Following its unveiling at the Geneva International Motor Show in March, the upgraded four-model Kia Niro series is now on sale in the UK from £24,590 for the petrol hybrid to £31,945 for the plug-in hybrid ev version. Enhanced for 2019 with a new exterior design, a more upscale, high-quality interior and enhanced connectivity, the Hybrid and Plug-in Hybrid … [Read more...]
East & West are best together, says expert
European and Chinese car makers need to work more closely together, says Erik Jonnaert, ACEA Secretary General. They account for half of all passenger cars sold and built around the world and the regions are emerging as the major global regulatory powers, setting ambitious standards and targets for tomorrow’s vehicles. Last year, the Chinese car market … [Read more...]
Newslines 2 April
Dacia has launched its new top-of-the-range Techroad special editions, with deliveries from April. It’s available on All-New Duster, Logan MCV Stepway and Sandero Stepway. exclusively in two new colours: Fusion Red and Highland Grey. Car makers are struggling to make money in the world’s biggest market, China, reports Automotive News Europe. A … [Read more...]
Newslines 8 March
The forthcoming Aston Martin DBX going into production in Wales later this year has been undergoing cold-weather testing in Sweden's arctic circle. Pirelli’s R&D Sottozero Centre at the Flurheden Proving Ground provides a range of extreme environments, from snowy roads to ice handling courses, allowing Aston Martin’s vehicle dynamics specialists – led … [Read more...]
Tradelines 6 March
A proposed ban on commercial vehicles using tyres over ten years old has attracted qualified support from the Freight Tansport Association. It says many member fleets would need tyres replacing inside a decade but some very low mileage vehicles should be exempt from the ban. About 79M cars were sold worldwide in 2018, say the manufacturers. There … [Read more...]
JLR sustains big losses in three months
Massive losses have been recorded by JLR. It has reported a £3.4B quarterly loss after writing down the value of its cars and plants. Last month it announced a 10% cut in its 42,500 employees, mostly in the UK. It is the third consecutive quarterly loss after it was hit by U.S.-China trade tensions, low demand for diesel cars in Europe and Brexit … [Read more...]
Car production & investment sharply down – SMMT
British car production fell by 9 percent last year - the most since the recession ten years ago. Analysis by the SMMT suggests investment slumped by nearly half due to fears about Brexit, said the SMMT. Volumes have also been hit by a crackdown on diesel, tougher emissions rules disrupting new vehicle supply and a slowdown in China, the world’s no. 1 … [Read more...]
Newslines 17 July
Opel will give evidence to German authorities investigating emissions tampering. About 60,000 diesel models with Euro6 engines are thought to be affected and NOx limits are reported to be ten-times statutory levels. Bosch has been ordered to hand over e-mails with Porsche over software settings for engine management. Investors taking court action … [Read more...]
Aston Martin boosting education and engineering – in China
Aston Martin will be investing in a new design and innovation partnership with Tongji University in Shanghai, one of the world’s leading universities in this field. Aston Martin’s EVP and Chief Creative Officer, Marek Reichman will become a visiting professor, sharing his knowledge with the students via lectures and workshops. The first project of this … [Read more...]
China announces tough new EV quotas for 2019
The announcement yesterday by China of quotas on imports and production for electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles is a game changer. It is a boost to decarbonising transport and a wake-up call to the EU to not be left behind in cleaning up its car fleet, sustainable transport group Transport & Environment (T&E) has said. The European Commission … [Read more...]
