Blackpool Trams - 14 February 2023

FOLLOW UP: SOUTH KOREA FINES GERMAN COMPANIES FOR COLLUSIONSouth Korea has fined Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi for colluding over emission technology, to ensure no one produced better technology. The fine is €31.18 million combined, which is 42.3 billion won. The EU, following Mercedes informing them, fined BMW and VW Group in July 2021 for this issue. Click this EuroWeekly article link to find out more. NISSAN WARNS OF SUNDERLAND’S FUTURE Nissan has explained that unless the UK Government aids in reducing energy prices and helps to create a local functioning supply chain the future of the Sunderland plant is in doubt. Currently Sunderland is more expensive to make cars than their continental European plants. To learn more, click this Sunday Times Driving article link. LUCID MOTORS NEW MD IS EX-JLR SVO BOSSFollowing the surprise exit from Jaguar Land Rover’s Special Vehicles Operation, Michael van der Sande has been announced at the Managing Director of Lucid Motors. The US EV company has started to sell their cars in parts of Europe as they slowly expand. You can learn more by clicking this link to the Automotive Daily article. LOTUS TECHNOLOGY TO MERGE WITH SPAC Geely is going to raise funds for Lotus by merging Lotus Technology, the non sports car division, with a special acquisition company (SPAC) that means it will be listed on the New York stock exchange. The expectation is that it will raise around $5.4 billion. Click this Automotive Daily article link, to learn more. BOLLINGER SUES MUNRO OVER PATENT INFRINGEMENTBollinger is suing Munro All Terrain Electric Vehicles for infringing their patents. The US company claims a consultant has also passed on confidential documents that have helped Munro produce their 4x4 EV. You can learn more by clicking this link to a Newsweek article. US CHECKING CHINESE IMPORTS OVER FORCED LABOURUS Customs is checking incoming freight from China for any links to forced labour production, thanks to the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act. Already aluminium imports have been slowed as inspections are taking place, which could well affect the car industry. Click here to learn more from the Maersk Advisory Note. BATH CONSIDERING PARKING PRICE RISESBath Council is considering increasing pay and display parking fees, once again, especially for vehicles that emit more emissions. The correct fee would be charged after entering registration data with the ticket machine. Click here for more on this matter, thanks to a BBC News article. Bath are also investigating if charging drivers to enter the city centre is a way in which they can help pay for the increased costs of installing the ‘ring of steel’ terrorism protection system. Click this BBC News article link for more. If you like what we do, on this show, and think it is worth a £1.00, please consider supporting us via Patreon. Here is the link to that CLICK HERE TO SUPPORT THE PODCAST NEW NEW CAR NEWS:Nissan Max Out, Surf Out and Hang Out Concepts - Nissan has revealed three concepts hinting at their future design direction. The Max Out is a rather ugly two-seater open top car. The Surf Out is a pickup with a retractable load bay cover, giving it a pick-up coupe look (please don’t become a trend!). With the Hang Out being the most realistic idea, in that is it a medium sized SUV. To learn about the Max Out, click this Top Gear link. To find out about the Surf Out, click this Nissan link. For more on the Hang Out, click this Nissan link. That was not all though, they have made some very bold statements about bringing solid state batteries to market in the next few years. You can find out more about that, by clicking this Autocar article link here. Zeekr X - The Zeekr X is a Chinese SUV coming to Europe soon, following the full reveal at the Shanghai Motor Show later this year. A mid sized premium market chasing EV with a lot of power that the shared powertrain from the Smart #1 Brabus will use. No details on ranges or pricing is yet available, you can learn more by clicking this Autocar link here. Dead Car News - Kia RioKia will no longer sell their supermini, the Rio, in the UK or Europe. with the popularity of SUVs this comes as no real surprise. They will still be selling the Picanto, their smallest model. Click here for more on this from Autocar. DESIGNERS MOOD BOARD: JEREMY OFFER MOVES TO VOLVOJeremy Offer, who has at Arrival, will now be the Global Head of Design at Volvo. Robin Page, the previous incumbent will remain at Volvo as a consultant. Click this link to the Auto&Design article link for more. 2023 CAR DESIGN AWARDS SHORTLISTThe Car Design Award 2023 shortlist has been produced for concept cars, production cars and brand design language. Click this link to run through those selected as mentioned on the Auto&Design article. LUNCHTIME READ: MOTORING ART - JEREMY DICKINSONJeremy Dickinson did not let the disappointment of a cancelled road trip, thanks to lockdowns, stop him from making automotive art. Instead he followed the route via Google Earth and selected locations to recreate on his canvas. Click this Classic & Sports Car article link to find out more and see some examples of his fabulous work.LIST OF THE WEEK: 9 FORGOTTEN HOT HATCHBACKS FROM THE 1990SAntony Ingram has produced an almost impossible selection quandary on his list for Hagerty. After hearing the choice from Alan, click on this link to see if you agree. Don’t forget to tell the chaps which you would select. AND FINALLY: 2CV MODEL FROM PLAYMOBIL Joining the likes of the Ferrari SF90, Mercedes-Benz 300SL is the newly released 2CV model. Whilst there is an astonishing oversight in no basket of eggs being added, there are milk churns, variety of license plate stickers and headlight colour options to play with. Click this Motoring Research article link to see more.