FRENCH premier car brand DS has announced its new DS 9 saloon will be priced from £40,615 when it arrives in the UK.

Top grade models will cost from £44,715 and plug-in hybrid versions will start from £46,100 topping out at £49,200.

The car is a luxury rival to the likes of Audi, BMW and Jaguar and is 4.93 metres long is similar to the BMW 5 Series.

It will be available either with a 225hp PureTech petrol engine or a PHEV powertrain which has a zero emission range of up to 34 miles. Both are fitted with eight-speed automatic transmissions.

The plug-in uses the same petrol engine mated to an electric motor and will also be available with a 350hp output and all-wheel-drive.

Two trim levels are being offered - Performance Line+ and Rivoli+ - and both come with active suspension which uses a camera to scan the road ahead, night vision and adaptive LED headlights and advanced driver aids including semi-autonomous driving ability.

The car - which joins the DS 7 Crossback SUV as the marque's larger models - will be on sale from April 8 and the first models are expected to be on the road later in the year.