In the Frankfurt motor show edition of Autocar confidential, we hear how Volkswagen kept order at the revealing of its new ID 3, how things are looking for Mini’s first electric model, and more. Keeping the (Green)peace Volkswagen was taking no chances, given the threat of protesters disrupting its Frankfurt press conference, and had a ring of burly security guards set 20m from the stage to give anyone who dared to move within range the evil eye. It worked: despite the presence of Greenpeace protesters outside, the conference passed without incident. Goodbye-ton Byton CTO David Twohig claimed the surprise departure of joint founder Carsten Breitfeld is “normal for a start-up”. He said: “If Carsten had left earlier, it would be a serious blow. But we were stable by the time he left. He was a visionary, but now the priority is getting that vision to production”. The production M-Byte electric SUV, shown at Frankfurt and on sale in Europe by 2021, could also be offered in right-hand drive “if there’s enough interest”, Twohig said. Shocking demand for Mini’s EV Mini has taken 60,000 expressions of interest in its new Electric model, order books for which opened during the show. It’s the first time Mini has run a pre-sales programme and sales are well ahead of where the company expected them to be, according to its boss, Bernd Körber. Pura Vision… without the vision Automobili Pininfarina showed its new Pura Vision SUV concept in Frankfurt – but took away our iPhone for a picture that would have been worth 1000 words… Perhaps a cross between a Lamborghini Urus and an Aston Martin DB11 best describes it, but it’s elegant in a way most SUVs simply aren’t. We expect Automobili Pininfarina to reveal it next
Origin: Autocar confidential: Volkswagen’s rowdy crowds, Mini’s sales success and more
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Autocar confidential: Citroen says comfort is crucial, Fiat won’t downsize and more
As we flick through our notes this week, we learn why Fiat won’t make a Renault Twizy rival, why the new Evoque will attract more buyers than its predecessor, and more. Fiat stays full-sized Despite its expertise in small cars, Fiat will not make a quadricycle-based city car such as the Renault Twizy or Seat Minimo (pictured), according to boss Olivier François. “They answer a need because 16-year-olds can drive them,” he said, “but they won’t help (EU) CO2 (fleet) targets as quadricycles aren’t counted. Evoque has room for improvement Some 60% OF Evoque customers are conquests from other brands, but Land Rover marketing boss Anthony Bradbury reckons that figure will rise even higher with the second-generation version. Referencing the old model’s shortage of space, he said: “That was one reason the car was rejected by some, so now that’s been addressed, this gives us another chance in conquest audience.” Citroen’s lounging around Citroen boss Linda Jackson believes the impending rise of autonomous systems will reward the firm’s key focus on comfort. “There aren’t many manufacturers talking primarily about comfort, and if we’re going to be spending more time in our cars, it has to be friendly and comfortable,” she
Origin: Autocar confidential: Citroen says comfort is crucial, Fiat won’t downsize and more
Autocar confidential: Alfa plots next-gen Giulia, Pininfarina’s usable hypercar and more
In this week’s round-up of automotive gossip, we hear how Volkswagen’s inching nearer to a brand-wide electric revolution, why Pininfarina thinks its Battista has the edge over the Aston Martin Valkyrie and more. New plan for Milan’s sedan Sales of Alfa Romeo’s critically well-received Giulia are not strong, saloons being a declining segment – and FCA’s European design boss Klaus Busse says Alfa is already thinking about what kind of vehicle might replace it. “We have an idea, but it’s too early to share,” he said. Vorsprung durch tech-quick Audi exterior design chief Andreas Mindt said the E-tron GT, the firm’s Tesla Model S-rivalling flagship electric saloon, is a “miracle”, owing to its short development time. He added that “our competitors will be shocked” by the performance of the production version, due next year with Porsche Taycan underpinnings. Pininfarina’s 1900bhp runabout Pininfarina boss Michael Perschke reckons the forthcoming 1900bhp Battista EV shouldn’t be compared with track-focused machines such as the Aston Martin Valkyrie. Perschke said the Valkyrie is “designed with a different purpose: it’s a collector’s item for crazy guys who want a track tool, but are probably never going to use it to its best. Our purpose is to give you a car you can drive on a daily basis and, if you want to go on a race track and clock more than 200mph, it’s doable.” Volkswagen’s new ‘green’ house Volkswagen is converting its Zwickau factory in Germany from Golf and Passat assembly into its first home for electric car production. The site should be ready in the next couple of months. In time, up to 330,000 electric cars a year will be built there for VW, Audi and Seat, the first being the VW ID hatch due next
