Driven by nobs - 10 October 2023

FOLLOW UP: CHINA UNHAPPY AT EU SUBSIDY PROBEIn a move that should surprise no one, China has complained about the process and speed of the EU’s investigation into the possibility of state backed subsidies for Chinese EV makers. Click here to read the Reuters article with plenty of quotes from China making it clear there will be ramifications. FOLLOW UP: PENDRAGON SUITERS DOWN TO TWO The Hedin Penske bid for Pendragon has been removed, which leaves two suiters. A report this week has suggested that the AutoNation offer can increased and take it well above the Lithia Motors proposal. If they do, the board of Pendragon are expected to recommend AutoNation. You can read more by clicking this article from AMOnline, here. SEPTEMBER 2023 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES No matter how positive many are trying to be about September’s figures, they were dreadful. Overall, whilst better than 2022 and ignoring the Covid years, it was the lowest since before 2007, EVs failed to break 16% again, private EV rates are down 14% and you have to wonder how long fleet registrations can prop up the industry. On top of all of that, the reporting on this has once again been poor. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) inevitably calls on the Government to support private buyers so that more cars can find new homes. Click here to read the SMMT’s official post. GOVERNMENT UNVEILS “THE PLAN FOR DRIVERS” DOCUMENTLast week the Transport Secretary revealed a document called “The Plan for Drivers” which is a 30-point plan aimed at helping to make driving less of a chore in the UK. If you would like to learn what the plan exactly entails, click here to read the document from the .GOV site. For a summary, click this Autocar link here. JLR IN TROUBLE WITH ASA The Advertising Standards Authority has banned an advert for the Range Rover Sport SVR from JLR. The ruling cited that the main message was about speed, which contravenes the CAP Code rule 19.4. JLR disagreed, but when the time from 0-60 was the second of two sentences, it is easy to see how the ASA came to the decision it did. You can read more, by clicking this AMOnline link here. POLICE USED VAN TO STOP RUNAWAY CARA man called the police, in order to get them to help him find a way to stop his car that was stuck at 30mph. Eventually, they used a police van, which acted as the brakes, to bring to vehicle to a safe stop. There is no current understanding as to why the accelerator was jammed on. We hope when the reason is found that is reported to all of us. To read about this story, click here for the BBC News version. VOLVO NAMES NEW UK MANAGING DIRECTORNicole Melillo Shaw has been named as the next managing director for Volvo UK, following the news that Kristian Elvefors will be leaving the brand. Melillo Shaw is currently their commercial operations director. Click this AMOnline link to learn more. BMW ANNOUNCES MANAGEMENT There are several new names at several senior management positions within BMW, including Christopher Brownridge who is taking over the role of CEO at Rolls Royce following the announcement that Torsten Müller-Ötvös is leaving after 14 years at the helm. To learn all of the changes, click this electrive article link here. To read about Müller-Ötvös’s career and achievements at Rolls, click this Autocar link here. EXPERTS BEGIN TO WONDER WHY ADAS IS SWITCHED OFFEuroNCAP and Thatcham, the testers and campaigners for safety technology to be fitted to cars have stated that they blame drivers for switching off driver assistance technology in cars, as many have begun to question why death and injury rates are not falling after so much is fitted to cars. You need to listen to Alan and Andrew pull the statements from the two companies apart. To read this week’s Ledge of Fury™️ article, click this Autocar link here. INDEPENDENT GARAGES CAN ACCESS OBD PORTS COURT RULESThe European Court of Justice has ruled that car makers cannot restrict independent garages from being able to access on-board diagnostic systems. AMOnline have more detail on this important news, which you can read by clicking this link here. ASTON MARTIN AWARDED GOVERNMENT FUNDINGAston Martin has been awarded £9 million to develop an all new battery electric platform. You can find out what this means, by clicking this Autocar article link here. 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 - Skoda KodiaqSkoda continues to update their offerings and following on from last week, announces the revised Kodiaq, their top of the range large SUV. Improvements to styling inside and out, as well as technology help to raise the profile of this vehicle. There will be the wide range of powertrains and prices are expected to be slightly up on the current range. Click this Autocar link to learn more. GM to return to EuropeGeneral Motors has announced it will return to Europe, initially in Switzerland with five other countries to be expanded into announced at this stage. They will be bringing the Cadillac brand initially, with the electric SUV Lyric being the first model offered. To read more on this move, click here for the Autocar report. Audi cancels plans to build flagship model in Hanover Audi has confirmed that they will not now be building the unnamed flagship model, which is the culmination of the Artemis Project, in Hanover but at Nekarsulm. There is still no date to when this will take place either. The chaps question why this is happening and if it is a sign of more problems for Audi or speaks of wider issues within the VW Group. Click this electrive link to find out more. VW to stop Up productionVolkswagen has announced that the popular Up model will cease production. The move isn’t really surprising as Euro7 rules loom and that the sister brand’s models also have been pulled from sale in the last few years. To read more, click this Autocar article link here. LUNCHTIME READ: ESTATES OF AMERICATop Gear go for a drive in an Audi RS6, to learn about the fascination for some, in station wagons (it is the US after all). Click this link to read more. LIST OF THE WEEK: THE BEST MODERN AND RETRO CAMPERVANS AND RVS IN THE WORLDAutocar provides you with a host of options for almost any type of holiday you might wish to take. Some of the promotional pictures, particularly for the older models, are glorious too. Click here to run through the choices and do let the chaps know what you would have. To see the first video in the RV rescue series, from Budget Buildz, <a...