FAST-growing French premium brand DS Automobiles is looking to take a bigger share of the European prestige market with the DS 4, an avant-garde, new SUV which will come with a raft of luxury sector, high-tech goodies.

Booming sales of the existing range of three DS models have already helped the Groupe PSA company outstrip Lexus' market share across Europe and the newcomer could see them challenging other premium brands.

It's not due to go on sale in the UK until November, but there's plenty to look forward too with a choice of petrol, diesel and petrol plug-in hybrid powertrains, the latter capable of up to 30 miles of all-electric driving from a single charge.

The company promises a range of advanced technologies which it says will be new to the segment, with features borrowed from the DS Aero Sport Lounge concept model.

Among them will be a smart touch system through which drivers can access essential functions on the centre console using hand gestures, without the need to touch the infotainment screen and a head-up display which appears to project key information directly onto the road in front of the driver.

The sleek, coupe-like bodywork features flush fitting door handles and there will be distinctive styling variations for each of the three trim levels - DS 4, DS 4 Cross and DS 4 Performance Line.

Advanced technologies will include an updated semi-autonomous driving system with three new features - semi-automatic overtaking, speed adjustment for corners and anticipated speed recommendations from signposts.

And the company is promising ride comfort of the highest order thanks to a camera-based system which views and anticipates irregularities in the road surface and transmits the data to a computer. The system controls each of the wheels independently and makes the suspension harder or softer depending on the amount of damping required.