Origin: Autocar confidential: Alfa plots next-gen Giulia, Pininfarina’s usable hypercar and more
Autocar confidential: Byton thanks Tesla, Fiat pumps out more Pandas, and more
As we chat to the motoring industry’s bigwigs this week, we hear how Tesla made life easier for Byton, how Audi will differentiate between each of its SUVs and more. Fiat Pandas to market demand It may be ageing but sales of the Fiat Panda have risen substantially this year, thanks to the popular new City Cross model. The high-riding, snappily dressed version looks like a four-wheel drive (a version you can still buy) but isn’t. Volkswagen: diesel’s not dead… yet Volkswagen sales and marketing boss Jürgen Stackmann says the brand isn’t giving up on diesel yet. “There is nowhere the date (we give up on diesel) is written,” he said. “We believe diesel is great for certain vehicle types and long-distance drives, with unparalleled efficiency. We’re the only manufacturer that has actually grown its diesel mix. We’ll give it a strong shot for EU7.” Ingolstadt draws up a plan Audi’s ever-growing SUV range makes varying the design of each model vital in order to identify its place in the line-up, according to Jakob Hirzel, exterior design leader of the recently facelifted Q7. “It’s about character, and identifying where it makes sense to make them different,” he said. “It’s a much bigger line-up now, so it’s a challenge to make sure they all make sense.” Byton boards the Tesla train Tesla’s early success helped lay the groundwork for other electric car makers, according to Byton CEO Carsten Breitfeld. “They did a great job to build up this premium electric brand. They changed the perceptions of people,” he said. Hiring designers and engineers for the upcoming M-Byte SUV was that much easier because “no one is questioning the potential of electric cars any more. No one would say an electric car is something
Origin: Autocar confidential: Byton thanks Tesla, Fiat pumps out more Pandas, and more
Autocar confidential: Porsche’s colour conundrum, Renault hatches a plan and more
In this week’s round-up of automotive news bites, we hear why Volkswagen’s CEO thinks EVs are the only way, how Porsche created the 911’s interior colour combinations, and more. Renault’s hatch, back? Renault will not quit the small car segment, unlike some brands, according to its Europe boss Jean-Christophe Kugler. “I’ve been asking my team to investigate deeply this segment” he said. “Let’s look at it and understand what is the evolution in the main cities.” Kugler also claimed car sharing could make the Twingo – now dropped from the UK – more viable. Porsche’s colourful combos One of the biggest challenges in developing the new Porsche 911 was making sure that all the interior trim colours matched, according to the firm’s quality control boss, Frank Moser. He noted the 11 interior colours offered on the new 911 had to work with 16 equipment levels and across 300 visible parts featuring 51 different materials, produced by 76 different suppliers. Ssangyong predicts a taxing period for manufacturers The growing uptake of EVs is going to have major effects on the rest of the UK car industry when it comes to taxation, according to Ssangyong’s UK MD, Nick Laird. “Manufacturers invested big in diesel technology for 20 years because that’s what all the signals the governments were giving. The government needs to find that (missing fuel duty) from somewhere.” Is hydrogen a load of hot air? “There’s no alternative to electricity to cut emissions and make mobility CO2-free,” VW Group chairman Herbert Diess said, despite Audi recently restarting its hydrogen powertrain research. The group’s vehicles are responsible for 1% of all transport-related emissions worldwide and it is committed to becoming carbon neutral by 2050.
