The 4th Edition

The Citroen DS4 - Can It Deliver?

So... another Citroën driven, another day to realize what on earth the French have planned for us in the DS range. This time round, I shall attempt to contribute my experience with the 6-Speed Manual DS4 200 THP .

A brand whose spirit lies deep within providing optimal comfort in the past, now trying its best to excite the keen modern driver using unorthodox methods for the present and future. Will it even be feasible? I’ll dive straight into its driving characteristics to uncover this mystery.

I took a good five minutes to familiarize myself with the driving position, pedal placements and steering angle before setting off, because these elementary adjustments can make or break one’s driving experience. Clutch in, first gear, the journey begins.

Initial impressions were not really positive. Let’s be honest here. The light clutch movement was never enough to stimulate petrolheads’ desire for more pedal feel, and the long gear throws can never match the incisive action of short shifters in more sports-oriented vehicles. But remember, that this French hatch was never intended to be as hardcore as the Clio Cup. Basing on ease of use, it ticks all the right boxes. But throw driving excitement into the picture and perspectives start to get distorted. Now, she has to rely on other trickery in her French arsenal to keep drivers smiling for a lengthier period. Can the wounded deliver?

The first “trick” that caught my attention was the steering feel. It was way heftier than the DS3, and the electric assistance seems less intrusive. A sharp turn into a gradual corner confirms its direct feel and uninterrupted technological intervention. Now the chassis has to keep up with the directness of the steering, which might pose a problem due to it having to lug around its 1496kg bulk. Truth be told, it only felt a tad heavier than the DS3 although its 200+kg weight deficit spelt otherwise. The 4 feels light on its feet and very eager to alter its bearings in a calm manner. Credit goes to the rather pricey 18” Michelin Pilot Sport 3 rubbers that helps to maintain that sizable advantage, ahead of most OEM tire fitments, when being stressed to its limits.

Wafting along in fourth feels sedate, poised and very pleasing. I dropped a gear when an opportunity struck, attempting to unleash at least most of its 200 BHP by fixating my target on the 6800rpm redline. Having Twinscrolls to reduce the turbo lag certainly aids in reducing the inertia of that clockwise rev needle motion. Response is reasonably sharp, but comparing it with the instantaneous feedback of NA motors would be stretching boundaries. It’s no doubt that response is keen for a forced induced engine block. I wasn’t left disappointed on the vocal front. Rorty 4 cylinder notes accompanied by feint induction whistles sounded surprisingly sporty and energetic for an artificially enhanced configuration, way surpassing my expectations. Those addictive tones even made me keep my revs hovering in the approximate 3000 RPM power band for the rest of the drive, to have that soundtrack replayed at my command!

Now back to the same old question that concludes most of my reflections. Can the DS4 deliver driving pleasure? The drivetrain that lacks that sporty touch leaves much to be desired, but ample positives can be taken away from its weighty steering, reasonably taut chassis and sonorous exhaust note. Ignore the French badge, which has been labeled with stereotypes relating to driving tranquility for far too long, because the DS4 has broken this tradition along with the DS3. Well done, Citroën. Now, let’s wait and see what further steps you take to improve on this commendable effort.

Citroen DS3 150 THP (M) Review

I had the opportunity to have a go in the Citroen DS3 150 THP (M) at the dealer situated at Leng Kee in Singapore. Coming from an island filled with the iconic MINI Cooper, I was eager to find out if this French “Supermini” was able impress, and eventually grab a slice of the highly competitive hatchback market share.

Truth to be told, never in my wildest dreams did I expect Citroen to be as highly customizable as a MINI. The paintwork and subtle trimming of the two cars on display were entirely different, which explains the reason behind 38 funky color combinations for customers to choose to suit their personality. Being spoilt for colour choice was only half the fun, when I discovered that there’s much more intangible goodies beneath the “anti-retro” looking skin, which will be revealed in future sections.

The very first thing that caught my curious eyes was the sporty seat with generous alcantara leather wrapping the exaggerated side lumbar support. Once seated, I was pampered with plenty of legroom, unheard of for a car in this segment. The steering feels pleasant to the touch, with well-designed angular holding positions for your thumb, providing ample grip when cornering enthusiastically. Brushed aluminum trimmings on the steering and central console adds a refreshing touch to an interior that doesn’t lack finesse, mainly due to the “carbotech” dashboard, which works its way to complement the style of the car as a whole. We can definitely sense that Citroen didn’t hold back their plans to create one radical looking machine that can turn heads.

Our planned route for the test drive consisted of challenging twisties as well as some freeway action. The instrument cluster turned full sweep once I ignited the engine, which seemed like a hint for many greater things to expect, and the rest of the action that followed didn’t seem to disappoint. We couldn’t fault the DS3’s 6-speed manual transmission, as it allowed the driver to execute each shift with utmost satisfaction. Although throws were rather long, gearing inputs were precise and quite notchy, a feeling all boy racers would swear by when carrying out each change. The clutch was also user friendly and I didn’t have a problem feeling the biting point during congested traffic. Drag the gears a little longer and we will be greeted with a sweet growl courtesy of the sporty twin exhaust configuration.

One point of worthy mention will be the steering. I was rather frustrated with its light and uninspiring steering at first, but then I realized that although it didn’t feel as weighty as the MINI, the steering felt direct and precise enough to instill confidence during high-speed maneuvers. It manages to take corners with a tinge of poise and maturity, a sensation that couldn’t really be explained in words until you try it for yourself. Simply put, the drive of the DS3 felt like a breath of fresh air when compared to the MINI, A1 and Mito. We wouldn’t feel as taxing in the DS3 as compared to the three main rivals, especially when Citroen had managed to develop such a well engineered steering that can be turned with assurance and ease, without sacrificing much driving pleasure and involvement.

The “Prince” engine (co-developed by BMW AG and Peugeot/Citroen), which developed 156bhp and more impressively, 240nm of torque way down the rev range (1400rpm), is an absolute joy to use. I didn’t really have to step hard on the throttle to propel its feisty 1165kg frame from a junction. Overtaking was a breeze and accelerating in 3^rd gear in particular felt punchy, and the chassis felt more than up to the task. It certainly felt nippy and zippy, and faster than the claimed 0-100kmh timing of 7.3 seconds.

All in all, I was rather impressed with the ride as a whole, but it was certainly not without any flaws. The sharks fin B pillar wouldn’t suit conservatives, and the bright yellow paintwork reminds us of Lego bricks. Crucially, it didn’t feel a whole SGD$60,000 cheaper than the MINI Cooper S. In fact, ignoring the costs, there’s more to love than hate about this French hatch and I wouldn’t be surprised if Citroen manages to sell a significant number here. Give it time for the DS branding to set in and we’ll probably notice a slight shift in the continental car market segment.

In all honesty, Citroen had managed to package the DS3 into a driver’s machine that looks more stylish than sporty. Is it full of contradictions? It might be, but the pros far outweigh the cons in every aspect, which is why my family had put pen to paper on the dotted line for a Thorium Grey/Carmen Red piece, due to arrive in a couple of months. You might think that my choice would be filled with regrets, but coming from someone who had experienced the horrors of VW’s jerky 7 speed DSG, our decision would be more than justified.

Iceman in his new flying machine

Kimi Raikonnen may have left F1, but deciding to join rally meant that he still has the need for heart pumping adrenaline. Rally cars might not be able to pull as much Gs as the F1 car, but it sure does provide a rush of blood to the brain for driver and onlookers alike.

Watch Kimi fly