New Concept Car: Citroen Numero 9

This stylish concept car is the Citroën Numéro 9, and it debuts at the Beijing Motor Show as a way for the French automaker to celebrate the launch of its DS line of cars — the DS3, DS4, and DS5 — in China. Citroën reveals that this sultry concept previews the design of future DS-line sedan, SUV, and executive sedan models.

The Numéro 9′s squat proportions initially remind us of the Volkswagen Scirocco. The car is only 50.0 inches tall but 194.1 inches long, producing a lengthy hood and a tiny greenhouse area. For reference, that makes the Numéro 9 just one inch taller than a Mazda MX-5 Miata, but about as long as a Volkswagen Passat.

The front end starts with LED headlights, a stubby grille, and a gently sculpted hood. Twenty-one-inch wheels sit in wide fenders, while extremely skinny mirrors perch on buttress-like A-pillars that are designed to reduce aerodynamic drag. The glass roof terminates in a large C-shaped spoiler, while a rounded and tapered rear window, LED taillights, and twin rectangular exhaust tips round out the car’s tail.

Citroën’s concept car, designed in Paris, also packs a number of clever mechanical features. A plug-in hybrid drivetrain can accommodate either gasoline or diesel engines depending on the market. In Beijing, it will be shown with a turbocharged 1.6-liter inline-four gas engine making 225 hp and 203 lb-ft of torque, which powers the front wheels. The rear axle has a 70 hp electric motor linked with a lithium-ion battery pack. With a fully charged battery, Citroën says the Numéro 9 concept can drive for 31 miles on electricity alone, and return the equivalent of 138 mpg.

The powertrain can also use a “boost” mode with both the gas engine and motor working together to produce 295 hp, enough for a 5.4-second run to 62 mph and a top speed of 152 mph. It also acts as an all-wheel-drive system. Finally, the Numéro 9 features hydraulic self-leveling suspension.

Citroën has sold 200,000 copies of its DS-line cars since they went on sale two years ago. Showing the Numéro 9 in Beijing not only previews the cars’ launch in China, but also is a preview to the design of the aforementioned sedan, SUV, and large sedans that will join the DS lineup in the next few years.

Thanks to: Motor Trend