Everyone wants to play their part, however small, in protecting the planet for future generations. But we all still have to live and work in the modern world with its work, family, social and financial considerations. That usually means needing access to at least one car for most households. Car buyers look closely at running costs and most assume a fuel-efficient vehicle will also be … [Read more...]
BREAKING NEWS: Welsh engine line moving to Midlands
Jaguar Land Rover is moving its petrol V8 engine line from the Ford Bridgend Engine Plant to its in-house power centre at Wolverhampton. Workers at the South Wales engine plant, which will close next month, have been building buffer stocks of the V8 engines to continue supplies to the luxury car maker until it can resume production in the West Midlands. Ford Bridgend has been building the Jaguar … [Read more...]
Classics become contemporary as sales boom
Owning, restoring and driving a classic car is a common dream, but it requires significant investment at every stage – in both time and money. Such desirable, high-value vehicles are inevitably also a common target for professional thieves meeting demand for vintage cars and their parts in the UK and across Europe. Stolen vehicle recovery (SVR) expert, Tracker, is sharing tips to help first-time … [Read more...]
Behind the Wheel: Driving towards a cliff
Tens of thousands of more jobs are likely to disappear from the UK automotive sector before the end of the year, writes Robin Roberts. Some 11,349 jobs so far axed following lockdown will grow and despite this week’s 11% rise in new car registrations the outlook is bleak. That’s because the first upturn in showroom sales came at the end of three months when all showrooms were in … [Read more...]
Ford secure loan guarantees for Dagenham engine plant
As Ford prepare to close their Bridgend Engine Plant this year with the loss of about 1,200 jobs, the company has secured a UK Government underwritten £500M loan to support its Dagenham engine plant. The guarantee covers 80 percent of a £625M loan from commercial banks to support the automaker’s substantial exports of engines and transmissions from Britain. The guarantee will help Ford to … [Read more...]
Flat-pack EV platform builds on success
Israel-based REE Automotive (REE), the electric platform leader reinventing e-Mobility, has won the 2020 BloombergNEF (BNEF) Pioneer award. REE has been named as one of ten game-changing companies by Bloomberg - the global business and financial information news leader - for its breakthrough EV platform, which is completely flat, scalable and modular and offers customers full design freedom to … [Read more...]
Cardiff-led consortium win £44m for CS chip cluster
A Cardiff University-led consortium has won a £43.7m bid to develop a Compound Semiconductor powerhouse in South Wales which will help future automotive, communications and transport systems among other industries. Government funding provided through UK Research and Innovation’s flagship Strength in Places Fund will build a world-leading cluster of excellence in CS technologies bringing economic … [Read more...]
Wales’ Ineos Grenadier 4×4 unwrapped
This is the new Ineos Grenadier. INEOS Automotive today reveals the exterior design of the Grenadier, its forthcoming, no-nonsense 4x4 vehicle for the world, as another step on the road towards start of production. Heavily influenced by the previous Land Rover Defender loved by Ineos boss Sir Jim Ratcliffe, it will be built in a new factory at Brocastle Industrial Estate, Bridgend as … [Read more...]
Covid-19 virus impact being felt as time passes
The true impact of the Covid-19 lockdown and loss of new car production is beginning to be appreciated. UK showrooms closed for over 12 weeks but the factories making cars closed for varying periods of time and this contrasted with other parts of the world where the impact was much less. Although the global automotive industry has been hard hit due to COVID-19, the UK market has suffered … [Read more...]
Newslines 29 June
The Kia e-Niro range is expanding to three trim levels and brings a less powerful 39kW unit to attract more buyers from £29,595 after the PiCG. The 180-miles e-Niro 2 joins the 3 and flagship 4+ models, which have the 64kW battery and do 282 miles on a charge and cost £33,850 and £36,145 after grants. The registration number “O9” is being sold at The Silverstone Classic Live Online Auction on … [Read more...]