Unveiling the Future: DS Automobiles Revolutionises Iconic Design with SM TRIBUTE
Thierry Metroz, the Design Director at DS Automobiles, reveals their efforts to pioneer the future of automotive design. "Our exploration into our iconic models' genetics aims to shape our forthcoming designs set to launch by decade's end," Metroz shares. They showcased their ongoing research and commitment to design evolution at the Chantilly event with the SM TRIBUTE.
In early 2020, DS Automobiles released the #SM2020 sketches on social media, a creative clash within the DS DESIGN STUDIO PARIS. These designs reimagined the majestic SM, first launched in 1970, sparking considerable community feedback. "Our followers deeply value our heritage models and urge us to preserve their original designs," Metroz reflects.
The DS DESIGN STUDIO PARIS regularly dives into the rich legacy of the historic DS and SM, crafting sketches that spur creativity and strategic thought. "We aim to enrich our heritage by drawing inspiration from our iconic DS and SM models, fostering our commitment to cutting-edge design," says Metroz.
More than a mere homage, the SM TRIBUTE marks ten years of artistry and elegance since DS Automobiles was founded and first participated in the Chantilly Arts & Elegance. This initiative also supports forward-looking research by DS DESIGN STUDIO PARIS.
The design team has effectively evolved the SM as if it had been continually developed over the past five decades. Launched in the early 1970s, the SM was a beacon of French automotive innovation. It featured an aerodynamic design by Robert Opron and a powerful V6 engine, highlighted by its advanced hydropneumatic suspension system. Today, the SM is a sought-after collector's item, celebrated for its unique blend of comfort, performance, and innovation.
Frédéric Soubirou, Head of Exterior Design at DS Automobiles, notes, "Our inspiration came from studying various SM models, including prototypes and the presidential SMs, which seemed to glide over the road with a signature aerial elegance."
This ethos of lightness and dynamism is echoed in the muscular yet refined silhouette of the SM TRIBUTE, boasting an iconic front and a profile accentuated by a long bonnet. "We've integrated modern design symbols into it," Soubirou adds.
Vincent Lobry, Head of Colour, Materials, and Finishes Design at DS Automobiles, elaborates, "We aimed to connect different eras: the two-tone bodyworks of the 1930s, the 1970s SM, and our contemporary designs, notably the extended bi-tone paint seen on the DS AERO SPORTS LOUNGE concept. This has become a defining feature of DS Automobiles."
The SM's distinctive lines follow the airflow from the front to the tapered rear, with its characteristic proportions maintained and enhanced for a more robust presence. Inside, the 1970 design is reinterpreted to retain the avant-garde essence of the SM, surrounded by modern luxury and innovation.
As DS Automobiles celebrates a decade at Chantilly Arts & Elegance with SM TRIBUTE, they continue to bridge the past and future, honouring their rich history while paving the way for innovative designs.
