IT'S A good job Citroen's DS3 has a wide rear hatch ... it'll probably need it if the French maker ever decides to inscribe the name of the latest version across the rear end.

Thankfully, the badging on the latest DS 3's backside is relatively subdued, but it revels in what could be one of the longest monikers in modern motoring ... DS 3 PureTech 110 S&S EAT6. Add on the name of the body style and the trim package and it gets even longer - as in the range-topping DS3 Cabrio PureTech 110 S&S EAT6 DStyle Nav.

Quite a mouthful. But what exactly does it all mean?

The significant new bit is EAT6 - nothing to do with a multi-course meal, but, in fact, a brand new six-speed auto transmission system which, according to Citroen, provides faster and smoother gear shifts as well as enhanced drivability, responsiveness and acceleration.

The new EAT6 auto gearbox is coupled with a three-cylinder PureTech 110 turbocharged petrol engine, which produces high levels of torque from low engine revs. The combination provides impressive efficiency figures with combined cycle fuel consumption of 60.1mpg for the hatchback models and 57.6mpg for Cabrio versions and a CO emissions figure of 108g/km for the hatchback, down by 42g/km compared with the previous generation VTi 120 4-speed automatic. CO emissions are 112g/km for the Cabrio.

Both hatchback and cabrio versions of the DS 3 are available with this new transmission in DStyle and Dstyle Nav configurations at prices starting from £17,495. First deliveries are scheduled for late June 2015.