DS goes for growth in Europe and UK with new line-up

He refused to give a specific target figure, saying: "If I was to tell you that I would like to go triple or four times higher in terms of volume, you would tell me it's a crazy dream!"

Crucial to achieving this increase in footprint is ensuring that "all the signals which are given by the brand are aligned, coherent and consistent", said Peugeot.

He said his key focus areas for DS – having now been in the CEO chair for eight months – are "quality, which has to be at the top level for the credibility of a premium brand", and "the consistency and coherence of our messages".

Peugeot said he views DS as a "success story" and pointed to its unique status as a relatively new marque (at 10 years old) with a heritage and legacy that stretches back 70 years - to the launch of the original Citroën DS, the car that inspired the positioning, design and dynamic character of the new No8.

He acknowledged that there are "rumours" around DS's ongoing positioning in the Stellantis portfolio, given previous group CEO Carlos Tavares's suggestion that low-performing brands could be axed or sold off, but said this scenario is firmly "not on the table".

"DS is a profitable brand. It feeds the Stellantis group positively," he said, emphasising the renewed importance of a premium offering for car makers.

"We understand the question, due to the level of competitiveness in the market. But if the question were to come, I don't think we should consider one single scenario about it. And the reason is simple: premium represents 25% of the volume in Europe and nearly 40% of the profits for a car manufacturer.

"So should we immediately stop a brand bringing profitable results to the company in a premium segment, which is impactful for the car market, with some competitors pushing their premium brands as an asset for the company?"

Peugeot pointed to the upcoming wave of new products as a statement of Stellantis's commitment to DS's future - and said this applies similarly in the UK, where the brand has hitherto sold in extremely low volumes, relative to its main competitors.

"We expect to sell the No8, No4 and [7 replacement] in the UK, which means that we trust in the future for DS in the UK," he said. "But of course we also need to provide some volumes."

Peugeot doesn't believe "a premium brand is only to be considered through volumes" but said a certain number of cars must be sold to ensure the dealer network remains profitable, so "the coming launches will be key to ensuring the success of DS in the UK".

Importantly, noted the brand's UK MD Jules Tilstone: "The UK market is changing, and retailers have told us that the auto-renewal with a German premium brand is not there as it has been in the past.

"The pitch is moving: the market share from the top three German brands is down two and a half points, newcomers are cutting through. So the dynamic is changing in the UK market, and we're here to take full advantage of that."

However, Tilstone acknowledged that "we've got a job to do" in terms of boosting brand recognition and "we haven't solved that yet".

"Getting DS on the shopping list is a job still to be done," he said, pointing to the No8 as a "catalyst" for achieving that, with the EV's 466-mile maximum range far outstretching most rivals'.