There and back again - 19 June 2024

Motoring Podcast - News Show

FOLLOW UP: SURPRISE EU TARIFF RATES

The EU has announced the rates for interim tariffs on Chinese made cars coming to the continent. These are surprisingly high, in some cases. The differences per brand is due to the level of cooperation they provided the investigators and what state aid they receive. To read more, click this Politco article link here.

To read another interesting article from Politico, explaining how the EU’s moves are very similar to those China made decades ago, click this link here.

FOLLOW UP: WAYMO UPDATES SOFTWARE

Waymo has updated the software for its autonomous cars, with the hope that it now can spot and avoid obstacles such as telegraph poles. We wait, with bated breath, as to what the next “edge case” might be. If you wish to read more, click this link from The Register.

FOLLOW UP: JLR INVESTING £1M TO COUNTER CAR THEFTS

JLR is allocating £1 million to help counter car thefts in the UK. Some of the money will be used to provide the police with more assistance, the rest will be to pay for a new policing unit, who will gather intelligence on car crime. You can find out more, by clicking this link here to an AMOnline article.

FOLLOW UP: FISKER APPLIES FOR BANKRUPTCY

Succumbing to the inevitable, Fisker has announced it has applied for bankruptcy protection, in the US. As our Lunchtime Read last week outlined, the company has been hit by mismanagement from the outset which became increasingly worse as they approached making an actual car. Click here to read more, from Autocar.

MI5 NEEDS CAR TECHNICIANS FOR ITS FLEET

MI5 has a job opportunity for a ‘vehicle technician’, where the successful applicant will be expected to perform routine servicing through to rebuilding transmissions. If you wish to learn more, click this Garage Wire article link here.

DUNDEE INSTALLS FIRST RETRACTABLE EV CHARGERS

UEone is operating 18 7kW on-street chargers across the city of Dundee. These chargers, when not in use, sink so that their top is flush with the ground, until activated. The idea is that it frees up the pavement, for users, when not being used. To read more, click this article link from EV Powered.

SURREY COUNCIL INSTALL SOLAR POWERED EV CHARGING STATION

Surrey Council have installed a pre-fabricated solar powered EV charging station, that will be able to charge up to 12 EVs at seven, 11 or 22kW simultaneously. Similar set ups have been installed at Silverstone and Raigmore Hospital in Inverness. If you wish to read more, click this Current News article link here.

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NEW NEW CAR NEWS -

Fiat Grande Panda

Fiat has revealed the Grande Panda, which is larger than the current model. Sharing the same platform, technology and many of the body panels of the Citroën C3, this chunky small SUV will come in EV, hybrid and ICE configurations. Click this Autocar link here, to find out more.

Smart #5

Sized very similarly to the Peugeot 5008, this five seat SUV will have a range topping 637bhp, enabling the large vehicle to get from 0-62mph in less than three seconds, it is expected. We fail to see why anyone would need to do so, but there you go. Originally pencilled in to come to the UK at £35,000, we will have to wait and see if that remains the same after the EU moves on tariffs. Click this Autocar article link to read more.

Alpine A290

Pitched as the gateway car to the brand, Alpine have taken the covers off the A290, a reengineered Renault 5. It is wider, lighter and wears more aggressive bodywork than the car it is based on. The warm hatch is to start at around £36,000. For those wanting to learn more, click this Autocar link here.

JLR to partner with Chery on platforms

A month after denying that they will be using Chery platforms on their new models, JLR confirm that they, in fact, will be doing so. The Chinese company will supply one modular platform for ICE and hybrid vehicles and another for EVs. Click this electrive article link to read more.

Volvo recalls the EX30 over software glitch

Volvo is recalling the EX30 due to a software glitch that puts the central control screen into test mode. This is particularly troublesome for owners as operating the cars is very dependent on this interface. Volvo are contacting owners and state this can be fixed with an over-the-air update. If you wish to learn more, please click this EV Powered article link here.

DESIGNERS MOOD BOARD: CHAN PARK HEADS UP SKODA INTERIORS

Chan Park will replace Peter Olah as the head of interiors at Skoda. He moves from Nio to this post, having also previously worked for the likes of Pininfarina and Audi. Olah will lead Skoda’s On Design Identity strategy. If you want to read more, click this Autocar article link here.

LUNCHTIME READ: LACK OF REAL ENTHUSIASTS IS HURTING THE CAR INDUSTRY

The Autopian bing us a conversation with Bob Lutz at the Classic Car Club Manhattan, where he runs through his career and gives his opinions on the current state of the industry. Illuminating stuff from a man who is a titan of the car world. Click this link here to read and watch more.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 22 CARS THAT ARE 25 IN 2024

Classic & Sports Car brings us a selection of cars from 25 years ago to run through. Do you agree with the chap’s choices? Let us know what you would have from the options provided. Click here to see what you can choose from.

AND FINALLY: TOUR CITROËN CONSERVATOIRE BEFORE IS CLOSES

Ian Seabrook eventually makes it to and from Paris, as he had to visit the Citroën Conservatoire before it is shut by Stellantis. Click here to watch the Top 10 video first.

Once you’ve done that, click here to watch the 29 minute walk around.

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