DS Automobiles has announced that is officially launching within Iran now the sanctions are lifting.

DS brand is officially launched in Iran today. Together with country’s personalities, journalists and potential clients, Yves Bonnefont, DS Brand CEO and Daryoush Biria, president of ARIAN Group, inaugurated the DS STORE Tehran and announced the commercial launch of two models: DS 5 and DS 6.

Three and a half months after the announcement of its arrival in the Iranian market and its partnership with ARIAN Group, DS brand is officially launched today in Iran. The ceremony was attended by Yves Bonnefont, CEO of DS brand, Daryoush Biria, president of ARIAN Group and His Excellency Bruno Foucher, French Ambassador in Tehran.

"DS Brand is undergoing a major step in its international development! Iran is a key country for us and contributes to our ambition of radiating the French luxury know-how in automobile.” said Yves Bonnefont, CEO of DS brand," the experience of our partner Arian Group is a major asset for success. "

For Daryoush Biria, president of ARIAN Group, "The DS brand is synonymous with design, technology, refinement and French elegance. We are delighted to be the exclusive distributor of DS brand in Iran and I do not doubt that Iranian customers will be thrilled by these great cars. ". 

Nearly 200 people, journalists, local personalities and potential customers attended this important moment for both partners. A meeting held in Tehran DS STORE. Inaugurated at the same time, the DS STORE is located in the northern districts of the city on one of the most attractive avenues, the Andarzgou Boulevard. The DS Store is the first in the Middle East!

In a space of 275 m2, customers can now immerse themselves in the DS universe. Modern facade, sleek design, featuring the DS frame finish, lacquered furniture, plasma screens, photos depicting Paris, fashion, luxury or design, the atmosphere is cosy and high-end. The cars on display, up to six models, are turned towards the entrance to catch the eye of the visitor upon arrival. 

The commercial launch of the first DS cars started as launched. DS 5, the flagship of the brand, and DS 6, brand’s SUV with powerful and elegant style, are the starting bid. 

Two models are proposed in ‘Sport Chic’ version, the most upscale with equipment of powerful and efficient engines and 6-speed automatic gearboxes. The refinement and attention to detail are featured; all models have a Nappa leather or semi-aniline finish bracelet seats, the DS exclusive offer and full leather dashboards. 

The range will be enriched during 2016 with the arrival of DS 5LS, the statutory sedan and other models. 

Key figures : Iran has approximately 80 million populations of which 70% live in urban areas and 15 million in the metropolitan area of the capital, Tehran.   Iran is the second population of the Middle East North African region.   2/3 of the Iranian population is aged under 30. Iran is rich in fossil resources, with 11% of the world’s oil reserves and 15% of its gas reserves. The ARIAN Group, specializing in automobile distribution since 2011, stands out particularly in terms of service quality. Based in Tehran, the ARIAN Group imports, distributes and provides after-sales in Iran according to the standards of the brand.

Is it possible that Alfa Romeo could make a return to the World of Formula One ?

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles could bring the Alfa Romeo brand back to Formula One as a competitor to Ferrari, CEO Sergio Marchionne said.

"It's incredible how the Alfa marque remains in people's hearts," Marchionne, who is also Ferrari chairman, told reporters in an end-of-season news conference at the Italian team's Maranello headquarters.

"For that very reason we are thinking about bringing it back, as our competitor, to racing, to Formula One. It's important for Alfa to return."

Ferrari's red cars have carried Alfa Romeo branding already this season.

FCA is planning to spin off Ferrari and has already disposed of 10 percent of its stake in a stock market debut, with plans to divide the remaining 80 percent among shareholders next year. Piero Ferrari, the son of company founder Enzo Ferrari, holds a 10 percent stake.

There were also discussions with Red Bull, which never came to fruition, about possibly using Ferrari engines with Alfa Romeo branding next year. Red Bull ultimately decided to continue with an engine provided by Renault.

Ferrari are due to supply three non-works teams -- Swiss-based Sauber, American newcomers Haas and Red Bull-owned Toro Rosso -- with their power unit next season, although the latter outfit will use a 2015 version.

Ferrari's late founder Enzo Ferrari started out racing and managing a team for Alfa Romeo before setting up on his own in the late 1930s.

The first two Formula One world championships in 1950 and 1951 were won by Italian Giuseppe 'Nino' Farina and Argentine Juan Manuel Fangio in Alfa Romeo cars.

The company supplied engines in the 1960s and 1970s and returned as a constructor in 1979 before again withdrawing at the end of 1985.

Fiat Chrysler has a 48 billion euro ($52.85 billion) five-year investment plan centered on turning Alfa Romeo, Jeep and Maserati into global brands. Fiat bought Alfa Romeo in 1986.

Several attempts at reviving the brand have stalled, however, and only about 72,000 Alfa Romeo cars were sold in 2014. Marchionne has said he aims to lift that to 400,000 by 2018.

Kris Meeke to remain with Citroen during 2016 to test the new WRC car ready for a full 2017 run.

A month after it announced the launch of a new WRC programme to begin in 2017, Citroën Racing has confirmed that it will be continuing to work with Kris Meeke for the next three years. In 2016, the British driver’s main task will be to work on the development of the new World Rally Car designed by Citroën Racing.

Having joined the Citroën Total Abu Dhabi World Rally Team at the end of the 2013 season, Kris Meeke has established himself as one of the few drivers genuinely capable of challenging the dominant leaders of the World Rally Championship. Despite his relative inexperience – having only contested 34 WRC rallies by the end of 2015 – the Northern Irishman claimed his first win earlier this year after a perfectly controlled performance at Rally Argentina.

