Citroen's funky DS3 revealed

Citroen's rival for the MINI, Fiat 500 and Alfa Romeo MiTo is due to debut at next month's Frankfurt motor show, but the accompanying images have already been officially released, revealing the funky new hatch in all its glory.

Designated the DS3 -- and following in the wake of the DS3 Inside concept revealed earlier this year at the Geneva motor show -- the newcomer is expected here in the third quarter of next year, with pricing starting around the $30K mark.

The DS nameplate is an iconic one for Citroen, having debuted on the 1955 Flaminio Bertoni-designed executive sedan that pioneered self-levelling hydropneumatic suspension and a streamlined, mould-breaking bodyshell.

The DS was discontinued in 1975, but its legacy remained undimmed as it came third in the 1999 Car of the Century competition (which recognised the world's most influential auto designs), and was named the most beautiful car of all time by the prestigious Classic & Sports Car magazine.

In this context, the new DS3 has large wheeltracks to fill, and Citroen's crayon wielders have come up with an appropriately radical design for the premium small car, which shares its architecture with the next-gen C3, due next year.

It will be followed in due course by premium versions of the C4 and C5 -- dubbed DS4 and DS5 respectively. The DS4 is due to go on sale in 2011, while the upper-medium sized DS5 is due thereafter.

These pics reveal the production-ready DS3 remains true to the Geneva concept with its elaborately contoured headlights, LED daytime running lights and gaping-mouthed grille featuring the marque's familiar twin-chevron logo.

The unusual B-pillar treatment also remains, but twin exhausts replace the concept's centrally-housed single tailpipe.

There will reportedly be a strong emphasis on customisation, with buyers able to specify a black, white, blue or red roof, with graphics also on the menu -- in other words, a similar approach to that of the Mini.

Wing mirrors will be available in body colour or chrome, and the coloured wheel centres will also be offered in an array of hues. Similarly, interior trim will be served up in a range of colours and finishes.

Engine choices here will include a 1.6-litre diesel and a petrol unit -- both turbocharged -- mated to either an auto or manual gearbox.

Crucially, Citroen is billing the DS3 as a genuine five-seater -- unlike the Mini or Fiat 500 -- and boot capacity is said to displace a respectable 285 litres.

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