Nissan is giving its blessing to the $35 billion (£27.7 billion) merger of Renault with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, according to the Nikkei newspaper. The plan raises difficult questions about how Nissan would fit into a radically changed alliance with Renault, its current partner Mitsubishi, and the FCA group and comes after FCA and PSA failed to progress talks on collaboration earlier this … [Read more...]
FCA and Renault talk of merger
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles want to merge with Renault in a $35B deal which the French car maker is seriously considering. French and Italian Governments would have a say in the venture, which is likely to be based in the Netherlands for tax reasons, and which would bring synergies for both sides, reducing development costs and production, without major drawbacks. Renault has been hitting … [Read more...]
Weekend roadtest: VW T-Roc Design 1.6TDI
Volkswagen were quick to enter the MPV market yet took their time when it came to the modern SUV sector, but it’s been worth the wait for the medium-sized T-Roc. There’s a very wide range of T-Roc models from which to choose with petrol or diesel engines, manual and automatic transmissions and a number of trim levels, all carefully packaged to tempt you to move on … [Read more...]
Newslines 10 May
Wales First Minister Mark Drakeford said 20mph speed limits should be the default in residential areas. Speaking in the Assembly, he said main arterial roads could have 30mph limits but residential areas should be lower. Fatal road accidents are this year increasing in Cheshire. In 2018, 46 people lost their lives as a result of a road traffic collision but so far this year 22 people have … [Read more...]
First drive: VW T-Cross
With SUV styled vehicles now taking close to, or in some countries, over 40% of the new car market, manufacturers from budget to luxury brands have wasted no time in covering all angles in terms of size, performance and price, writes David Miles. Another new SUV range is now joining the fray, the Volkswagen T-Cross, an urban SUV which sits below in size and price their popular T-Roc … [Read more...]
Newslines 7 May
The Hyundai Ioniq has been upgraded and given new connectivity and wifi improvements. These come along with a new battery pack in the ev versions and subtle cosmetic changes inside and out. Smell and colour changes caused by smoking in a car could wipe off £2,000 at its trade in, says valuation specialists HPI. The cost is taken off the value because the car would have to be fully valeted … [Read more...]
Welsh business recharges classic cars
Classic cars are being given a new life for the 21st century with a “heart” transplant and an electric powertrain by a Welsh enthusiast and engineer. Richard Morgan set up Electric Classic Cars in Newtown to give much-loved classics and popular cars a new lease of life with a modern twist. “I use to compete in the British Historic Rally Championship while I worked as a software engineer in … [Read more...]
Tesla Model 3 tops EU EV charts in first month
The new Tesla Model 3 has shot to the top of European electric car registrations in its debut month. The European car market registered its sixth consecutive month of decline in February 2019, as 1.14 million vehicles were registered. This was largely because February marked a month of uncertainty for many of the bigger European markets, such as Spain, where registrations fell by 10% … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 March
Volkswagen will cut up to 7,000 positions, boost productivity and deliver 5.9 billion euros of annual savings at its core VW brand by 2023, in its latest attempt to raise profitability at its top-selling division. It anticipates the jobs to be taken out of administrative roles but acknowledges it will need less assembly workers as it moves towards more electric vehicles and will review its … [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 was a noticeable drop in Chinese … [Read more...]