The Auto China show in Beijing is shaping up to be a corker. Latest of the debutantes to be revealed early is this, the exquisite Citroen Numero 9 concept car. It celebrates the arrival of the DS models in China this year, but also previews the next generation of Citroen DS cars due into production.
Citroen confirms that the next DS models will be a C-segment saloon, an SUV and a D-segment executive saloon. Presumably that means a DS6, DS7 and DS8, though the numbering then seems out of line with the car sizes. We'll see.
In the meantime we have the Numero 9 to drool over. It's a futuristic interpretation of the shooting brake shape, with spacious seating for four. There are over 70 photos in the gallery so click on the main image to the left (or use your arrow keys) to browse through them and see it for yourself in detail.
No concept is complete without a suitably headline-grabbing powertrain, and the Numero 9 is no different. It features a plug-in hybrid system, similar to Citroen's HYbrid4 technology; though for China it gets a petrol engine instead of the usual diesel unit. Up front, the 1.6-litre THP turbo engine produces 225hp and 275Nm of torque, while the electric motor (turning the rear wheels) adds 70hp and 200Nm.
Following 3.5 hours of charging the Numero 9 has an electric-only range of 50 kilometres, which explains Citroen's claims of 166mpg (1.7 litres/100km) on the combined economy cycle and CO2 emissions of just 39g/km. Despite all that the concept can theoretically hit 100km/h from rest in just 5.4 seconds on the way to a 244km/h top speed.
Auto China opens its doors to the media on April 23.