Is Citroen About To Put A Supercar Into Production?

Citroen has been long-rumored to be making a comeback in America with its new DS luxury brand, a throwback to the original DS which, at the time, was the benchmark in luxury car design and remains an automotive icon. Last year's Geneva Motor Show saw the reveal of the Citroen E-Tense, an alluring, all-electric sports coupe, but it was never confirmed to be going into production. That may soon change, however, as Citroen has filed a trademark for the E-Tense name, suggesting that a production model could be imminent.

We may have to wait a long time though, sadly. Autocar predicts that we're unlikely to see the E-Tense in its final form until after 2018 to make way for the upcoming DS SUV, and could arrive as late as 2021. Whether or not DS decides to release it in the US is another matter entirely. If the E-Tense does make it into production, it's likely to use the same all-electric powertrain as the concept that produces 402 horsepower and 381 lb-ft of torque, powered by a lithium-ion battery pack resulting in a range of up to 224 miles, although the range could be extended with updated batteries. 0-62 mph takes a respectable 4.5 seconds, which probably isn't going to cause much concern for Tesla.

While DS seems hesitant to confirm production plans for the E-Tense since it's a radical deviation from its current hatchbacks and SUVs designed to increase its market share, PSA boss Carlos Tavares has expressed interest in making the E-Tense Concept a reality multiple times. Last year, the show car was also flaunted around the streets of Paris to test how the public reacted to its dashing supercar looks.