There’s a very French kind of arrogance. Not the nose-in-the-air, “my wine is better than yours” type, but the kind that turns excess into art. More foie gras, more flair, more fabric on that Dior gown than seems strictly necessary. And now, according to DS Automobiles, more range than you’d think possible from an electric SUV. Enter the new DS N°8: 750 kilometres of battery-powered “art de voyager,” wrapped in a campaign that’s as much about attitude as it is about engineering.
This isn’t your usual dreary EV launch where men in navy suits mumble about kilowatts and charging infrastructure. DS, being DS, has staged a full-blown cinematic odyssey. Director Henry Scholfield sends the N°8 gliding from Paris to the Med without charging once, accompanied by an electro soundtrack from Guillaume Alric (a.k.a. Enfant Sauvage of The Blaze). The result? A rolling slice of French poetry, with just enough tongue-in-cheek humour to keep it from collapsing under its own pretension.
CEO Xavier Peugeot (yes, that Peugeot, but not that Peugeot) calls it a “new tone” for the brand – modern, offbeat, a touch poetic. Translation: DS has finally realised the way to stand out in the German-dominated premium jungle isn’t to out-Audi Audi, but to lean hard into Frenchness. And they’re doubling down on the idea that sometimes the French “go too far.” Gastronomy, fashion, electric range – all fair game for exaggeration.
The Car Itself
The DS N°8 is more than marketing spin, though. Underneath the glossy cinematography, there’s a very serious EV. It hides a 97.2 kWh battery built in France, good for up to 750 km on the WLTP cycle. Add 350 horsepower, four-wheel drive, and aerodynamics honed like a fencer’s épée, and suddenly that Paris-to-Marseille jaunt doesn’t sound so implausible.
Inside, it’s classic DS: where every stitch looks like it took three months of debate at a Left Bank café. Think advanced tech layered with handcrafted details, feather-light buttons, and materials that seem allergic to anything remotely ordinary. Comfort, as always, is the brand’s weapon of choice – more lounge than cockpit, designed for voyage rather than lap times.
The Big Picture
The campaign isn’t just about selling cars. It’s DS Automobiles planting a flag in the shifting sands of premium EVs. While Germany still obsesses over efficiency and Tesla continues its Silicon Valley sermon, DS is trying to convince the world that electric travel can be sensual, stylish, even a little bit excessive. And you know what? In a market where most EVs are about as exciting as a dishwasher, that feels refreshing.
Yes, DS N°8 may be a little much. But if you’re going to survive in the shadow of Audi, BMW, and Mercedes, “a little much” might be exactly what the French need.
Source: Stellantis