Citroen took the wraps off its brand-new concept car at the Shanghai Motor Show. The DS Wild Rubis is an effort to expand the DS family by adding a crossover variant. It is powered by a full-hybrid plug-in powertrain with 295 horsepower and an electric range of 50km (31mile).
The main source of power in this hybrid system is a 1.6-litre THP petrol internal combustion engine. It is coupled to a 70 hp electric motor located on the rear axle and powered by lithium-ion batteries. That makes the car four-wheel-drive, and also makes its CO2 rating of 43g/km all the more impressive.
Since the Rubis is a Citroen DS, the design is way more important than the substance. Sure enough, the fairly compact 4.7 meters has some fancy tricks up its sleeve; even though it looks much tamer than the previous DS concepts. The car has a set of full-LED headlights, made up of three mobile lighting modules, which not only give it a unique look, they also make a special sound effect when you start the car!
The looks of the Citroen DS Wild Rubis and the specs of its hybrid powertrain all hint at a production model. But it is not clear yet if it is going to be China-exclusive or global.
