Searching Autocar’s online archive for ‘DS8’ just now didn’t bring up the latest posh Stellantis model as I’d hoped. (That would have taken the more accurate ‘N°8’). Instead it pulled up a story about the Maybach DS8 Zeppelin, a German-made, V12-engined luxury car from the 1930s.
Obviously, because I’m on a deadline and I’d already spent some time on the Morgan configurator this morning, I read the story, plus the one after it about racing driver Rod Millen’s four-wheel-drive Mazda RX-7 (perhaps more on that another time).
Vying with the ‘Grosser’ Mercedes-Benz 770K to be Germany’s most prestigious car of the time, the DS8 was vast, opulent, extraordinarily expensive and so heavy that in Germany its drivers needed a bus licence (although because most DS8s were chauffeur-driven, this was less onerous than one might think).
Aside from numerous business tycoons, owners included royalty, emperors and presidents, admirals and ambassadors. Neville Chamberlain was driven in one when he visited Germany in 1938 to meet Adolf Hitler.
In all, 340 examples were made. In the 1983 story I stumbled across, we reported that only 25 still survived. The last time I can find one being auctioned was in 2015, an elegant convertible formerly owned by a maharaja.
But back to the brand I was searching for, and I wonder how many more examples of the DS 9 (the big, plug-in hybrid executive saloon) found their way from the Chinese factory to customers in Europe than Zeppelins were ever sold here.
Recently, my friend Andrew English wrote in his Telegraph review of the new N°8 that just nine 9s found UK buyers last year. He concluded, not unreasonably, that he would seriously question the sanity of anyone who bought the new N°8.
To that, I might add questioning the wisdom of making it: a car for French politicians, yes, but who else?
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Unfortunately Richard Prior, in the article comes across as someone talking complete and utter rival!
Which is a shame as he is generally a good motoring journalist.
All this disconnected nonsense about a car from the 1930, is just irrelevant. As others have said in this comments section, what else is there? The oh so boring German premium rivals, that are either downright ugly (BMW), whilst all sharing the oh so common all black (coal scuttle) cabins, that are about as inviting as a lump of coal!
Of course maybe the Germans do more to look after Haymarket Publications than DS!
I have owned for over three years a Genesis Electrified G80, and car which knows more about real luxury than anything from Germany could understand, and never fails to attract attention and positive comments from passers-by. Yet Autocar gave it a mediocre 3 stars when they tested the model i have three years ago. Yet they have about a Porsche Taycan, a car which has been more than a bit of a failure for the brand, with woefull reliability and copious battery issues. They argue its handling and driving characteristics are great. Well wake up! Nobody knows about handling characteristics, andnor can anyone test them on our congested, speed camera ridden roads.
At least put a little thought into your articles and come up with your own stats instead of asking a reporter from a daily newspaper!!!
In conclusion this article was a load nonsensical garbage, presumably written in a hurry to meet a deadline!!!!
Apologies for the typos. In the line about the Taycan that should read 'rave about'.
I was in a hurry like Mr Prior when he wrote this article!
Yeah, went would anyone want a good looking, super long range EV with a fantastic interior for a price which undercuts all alternatives? Crazy, absolutely crazy.
I didn't get past this nonsense but I'm sure the rest of the regurgitated puke is just as smart.
Go buy the same overpriced underwhelming Germans and complain about the lack of choice and how all cars are the same these days.
Tech leadership in the Stellantis world doesn't count for much, because all their cars must share the same components set. Jeeps can be a bit more off roady, Citroens a bit more comfortable, but that's about it.
A new, electric version of the original DS sounds like the way forward. They could even resurrect the partnership with Maserati and make a really quirky coupe as well!