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Citroen C4 Cactus Airflow 2L promises 141 mpg, no door dings [w/video]

I'm the president of Autoblog's chapter of the Citroën C4 Cactus Appreciation Club. Full Disclosure: I'm also probably its only member. Why am I fan, you ask? Because the C4 and its ding-resistant Airbumps offer the versatility of a five-door Ford Focus, but it's 350 pounds lighter than today's Mazda MX-5 Miata, tipping the scales at just over 2,100 pounds. And when equipped with a diesel, it returns 91.1 miles per gallon (European), all while looking like the epitome of French quirkiness and style. I can't think of anything not to like about it, aside from the fact that I haven't actually driven it (Citroën, call me, we can change this).
For the 2014 Paris Motor Show, Citroen is bringing a new concept version of the Cactus. Unlike the Adventure Concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the Airflow 2L Concept is focused on increasing the Cactus' already impressive fuel economy. Through a fanatical observance of aerodynamics and the shedding of a further 220 pounds of weight, the Airflow 2L Concept returns over 141 miles per gallon (in other words, it consumes just two liters of fuel per 100 kilometers, hence the "2L" in the name).
Aerodynamic drag has been reduced by 20 percent thanks to three adjustable intakes in the front fascia, which can open and close automatically based on driving conditions. Side deflectors divert air around the body while active shutters on the 19-inch wheels further cut down on drag even further. The old concept car trope of video cameras in place of traditional wing mirrors is present, ostensibly to further reduce drag, while Citroën has added an air curtain system on the front bumper to manipulate air around the wheels.

Citroen Divine DS Concept ushers in the next generation of French style [w/video]

Meet the new Divine DS Concept, the future of Citroën's new DS sub-brand and one of the bigger debuts at this 2014 Paris Motor Show. Why, you ask? Well, the current crop of DS cars, like the DS3 and DS4, are basically just slightly restyled versions of the standard Citroën C3 and C4. Park them next to their more mundane counterparts, and the relationship is plain as day.
The introduction of the Divine DS, though, is a preview of what Citroën is going to do to differentiate the premium DS line from its parent's mainstream, twin-chevron-adorned cars and crossovers.
That means a new, expressive exterior design, using what designers call the "DS wings," or the chrome bits below the headlights and above the lower intakes. While Citroën first introduced this on the DS5-based 5LS, the Divine DS' interpretation is more upright, giving the fascia a "heightened sense of prestige." Okay.

Peugeot plans to launch DS brand in US after 2020

Want to get your hands on a new French car? If you live in the United States, you're pretty much out of luck. Mainstream French automakers like Renault, Peugeot and Citroën don't compete in the US marketplace. However, American buyers may get some French flavor in a few years' time in the form of DS.
For those unfamiliar, DS is a brand under the umbrella of Peugeot SA. Until recently it existed as a sub-brand of the Citroën division, but is now being spun off into its own unit, with its own products and aspirations - and those include the US marketplace. This according to Yves Bonnefont, the newly named CEO of the DS brand and top lieutenant of PSA chief Carlos Tavares. "We want to make DS a global premium brand," Bonnefont revealed to Automotive News Europe at the Paris Motor Show where it unveiled the concept pictured above. "And you cannot be global without the US." It would likely take until after 2020 to enact the plan, however, closing out three decades since Peugeot withdrew from the US market in 1991.
PSA Peugeot Citroën ranks among the few largest automakers in Europe, the top ten largest in the world, and certainly one of the largest that does not participate in the North American market. The company recently underwent a shift in ownership and management, bringing the French government and Chinese automaker Dongfeng on board and naming a new slate of top executives. Among the many steps the new ownership and management have taken is to separate the DS line from the Citroën brand.