Origin: Autocar confidential: Porsche’s colour conundrum, Renault hatches a plan and more
Autocar confidential: Seat predicts a rough patch, BMW circles the wagons and more
In this week’s summary of motoring meetings, we hear about Porsche’s plans to develop new electric vehicle infrastructure, Ssangyong’s difficulties as a low-volume value car maker, and more. Porsche is Taycan EV infrastructure up a notch Porsche will offer branded fast-charging points at destinations such as hotels when the Taycan EV is launched, according to Porsche UK boss Marcus Eckermann. The chargers will be open to users of other makes of EV and Porsche will also tap into the Ionity network, part-funded by the Volkswagen Group. Seat’s glass is half full The pressure to cut emissions and switch to EVs will prove tough not just for Seat but also the industry as a whole, according to CEO Luca de Meo: “It will be a hard proving ground before a new era of automotive can blossom again. The next two or three years will be challenging, but the next 10 will probably be fantastic, for the whole industry.” Europe’s getting in estate The BMW 3 Series is best known as a saloon, but buyers in Germany – where more than a third of 3 Series are sold – prefer estates. The firm says 67% of the models sold in Germany to date have been Touring versions. Italian buyers are most keen on the estate, with 73% choosing it over the saloon. By contrast, 73% of UK buyers opt for the saloon. The cost of compliance The growing need for advanced safety systems means it’s not credible for smaller brands to be entirely focused on value, according to Ssangyong UK managing director Nick Laird. “Small brands can’t also be cheap brands, unless you under-invest in the long term,” he said. “That’s going to require niche brands to go more upmarket. Ssangyong has always been SUV-focused – which more brands are becoming – but we need to work hard to be different to the
Origin: Autocar confidential: Seat predicts a rough patch, BMW circles the wagons and more
Autocar confidential: BMW’s secret window, Ssangyong’s pleasant surprises, and more
This week, as we hold an inverted glass up to the motoring industry’s staff room door, we hear about Hyundai’s most in-demand model, why Volvo won’t shun the showroom, and more. Amping up EV sales New Hyundai UK boss Ashley Andrew says securing more production allocation of the Kona Electric is one of his priorities. “The Kona Electric was our dealer network’s most in-demand model – when you’ve got demand exceeding supply, I think you’ll always have that,” said Andrew. He proposes offering customers stuck on the long waiting list the “interim solution” of a flexible lease on an Ioniq EV. And a rear opening window, to boot The engineers of the new BMW 3 Series Touring had to fight to retain the model’s separately opening rear window, because not enough owners know about it, according to product manager Stefan Horn. Urging Autocar to write about the feature, he said: “It’s a bit of a hidden thing. We argued we should keep it – but we need customers to know about it, or it will die.” Shock tactics The word new Ssangyong customers use the most? ‘Surprising’, according to new UK boss Nick Laird: “When I joined, they bought Ssangyong for highly rational reasons – it was excellent value for money. Now when people get in the car, they’re going: ‘I wasn’t expecting that. This is a lot nicer, a lot more modern and contemporary.’” Dealer or no dealer “People outside the retail world don’t understand just what a good job dealers do,” said Volvo UK operations director David Baddeley, following the brand’s recent online sales model roll-out. “We put them at the centre of it; it’s a retailer-based model. We are absolutely convinced the future is very strong for
Origin: Autocar confidential: BMW’s secret window, Ssangyong’s pleasant surprises, and more
Autocar confidential: Porsche eyes more diverse line-up, Shelby introduces limited-run sports car and more
This week’s snippets of automotive news include DS on why lights are crucial to car design, the continuing popularity of diesel for Land Rover, and where the T-Cross sits in Volkswagen’s revised global line-up. But first, how personalisation means very few Porsches are alike… More personal Porsches on the horizon Porsche produces 25,000 911 and 718 models at its Zuffenhausen factory annually, but with 39 variants and an ever-growing range of customised trim options, plant manager Christian Friedl says that it only produces identical cars “a maximum of two times per year”. The firm is set to introduce even more options, with Friedl claiming it will offer “the most personal car” possible. Illuminating design at DS How important are lights to a car? For DS, design director Thierry Metroz says they’re key to showcasing the brand’s refinement and technology pillars. “I have a