Citroen Numero 9 Concept exudes dark glamour

C’est magnifique! Having whetted the appetite of the world’s press with pictures of its Numero 9 Concept beforehand (we ran an earlier story here), Citroen finally bared all at Auto China 2012 in a dark, classy setting, complete with intricate chandelier hanging just inches from the car’s roof.

Take in that aggressively raked windscreen and rear end adorned with a C-shaped rear spoiler, and those flashy 21-inch wheels. It’s got a profile not unlike that of a shooting brake, and brings a Ferrari FF to mind. Citroen say this concept combines the design cues of a future C- and D-segment sedan and SUV for the DS brand.

You say 9 in French – neuf – and this svelte black beauty could well become the DS9, the big, luxury sedan in the premium DS range, and therefore the true spiritual successor to the legendary Citroen DS of the 1950s. To illustrate this, an original DS 23, in immaculate condition, was placed just across the stand from the new car.

The Numero 9 has a plug-in hybrid powertrain involving a 225 hp 1.6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder and an 70 hp electric motor. There is a ‘boost’ function that when activated, Citroen say, will unleash all 300 hp for a 5.4-second 0-100 km/h time.

Citroen’s upmarket DS range currently comprises the DS3, DS4 and DS5, all of which are about to go on sale in China.