DS7 Crossback SUV makes public debut at the inauguration of French president
Emmanuel Macron took his first journey as French president in a specially commissioned version of new SUV
The new DS7 Crossback has been driven in public for the first time, carrying French president Emmanuel Macron to his inauguration.
Revealed in February, the luxury French carmaker’s first foray into the lucrative SUV market is hoping to lure Range Rover and Audi Q5 buyers by offering similar class and style for less cash.
It was an apt choice to transport Macron through the streets of Paris at the centre of the presidential cavalcade, with DS cars having been used for ceremonial duties in France at various times since the 1950s.
The president’s DS7 Crossback has been adapted slightly. The most obvious alteration is the sliding roof, which allows the president to stand in the car and wave to the crowds lining the streets.
Other exterior changes include flag holders and badging for the French Republic, an Ink Blue paint job and 20-inch alloy wheels. Inside, there’s black leather named Opera Inspiration after a French district of the same name, and decorative gilding on the upholstery as a finishing touch.
Order books for the DS7 Crossback are expected to open later in the year, with deliveries starting in January 2018.
There will be three petrol engines and two diesels, with a plug-in hybrid making up the powertrain options. The SUV’s key selling points will be luxury and impressive technology – such as night vision, adaptive suspension and autonomous parking – at a lower cost than many rivals.