specific team working only on lighting,” he said. “We have six exterior designers, and five only for the lighting – it’s so important.” Shelby’s long-awaited second series Shelby has updated its only bespoke model, the 20-year-old Series 1 sports car, to create the Series 2. Available with Ford-based big or small block V8s, just four will be built each year, priced at $350,000 for a carbonfibre body or $850,000 for custom-made aluminium. Diesel not dead at Land Rover Diesel still accounts for 80% of Jaguar Land Rover sales in the UK, says boss Rawdon Glover. “Diesel will continue to be relevant and remains a viable choice for customers,” he added. Volkswagen’s new global flagship SUV The new T-Cross will be a “cornerstone” of the Volkswagen global SUV line-up, says chief operating officer Ralf Brandstätter, with different regional versions to be built in Spain, China and Brazil. Market demands mean the Chinese and South American versions will be
Origin: Autocar confidential: Porsche eyes more diverse line-up, Shelby introduces limited-run sports car and more
Autocar confidential: Volkswagen plans wireless updates, Audi gives us the heads-up and more
In this week’s wander through the backstage area of motoring, we find out why Hyundai engineers need to get off the bus, how Audi’s changing cockpit design, and more. VW’s breath of fresh air Volkswagen’s ID range of electric cars have been designed to be upgradable during their lifespan but, while over-the-air remote updates are possible, VW sales boss Jürgen Stackmann says such upgrades will probably be done at a dealer to begin with. “We need to be absolutely sure of (over-the-air upgrades),” he said. “We are not a start-up company, so we can’t take those risks.” The future of Audi’s dash design Audi’s signature Virtual Cockpit will eventually be replaced by an augmented head-up display and voice control, according to design boss Marc Lichte. Hinted at on the Q4 E-tron concept, which will make production in 2021, Lichte said: “Virtual Cockpit will become much smaller and we will have an augmented head-up display. Maybe in 10 years we’ll have less displays because HUD will control everything by voice.” Hyundai-Kia stops the bus “Too many of our engineers come to work on the bus,” says Hyundai and Kia design boss Luc Donckerwolke of his colleagues at the Namyang research and development centre. He says it limits their experience of driving the products they develop. Polestar times it right The shift to electrification has opened a window of opportunity for new brands to establish themselves – but it will only be brief, according to Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath. “There is often a moment between launching too early or too late, but it is only a moment and the way the market is developing I’m more convinced it is right now,” he
Origin: Autocar confidential: Volkswagen plans wireless updates, Audi gives us the heads-up and more
Autocar confidential: Seat phones it in, Hyundai-Kia tries some DIY and more
In this week’s edition of Autocar confidential, we hear why Hyundai and Kia are bringing interior production entirely in-house, what’s wrong with Jaguar XE sales and more. New Jag’s a sales drag Frustration over the comparatively low sales of the Jaguar XE continues to bubble among senior officials. Outgoing design chief Ian Callum called the situation “a source of great puzzlement”. Marketing director Anthony Bradbury believes the issue lies in persuading people to drive the car. He said: “We are also new to the sector and that means we are a choice that people have to explain.” Premium brand plugs in DS boss Yves Bonnefont says that, apart from the DS 7 Crossback, each new model – arriving once a year over the next six years – will be available with a 300bhp plug-in hybrid or pure-electric powertrain from launch. Bonnefont believes “a third of sales will be electrified by the early 2020s for DS” and thinks electrification fits very well with DS’s premium ambitions “because of its torque and refinement”. Seat gets down with the kids Seat owners are among the most frequent users of Android and Apple connectivity systems, claims its digital officer, Fabian Simmer. Seat is known for leading digital innovation in the Volkswagen Group, a strategy largely led by the fact that its customers are 10 years younger than those of other brands in the group. Hyundai-Kia’s homemade interiors Hyundai and Kia are unusual for making steel pressings, seats, lights and dashboard screens in-house. Design boss Luc Donckerwolke said the firm has now developed 3D printing of textiles that eliminates the need for a foam backing. “3D printing is a game changer. You can change a design every six months,” he
Origin: Autocar confidential: Seat phones it in, Hyundai-Kia tries some DIY and more
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