Italian niche car manufacturer DR Groupe is expected to unveil a fourth member of rapidly its growing model range at next month's 79th Geneva Motor Show; this time the car to be presented will give it a contender in B-segment. The firm, based in the City of Isernia between Rome and Naples, was founded by Italian entrepreneur Massimo di Risio, and is already one of the biggest dealership groups in Italy. It was di Risio's dream to build his own-brand cars and DR Groupe, which also made an abortive bid to buy Bertone's bankrupt manufacturing operations just over a year ago, assembles Chinese Chery Automotive-sourced cars in Italy from CKD kits.

DR Groupe kicked off assembly a little over a year ago with the DR5, a 5-door medium sized SUV vehicle sourced from Chery Automotive in China. Last December, DR Group presented a small A-segment city car, dubbed as the DR1, at the Bologna Motor Show, and now the ambitious firm is seeking to enter B-segment this summer with the new DR2. DR Groupe is already starting to make its mark with sales in Italy, with 1,953 units of its DR5 being sold last year, its first full year on sale, thanks in part to the firm being one of Italy's biggest dealership groups. A further 169 examples of the DR5 were added to this tally last month; it is priced in Italy at 16,900 euros for the petrol version and 21,900 euros for the turbodiesel.

Now, according to a report in Quattroruote this week, the new DR2 will be previewed at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Presenting its cars at the prestigious Swiss show marks an emboldened strategy for DR Groupe which harbours ambitious plans to sell its Chery-based cars outside Italy.

According to Quattroruote the DR2 will be more than 30 mm shorter than its immediate B-segment rivals, the Peugeot 207 and Fiat Grande Punto, both of which are 4030 mm long. It will be fitted with the same 83 bhp 1.3-litre petrol engine seen in the DR1 at the Bologna Motor Show, and this will push the small 5-door car from 0-100 km/h in 12.1 seconds and to a top speed of 156 km/h. The DR2 will arrive in the Italian showrooms around one month after the commercialisation of the A-segment DR1. The DR2 will include features such as climate control, adjustable door mirrors, central locking, optional alloy wheels and the use of chromed trims on the dashboard.