Nice weave - 22 April 2025

MORE CHANGES FOR LOTUSGeely has announced a restructuring of Lotus to bring the two companies, Lotus UK and Lotus Technology, into one entity. Lotus Technology will buy Geely’s 51% share in Lotus UK. The hope is to make the brand more sustainable and competitive in the current market. You can find out more, by clicking this Autocar article here. CARBON FIBRE IN ENVIRONMENTAL SPOTLIGHT The EU is looking into carbon fibre, in connection with their ‘end-of-life’ rules, as it currently does not meet the requirements. Due to the energy required to make it and how it is very problematic if recycling is attempted, it is likely to be added to the banned or restricted list. This will be a problem for the car industry. Click this Top Gear article to read more. To listen to the Bcomp Special Edition, where they explain more about what they do, click this link here. UK MILITARY REALISES CARS CAN BE TRACKEDThe latest episode of “oh gosh, new cars are full of sensors” from the UK, finds that specific bases have banned Chinese EVs from being brought onto site or near some buildings. On top of which, officials have been instructed to not discuss sensitive information whilst inside such cars. To learn more, click this article link from The i Paper. NYBOLT RAISES INVESTMENTNybolt, who showed off a reworked Lotus Elise that was charged from 10-80% in under five minutes, last year has raised more money through external investment. Whilst we are all interested in the vehicle application, their core business is energy storage which has seen a jump in interest in. If you want to read more, click this Autocar article here. CHINA CLAMPS DOWN ON DRIVER ASSISTANCE ADVERTS Following the fatal accident involving a Xiamo SU7, which returned control to the driver just before impact, China has revised rules on driver assistance and autonomous driving technologies. Ads are banned from using “smart driving” and “autonomous driving”. OTA updates cannot be sent to existing cars without approval, public beta testing is banned, remote parking and summon features are banned and driver monitoring cannot be switched off. Click this article link from CarNewsChina 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 - Mercedes-Benz G-Class ‘Stronger than the 1980s’Mercedes has revealed a special edition of the G-Class which evokes the original G Wagon of the very late 1970s and 80s. Styled with touches of the first models but with up to date technology and engines this will only cost from £152,815. To see more, including gingercators, click this Autocar article here. Subaru TrailseekerAt the New York Motor Show, Subaru showed us all their new electric car, the Trailseeker. An electric version of the current Outlander (not the new one, that’s a whole different story!), therefore a raised up estate. With 260 miles range, a 0-62mph time of 4.4 seconds thanks to 375bhp. Details of when it will come to Europe and the price are yet to be revealed. Click this Autocar article to read more. Genesis X Gran Equator ConceptRemaining with the New York Motor Show, Genesis revealed their luxury SUV concept, the X Gran Equator. A long bonneted, typically different looking SUV, with many stating how elegant it looks. If you wish to learn more, click this article link from The Autopian. LUNCHTIME READ: PAST GLORIESThis week we bring you not one, but two article links from Driven to Write, as Daniel O’Callaghan brings us the history of attractive and desirable Fiats. As ever, there is a history lesson punctuated with some glorious photographs helping remind us all of some of the beauties that Fiat have made. To read Part One, click this link. Once you’ve finished that, click here for Part Two. LIST OF THE WEEK: INTERESTING CARS FROM RÉTROMOBILENot content with one segment giving you two links, we have two lists for you to peruse. There is some cross over of the cars at Rétromobile 2025, as one might expect, but the cars are so glorious that we believe you will forgive us. Click here for the first link, from Autocar. The second link can be clicked here, from Classic & Sports Car.AND FINALLY: USING YOUR LOAFA woman in Manchester has taken to TikTok to get the attention of the council following receiving a fine, thanks to buying a parking ticket but from the wrong machine. Nothing unusual in that, you might be thinking, however she appears in her videos from behind a slice of bread. Click this BBC News article link to see how she has got a council to address a problem.