3

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

Small doesn't need to mean less luxurious. Not anymore. But while BMW's Mini had the premium hatchback market pretty much all to itself for years, today the market is bursting with new contenders. If British isn't your thing, Italy offers the Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo, but now France is entering the fray with the new Citroen DS3.

Previewed at the Geneva show as the DS Inside concept, Citroen has now released the production DS3 in advance of its debut at the upcoming Frankfurt auto show. And in the transition from concept to production, the French automaker has stayed pretty close to the original. The DS3's big selling point is its bespoke customization options, giving buyers a choice of colors for the roof, mirrors, dashboard, wheel hubs and more in addition to the usual exterior and interior choices. A range of high-tech and premium equipment rounds out the package, available with a variety of diesel and gasoline engines. Sadly for fans of French design, however, Citroen doesn't market in the United States, making this one more enticing choice that remains out of reach for North American buyers.

Gallery: Citroen DS3

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Citroen Goes after Premium Buyers with New DS Line

by Noah Joseph (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos

More and more European automakers are entering the premium hatchback market. Once the sole purview of the Mini Cooper, Alfa Romeo has entered the fray with the MiTo, and now French automaker Citroen has announced a new premium line to revive the classic DS nameplate.

The first example is scheduled to take its curtain call at the upcoming Geneva Auto Salon next month in the form of the DS3 Inside concept. With retro design elements and avant-garde lines, the DS3 is based on the existing Citroen C3 but with a more premium flavor. A larger DS4 is expected to arrive in a couple of years, and an even higher-end DS5 to follow after that. Although Citroen doesn't market in North America, European customers may find the new DS models an appealing premium alternative to BMW's Minis.

Gallery: Citroen DS3 Inside concept