DVN’s Paul-Henri Matha and Philippe Aumont met recently with Senior Interior Designer Sylvain Gaudichon and Design Communication officer Florent Adeline of DS Design, to talk about the interior of the new DS N° 8.
The DS Design Studio is in Vélizy, near Paris. It’s in the Stellantis Creative Centre (previously ADN for Automotive Design Network) building inaugurated in 2004. This building is at the service of the Stellantis group’s creativity. It houses the designers of the studios of the Stellantis’ French brands, Citroën, Peugeot, and DS Automobiles.
1,000 employees work there. They collaborate with engineers, working on platforms, engines, equipment, and with the brand product team. DS as a brand was created in 2014, drawing on a long heritage from classic and well-loved Citroën’s like the DS (in French, « DS » is pronounced the same as the word for « Goddess ») and the SM.
In 1955, the first DS made its appearance and caused a sensation at the Paris Motor Show. A model of innovation, grace, and prestige, it embodied French expertise, panache, and avant-garde spirit—all of which still define the DS brand philosophy and inspire all their creations.
DS teams work with the same thirst for distinction and elegance to apply modern technology to classic French perfections such as seating design and comfort, or hydraulic suspensions, and make them strong identity elements, adapted to new mobility expectations.
DVN Interior: What guided the interior design of the DS N° 8?
Sylvain Gaudichon: The DS N° 8 marks the beginning of a new era. DS N° 8 is the first of the brand’s designs – and more broadly of the Stellantis group in Europe’s – to be solely 100 per cent electric. The brand is part of the energy transition by offering sustainable and uncompromising mobility in a setting driven by the French Art of Travel, with materials and technology that position DS N° 8 in that dimension
With a charismatic, slim and elegantly sleek design, DS N° 8 embodies a new SUV Coupé shape, The interiors feature high-quality materials, including brushed aluminum with a striking thickness and finish on large areas.
DVN: What about the architecture of this vehicle cabin?
S.G.: The DS ASL (Aero Sport Lounge) is a sedan concept we presented in 2020. Its design later inspired the design of the DS E-Tense Performance concept in 2022, and now the DS N° 8. It has a wide pillar-to-pillar line that structures the cabin compartment brings, and the high beltline brings comfort, dynamism and serenity, it strengthens occupant trust. With a length of 4.82 meters, the DS N° 8 has a very roomy inside and both front and even rear occupants have a lot of space. It is similar, in term of roominess to a Peugeot 5008, which is a large family SUV.
DVN: The seats look very comfortable, what was your design intention?
S.G.: The seats, developed with Lear, are really comfortable and with excellent body support, with a good balance between stiffness and softness, a shape which envelops the body and fully integrated head restraints. The use of high-density foams and the appearance of adjustable side bolsters on the backrests enhance comfort performance. The front seats are massaging, cooled and heated.
Heating has a special feature with the DS neck warmer, that heats directly the occupant body. Local heating also helps to reduce energy consumption for an EV, as, pending weather condition, you don’t need to heat the whole cabin, resulting in better mileage. Neck warmers are fitted into the backrests of the front seats, they are illuminated by a backlit DS logo with a crystal appearance.
In the rear, the occupants of the seats benefit from meticulously studied postural comfort, with ample knee room, 84cm of headroom and backrests inclined at 30 degrees, without compromise on their 40/20/40 modularity. A cooled and heated seat cushion and backrest is available for rear as well.
DVN: How do rear passengers feel with the high beltline?
S.G.: Correct, the waistline is high and therefore rear windows are minimal. That’s why we choose the optional glass roof, which improves the lighting situation. It is a screen-printed glass that does not take up any headroom and, thanks to its multi-layer composition, achieves excellent thermal performance in all seasons. It includes also graphical designs. Front seats with integrated headrest also give better vision for rear occupants. And it is important to mention that rear passengers are treated as first class passengers, as the second row has the same comfort and materials.
DVN: The front seats look slim; how did you manage the back of the seat back?
S.G.: We have two possible options, both to reduce seatback thickness, and to get more knee room for rear occupants. The first one is trimmed with soft sheathed textile, and the second one is using a soft back panel, which looks like a molded, but still flexible material
DVN: Can you tell us more about the cockpit?
