Citroën DS Numéro 9 set to woo new Chinese bourgeoisie [w/video]

The Citroën DS Numéro 9, which will make its debut at the Beijing auto show, marks a return of luxury French motoring – a segment the nation has shied away from in recent years. This follows the poor sales of cars such as the Renault Vel Satis, Peugeot 607 and Citroën's own C6 beyond the handful of examples commandeered to whisk French politicians between Parisian Arrondissements. However while the desire for Gallic limos has all but died in their traditional heartlands, the demand for European luxe amongst the growing Chinese bourgeoisie – be it fashion, wine or cars – offers a new lifeline to the French curios we all love other people to own.

Design Contest: Renault Design competition 'Imagine Espace in 2024'

The competition to 'Imagine Espace in 2024' has been won by Romain Gauvin, a fifth-year student at Strate Coll?ge in Paris. Renault Design organized the competition to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the Espace, inviting entries from students at its partner design schools in France (Strate Coll?ge) and Germany (Pforzheim University). "My intention was to design a car that travels on the ground yet feels like it is soaring through the sky, like flying a hang-glider", explains Romain Gauvin.

The next McLaren supercar will be called the 650S

We've known that McLaren has a pair of additional models in the works, including a Porsche 911-fighting, 12C-based sports car known only as the P13 and another car positioned between the 12C and the P1. Previously, we'd heard the code name “P15” tossed around in reference to that latter car, but McLaren has officially christened it the 650S ahead of its world debut at the upcoming Geneva motor show. According to the automaker, the 650S “takes learnings from both the 12C as well as the sell-out McLaren P1 [ed note: there has to be a better way to say that] and will be positioned between the two on McLaren Automotive's supercar grid.“ We liked the 12C, and we really, really liked the P1.