Citroen New DS

The iconic DS badge is being revived for a range of luxurious, 'near-premium' models to sell alongside the regular C-badged hatchbacks, saloons and MPV/utility Citroens. Three models will be launched initially in the DS line: the DS3, DS4 and DS5.

While the seminal 1950s DS was a play on the French for déesse, or goddess, the new DS badge stands for Different Spirit, Citroen says. We'll see the first production cars – the DS3 – in the first half of 2010. The other two DS cars will arrive in 2011.

There's a reasonably straightforward branding logic at play here. The DS3 will be a cut above the regular C3 supermini, replete with high spec levels and minor changes to bodywork to justify the DS badge.