Suspended animation
Goodbye DS 7 £38,990 OTR/£41,640 as tested
Aside from it being lauded as perhaps the most beautiful car of all time, the 10-yearold me knew two things about the original Citroen DS.
One: it had futuristic headlights that swivelled as you turned the steering wheel. And two: it had hydropneumatic suspension that raised and lowered the car, giving an incredible ride.
Unlike its predecessor, the DS 7 Crossback’s looks might not be topping polls 60 years after its launch, but it does have equally cool lighting and suspension systems. I have covered the lighting in previous reports – active headlights might not be unusual these days, but you’ll struggle to find another car that greets you with such a theatrical display when you unlock it at night.
The active-scan suspension, however, isn’t a feature you’ll find on any other car in this sector. A camera at the top of the windscreen monitors the road surface ahead for any bumps or dips, while various other sensors constantly monitor the car’s behaviour.
Within a few milliseconds, all this information is fed into a computer that immediately adjusts the damping on each of the four wheels independently before you reach said bump or pothole. Given that the camera is constantly monitoring the road between five and 20 metres in front of the vehicle, and all this happens at speeds of up to 80mph (130kph), it’s a remarkable bit of technology.
Active-scan suspension is only operational when the car is in Comfort mode but, when it’s working, the difference is definitely noticeable.
Clever, innovative suspension was one of the hallmarks of the original DS and it’s great to see that, in this respect, the DS7 Crossback is true to the spirit of the brand.