DS Taylor Made N°4: When the Racing Driver Meets the Marketing Department
The French luxury brand DS decided to remind the world once again of its Formula E ambitions by rolling out the Taylor Made N°4 concept car. Behind the name lies a fairly transparent pun and a collaborative project with DS factory driver Taylor Barnard. Although the car’s appearance tries to exude extremism and track-day vibes, it quickly became clear that this is purely a design exercise destined never to see a production line. This entire suite of aggressive body panels and futuristic lighting was created with a single goal: to prime customers for the upcoming Performance Line special editions.
The show car is packed with details intended to emphasize its uniqueness, ranging from a titanium-inspired color palette to aerodynamic wheels emblazoned with Barnard’s racing number, 77. The young driver himself modestly noted that he drew inspiration from both electric racing and video games. The latter is perhaps the car's most realistic application, as the Taylor Made N°4 is slated to be added as a virtual vehicle to a popular racing game in the near future. Technically, however, everything remains the same: no changes were made under the hood or within the battery pack, meaning the "extremism" this time around is limited to fresh paint and plastic.
Meanwhile, the standard DS N°4 continues its usual path in Europe, offering buyers a choice between a 213-horsepower electric drivetrain and a 145-horsepower hybrid. While the former can—on paper—cover 450 kilometers on a single charge, the latter offers a total range of 1,000 kilometers through the cooperation of fuel and electricity. For those left longing for the Taylor Made’s sporty aesthetic, there is a consolation prize: a 240-horsepower gasoline-electric hybrid arriving in February, which might actually perform a bit more like its new design concept promises.