Constantly progressing and still with plenty of room for improvement, Kris Meeke represents the first part of the plan put together by Citroën Racing for its return to top-level competition in 2017.

After signing a contract that runs until the end of 2018, Kris Meeke and his co-driver Paul Nagle will be able to continue to flourish whilst taking on some ambitious new challenges.

“Various options were available to me to pursue my career, but I chose to stay with Citroën Racing to reap the rewards of the work done over the last two years or more,” commented Kris Meeke. “It’s also a way of thanking the team for the faith they have shown in me. 

We now know each other very well and this understanding will be essential in developing the new car successfully. I’m very excited about everything that lies ahead in the next few months. I began my career in motorsport as a design engineer so although I can’t wait to get into the car, I’ll be following every stage of the design and assembly of the first car with great interest. 

I’m also very excited about the new FIA regulations, which look set to deliver more powerful and more spectacular cars! Obviously, all of this work is geared towards me being able to fight for more wins and for the world title. 

Citroën Racing is a team with a winning mentality, with fifteen world titles, eight of which were won in the WRC. I am extremely pleased to be part of this new chapter in the history of such a prestigious brand.”

“In terms of our new programme, above all else we wanted an experienced, top-level driver, with sound technical knowledge,” added Yves Matton, Citroën Racing Team Principal. 

“Kris was undoubtedly the best choice and we are delighted that he has decided to stay with us. We have a lot of shared history, with two seasons in the JWRC in the 2000s and then the last couple of years with the DS 3 WRC. 

However, the most important part of his career is ahead of him, with three seasons to develop and achieve success in the successor to the Xsara, C4 and DS 3 WRC! In 2016, the test programme will be the priority for Kris from April, when initial testing of the new car is set to begin. 

He will nonetheless keep his hand in as regards racing by taking part in several rounds of the World Championship. Initial details of this private programme will be revealed shortly.”

KRIS MEEKE

– Date and place of birth: 2 July 1979 in Dungannon (Northern Ireland)

– Competitive debut: 2000

– First WRC rally: 2002 Wales GB Rally

– WRC rallies: 66

– WRC wins: 1 (Argentina 2015)

– WRC podium finishes: 7

– Stage wins: 23

2015: 5th in the WRC (DS 3 WRC)

2014: 7th in the WRC (DS 3 WRC)

2013: 2 rallies in a DS 3 WRC

2011: 11th in the WRC (Mini Countryman WRC)

2010: 3rd in the IRC (Peugeot 207 Super 2000)

2009: IRC Champion (Peugeot 207 Super 2000)

2006: 7th in the JWRC (Citroën C2 Super 1600)

2005: 3rd in the JWRC (Citroën C2 Super 1600)

2004: 7th in the JWRC (Opel Corsa Super 1600)

2003: British Junior Rally Champion and 14th in the JWRC (Opel Corsa Super 1600)

2002: British Junior Rally Champion (Ford Puma Super 1600)

2001: Peugeot 106 Super Cup

Abarth has high hopes, for a WRC return, higher sales, more dealers, more models and a brighter future.

Fiat's Abarth unit, which is on track to boost sales by 50 percent this year, plans to more than double its global dealership network as it expands its lineup, said Paolo Gagliardo, who heads the performance subbrand.

Abarth is on course to increase global sales to about 10,000 cars this year, Gagliardo told journalists here early this month, despite only offering tuned versions of the Fiat 500.

Next year Abarth will add a new model, Gagliardo said without being specific.

Abarth's head of marketing, Fabrizio Simoni, told Automotive News Europe the brand wants to offer versions of Fiat's 500X subcompact SUV and the new Fiat 124 Spider, but he declined to say when the models would launch.

'Keep growing'

“We want to keep growing and stabilize at a certain level,” Gagliardo said, without giving an estimate of what that level could be. He said the brand now has 300 Abarth sales points within existing Fiat dealerships and will expand that to 750, without giving a timeframe.

He said that Abarth sales were worth a lot both to dealerships and to parent company Fiat Chrysler. 

“It's a huge business opportunity. Our cars are premium-priced,” he said, adding that Abarth variants of the Fiat 500 start at 18,000 euros ($19,000) compared with a the 13,600 starting price for a base 500 variant in Italy. The numbers only grow from there. 

“You find new Abarths selling for up to 40,000 euro even 50,000 euros,” said Gagliardo, who declined to reveal Abarth's average profit margin.

Rally return

A mock-up of the 124 Abarth roadster was shown on the sidelines of the event to a select group. The car is significant because a source at the event said Fiat would use a high-performance variant of the 124 to make its return to the World Rally Championship in a planned new category for rear-wheel-drive sports cars. Fiat's last success in the WRC came in the late '70s and early '80s with the 131 Abarth.

The source had no technical details on the racecar but said the Abarth version of the 124 that will be sold in dealerships will use higher-power versions of the 140-hp 1.4-liter turbocharged gasoline engine planned for the base Fiat 124, which goes on sale in Europe in next May.

Top markets

Abarth's biggest markets are the UK and Italy, which currently tie for first place in sales, Gagliardo said. The UK arm of Abarth plans to increase its dealerships to 105 by the end of next year from 68 now, a spokesman said. The third-biggest market is Japan, where the 124 Abarth will be built alongside the 124 Spider, the source said. Both Fiats are variants of the new-generation Mazda MX-5.

Abarth's aspirations

• Increase global sales points to 750 from 300
• Increase lineup to 3 from 1
• Increase sales 50% to 10,000
• Return Fiat to the World Rally Championship

Nick Gibbs

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