DS continues to evolve its latest design language in the new No.7

The DS7 is the top seller in the Stellantis brand’s range and following the introduction of the new design language in the No.8 and No.4, it now evolves into the No.7. Given its strategic importance in the product mix, the design team have been very careful in their approach. It’s still radically different to the model it replaces, but there’s slightly more restraint compared to the No.8.

Not only does it need to match or exceed the sales of the outgoing model, it has to compete between two very busy segments of the market, the C-SUV and D-SUV. That means rivals like the Audi Q3, BMW X1 and Volvo XC40 on one side and the Audi Q5, BMW iX3 and Volvo EX60 on the other. Measuring 4.66m, DS likes to think the No.7 sits in the middle of that lot, offering more space and versatility than its C-SUV rivals, but being more compact and practical than the D-SUV competition.

That’s the industry speak out of the way, let’s get into the design of the No.7, which will be available initially as battery-electric with a hybrid version planned for later. Like the No.4 and No.8, it has been inspired by the DS Aero Sport Lounge concept of 2020, with exterior details defined by the themes of elegance, efficiency and high tech, while the interior fundamentals are comfort, refinement and high craft.

It’s always a challenge to replace your best-selling model, to retain existing customers but at the same time create a design that attracts new ones.

“We needed to renew the DS7 without losing the original customer,” says DS head of design, Thierry Métroz. “But we needed to also make the car very modern, very futuristic. It's always very challenging for designers.”

Before Metroz and his team even put pen to paper or stylus to screen, they approached the aerodynamics team to understand what the objectives were for the car.

“We wanted a very futuristic design with nice proportions, but we needed to integrate all the aero constraints to reach the 740km driving range without destroying the exterior design,” he says. “What we did with my team was integrate all the requirements from the aero experts at the beginning of the project.”

He wanted to avoid creating a design that would be put in the wind tunnel only to discover that it didn’t work for the engineering requirements. That aero-first approach dictated the sharp lines front and rear, with the vertical lines at the back alone adding 10km of driving range to the car.

“We designed the car through this requirement for aero and then we turned these constraints into the design language,” he says.

It’s the first time that they have started a project in this way, but Métroz says it was a great way to work, to understand the technical requirements first and then use this to dictate the design language.

The result is what he describes as being a very innovative silhouette in the world of SUVs, with a long, sloping roof that conveys the appearance of a shooting brake. The profile ensures plenty of interior space for those in the back seats, as well as for luggage, but it does appear to be more conservative than the No.8.

“Maybe it's more conservative because of the silhouette, because it's an SUV whereas No.8 was more of a cross between a sedan and an SUV coupé,” he says. “I think in terms of design language, it's not so conservative, it’s quite original with its new graphics as well as the duotone of the bonnet.”

The elegant, sculpted surfacing of the side profile is enhanced by flush door handles and then there’s a pronounced shoulder line that emphasises the way the No.7 squats towards the rear, giving it a more dynamic appearance but without going too far in a way that might put off existing DS7 customers.

The interior shares some similarity with the No.8, especially in the remarkable attention to detail. This is evident in elements like the speaker covers with their laser-etching on incredibly thin aluminium, as well as the materials themselves which all look and feel like they come from a more expensive luxury segment. There are some colour and materials combinations that are unique to No.7 though, including Celeste Grey, genuine black wood and a favourite of Métroz, Byzantine Black, which is black with a hint of purple.

The UI/UX has also been tweaked for No.7, but only in terms of some graphics, Métroz sees no reason to differentiate.

“We had no reason to develop a new graphic for No.7 because it's like a brand signature and we want to develop this new generation of graphics through No.8, No.7, No.4 and the cars that will follow them,” he says.

Global Stellantis design boss, Ralph Gilles told CDN in a recent interview that he is “SUV fatigued. For me, the SUV craze has kind of come and gone.” It’s a view shared by many in the design community, but for now the SUV is still very much with us and in the new DS No.7, Métroz and his team have significantly moved the brand forward while protecting the legacy of the relatively young brand that started with the DS7.

The No.7 might be slightly more conservative than the No.8, but it still has a distinct personality in a sea of SUVs. It’s edgy design undoubtedly gives it an edge over many photocopied rivals, from its dramatic v-shaped DRLs and imposing black façade to that pseudo shooting brake profile and rear design that will be easy to spot from hundreds of metres away, a key objective for the design team. The interior is markedly different to anything else, providing a genuine feeling of luxury combined with technology that is well integrated without being overpowering.

The design of the new DS No.7 isn’t just an SUV that customers are likely to pay attention to, the time has come when rivals such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes might find they need to pay attention too.