S.G.: The DS N° 8 has a cockpit that embodies French comfort, serenity and luxury. The wide dashboard envelops the occupants. It is a piece of craftsmanship, with a seamless integration of the cluster, center display, sound system, air vents and light signatures. Its design purity combines a high level of craft and high-tech, which reflects DS balance values of technical sophistication and material application.
The central 16” display can be personalized, it provides access to the functions of DS Iris System 2.0, our new information ecosystem, intuitive, ergonomic and fully customizable, through personal, touch screen and voice recognition. It is integrated seamlessly into the dashboard and works like a smartphone. It blends perfectly into the surface of the dashboard without disturbing trim surfaces.
An AR HUD is available; it provides relevant and non-intrusive information such as speed or the road to follow with arrows that ensure you pick correctly between two streets. Road signs scroll smoothly across the windscreen in AR.
The HMI also includes ChatGPT, which strengthens the multimodal interaction through voice, display, and touch.
DVN: The center console is an important part of the interior design; can you tell us about it?
S.G.: The interior features a double-level floating center console. The upper part is devoted to the main interactive features. The shifter, the drive mode selector, and the audio system’s access volume control are directly within the front occupants reach. PNRD is at the Y0 centerline, as we want to have it accessible to both front passengers, like with stop/start, warning, and parking brake.
These features have been designed like crystals, with a subtle light animation evoking the shape of a galaxy. The phone storage area, trimmed in Alcantara®, is like a precious box. At lower level, there is a large storage space that can be hidden by a sliding shutter, it includes two removable cup holders and two USB-C sockets.
DVN: What about decoration and these intriguing clous (nails) on the dash?
S.G.: The “Clous de Paris” embossed inserts on the steering wheel and air vents, as well as the pearl stitching on the dashboard and armrests, are central to DS design. The Nappa leather watchstrap upholstery is also part of this Art of Travel signature.
DVN: Interior lighting is also an important element of the impression you get in the interior, isn’t it?
S.G.: Lighting is a major feature to make structural parts like the cockpit appear to be floating. Light is kind of licking surfaces, it conveys an atmosphere of volume, purity and calm. The lightblade vertical light signature echoes the exterior daytime running lights, bring the ends of the dashboard to life and mark the position of the door handles. These light up when the doors open to welcome occupants. The console’s backlit graphics are inspired by a starlit sky.
DVN: The junction between the dash and the doors is continuous and harmonious; tell about that.
S.G.: We did it through the integration of the audio system, the Focal Electra® 3D Hi-fi. This premium feature has been developed, with French audio specialist Focal, a new concept integrating 14 speakers throughout the cockpit for a power output of 690 W and an immersive experience, served by a height-adjustable soundstage. Continuity comes as the speaker grilles have merged with the aluminum door trim. The system is complemented by two speakers at roof level that contribute to the clear, immersive 3D sound system.
DVN: The steering wheel has a new design, what does it mean?
S.G.: It is a new X-shaped steering wheel, inspired by our latest concept cars. Its design breaks with established rules, while its architecture and enhanced ergonomics offer the driver new grip zones that enhance driving enjoyment. It is designed for three grip positions, 10 and 2 o’clock positions, 9 and 3 positions, and 8 and 4 positions. Behind the wheel command is easily accessible at 9-3 positions with the thumb. The wheel is covered in different materials depending on the trim level. It also contributes to thermal comfort thanks to a heating function.
DVN: You mentioned high-quality materials, can you elaborate?
S.G.: We wanted to go much further in respecting the environment when designing this interior. We have an exclusive Alcantara®, made from 68-per-cent recycled materials. The full-grain Nappa leather, used for the watchstrap seat upholstery, is now tanned with vegetal-based material, namely olive leaf using a traditional non-toxic and totally biodegradable one. Materials reclaimed from ELV (End of Life Vehicle) are also present in the textiles (60 per cent), carpet (75 per cent), and floor mats (96 per cent). The total elimination of chrome in favor of paint, brushed aluminum and stainless steel, is also part of this approach.
DVN: Very good job! Do you have a final word for us?
S.G.: The DS N° 8 is part of our electrification strategy, we have chosen materials and technology that position the vehicle in this dimension, within a sustainable French Art of Travel. And all connected services offered have been designed for a stress-free electric experience to support customers in daily use, either on short or long journeys.
DVN: Thank you so much!
