It is not so long ago (November 2021) that DS Automobiles presented the armored extended SUV DS 7 Crossback Élysée for French President Emmanuel Macron, which was replaced by the armored extended DS 7 Élysée facelift model last July. Now the manufacturer has flashed another piece, namely the armored plug-in hybrid model DS 7 Vauban intended for the civilian market.
Foto: DS Automobiles
The facelifted presidential plug-in hybrid DS 7 Élysée is longer than the standard models by about 20 cm.
Doesn’t this name mean anything to you? The name Vauban is derived from the fortifications from the end of the 17th century. Vauban’s fortifications, of which there are twelve in ten different departments, are inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Marquis Sébastien Le Prestre de Vauban oversaw the construction of a total of more than a hundred fortifications (citadels, separate fortresses and walls) in France and elsewhere in Europe. The system of citadels and fortresses that Vauban introduced was also adopted by some countries in Asia and Africa.
The DS 7 Vauban 4 × 4 model in plug-in hybrid version with 300 hp is made by the same company (WELP group) that modified the Macron seven for DS Automobiles, so it is a little surprising that the aramid (special synthetic material) studded armored The SUV did not receive a 20-centimetre extension from the center pillar. So far, this privilege remains only with the presidential piece, also a plug-in hybrid.
Foto: DS Automobiles
Vauban will only offer a standard wheelbase, so it will not be an extended version.
The crew inside the Vauban will be further protected by safety glass, which is why the car achieves VPAM protection class 4. This category also includes iconic revolvers that use .44 Magnum cartridges as ammunition, i.e. powerful ammunition originally developed for hunting purposes, today also for defense.
In addition to the standard additional equipment, potential buyers will be able to order additional protection packages, which include, for example, fire sprinklers, a closed ventilation circuit, a siren, an intercom and other gadgets. In terms of comfort equipment for passengers, it will then be optional USB connectors or lamps, but there will also be a choice of interior lining, stitching or choice of body paint or installation of flag carriers.
Foto: DS Automobiles
The DS 7 Vauban will be available from April 2024. However, it will probably be the most expensive DS 7 you can buy.
The tuner promises that the weight and dynamic characteristics of the car will not change after the modification, while master upholsterers will oversee the quality of the interior, as all leather upholstery for DS Automobiles cars is made by hand.
The DS 7 Vauban models will be modified in Hérimoncourt, less than 100 km from the home plant in the city of Mylhúzy, where the luxury sevens are born. Armored plug-in hybrids will be created in a limited number of pieces and will be available from April 2024. We do not know the price yet, but due to the ballistic protection and the limited series, it will probably be the most expensive DS 7 model that you can buy.
