The return of the DS 3? New DS F3VER concept previews future supermini

Luxury French auto brand DS Automobiles is going back to its roots by previewing a next-generation DS No3 hatchback in the form of the thinly disguised F3VER Concept.

Far more than just another new model, the DS No3 will be part of a large-scale renaissance plan for the entire brand when it arrives in the next year or two. It introduces a new design language, electric powertrains and interior technology, doubling down on luxury Parisian design just as the original did in 2009.

This model will return to the premium supermini segment after an unloved generation of the DS 3 Crossback. That quasi-crossover was awkward to look at and even more awkward to drive, but this new model’s sportier stance will make it a rival once again to cars such as the MINI Cooper Electric. At just under 4.2m long, it’s around 350mm longer than the MINI, which should help unlock more rear space and a decent boot – rated at 400 litres on this concept.

It should have the technical specifications to compete, too, because the concept’s STLA-One architecture will support a next-generation fully electric powertrain, with a front-mounted electric motor destined to power the front wheels. Precise specifications for the future road car are still a way off from being confirmed, but for now we can look to the F3VER concept as the source of its future design language.

Key to this is a new ‘totem’ element in the centre of both front and rear bumpers. Within the rear housing is an LCD screen that can display various patterns or messages, each chosen from inside the car. A similar ‘totem’ is also applied in the centre of the front bumper, housing the illuminated logo.

DS F3VER design

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It’s clear to see the car’s connection to the original DS 3, especially at the back which features similarly shaped lights and a bulbous rear. Despite having to squeeze in two extra doors, DS has gone to great lengths to hide the rear handles and create the effect of a two-door body. Look closely and you’ll also see a revival of the ‘shark-fin’ motif, here subtly integrated just behind the rear glass.

The F3VER’s wraparound rear glazing suggests this car will have a hidden C-pillar like the original. However, the concept’s glass will no doubt be replaced with black plastic that’ll mimic the same effect in a more production-friendly format. The rear lights are directly inspired by the original in shape and their three-dimensional lighting, something that DS says is easy to replicate in production.

A contrasting roof will once again be a core element of the DS No3’s personalisation, and on this concept its warm gold finish contrasts against the blue paintwork which flips to purple under bright lighting. 

DS Totems and complex lighting

The front lighting is a radical departure for the brand, however, because it’s the first DS model not to feature a grille or grille-like styling element between the headlights. Those headlamps are now mounted within a Y-shaped styling feature, also housing two vertically mounted daytime running lights – yet more references to the original DS 3.

DS made a point of the contrasting surfaces in this section, with the sharp, three-dimensional lighting element sitting within a soft black area. It’s this sort of detailed styling that DS Automobiles wants to be defined by, and it’s something the brand’s head of design, Thierry Métroz, assured us would be possible on a future DS No3 supermini.

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