Bastille Day Parade: What Car for Emmanuel Macron?

The presidential car chosen for the July 14 parade tells as much about the era as it does about the man who occupies it.

Since the birth of the Fifth Republic, presidents have marked their era through their choice of car. General de Gaulle inaugurated the tradition with a DS 19 elongated by Chapron, famously known for the Petit-Clamart attack. Georges Pompidou impressed with a unique, long and low Citroën SM, crafted for solemnity. Valéry Giscard d’Estaing preferred the sobriety of a CX Prestige, followed by François Mitterrand who also used the Renault 25 and the Citroën XM. Jacques Chirac and Nicolas Sarkozy continued with the Citroën C6, a model also chosen by François Hollande, who innovated in 2012 with a hybrid DS5, the first vehicle branded DS to officially enter the presidential convoy.

For the 2022 parade, Emmanuel Macron chose a restyled DS 7 Crossback Élysée, elongated, armored, and plug-in hybrid. Painted in ink blue, decorated with tricolor flags and specific wheels, this DS embodied modern republican luxury. He renewed this choice in 2023, reinforcing the place of DS Automobiles in the national protocol.

But in 2024, he surprised by getting aboard a Renault Rafale, a high-end coupe SUV, prepared for the Élysée with armor, “night blue” color, and custom finishes. Renault thus reclaimed its place in the republican ceremonial.

The DS N°8 Debuts in 2025

On May 8, 2025, Emmanuel Macron unveiled the DS N°8 Presidential, the first 100% electric presidential car in France. Designed specifically for the Élysée, it offers 750 km of range, is equipped with full armor, features a leather interior with marquetry, and has meticulous tricolor finishing. A technological and stylistic showcase of French expertise.

The official choice for tomorrow’s parade is not yet confirmed, but it is likely that Emmanuel Macron will choose between the Renault Rafale, in service since last year, and the DS N°8 Presidential, an electric innovation available to the head of state since early May.

Unsurprisingly, we bet that the DS N°8 Presidential will be chosen for the July 14, 2025 parade, offering a powerful symbol. France at the forefront of innovation and energy transition, while reconnecting with a great DS tradition for state representation. However, the Renault Rafale remains a plausible alternative if protocol or logistical criteria prefer a more tried-and-tested model. An electrical failure on the Champs-Élysées would be a setback…

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