Overly Cheesy - 27 February 2024

FOLLOW UP: VOLVO TO SELL SHARES IN POLESTARWe begin to get the answer of what difference Volvo cutting funding will mean to their Polestar relationship, as they look to offload a large portion of the shares they hold. The plan is to drop from 48% of shares down to 18%. For more information, click this electrive article link here. STELLANTIS TO CONVERT LUTON PLANT FOR EV VANSStellantis has confirmed that they will convert the Luton plant to enable it to build the Group’s electric vans. ICE versions will continue to be built along side the EVs, which will be produced from early 2025. If you would like to read more, click this Autocar link here. STELLANTIS UK MAKE MANY MANAGEMENT CHANGESStellantis UK managing director, Maria Grazia Davino, has moved quickly to make changes within the organisation and tying up with the larger group. This is all part of the efforts to improve relations with their dealer network and improve the outlook for the many brands. More details can be read by clicking this AMOnline link here. ASA STATES “ZERO EMISSION DRIVING” ISN’T MISLEADINGThe automated system the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) picked up a Ford advert for the soon to be released Explorer, which stated “zero emission driving” and pulled it for review. Following an investigation the ASA decided that it was okay to state this. As we are pedants on this show, we are looking forward to the agency learning about tyre emissions. If you wish to see the latest insanity from this organisation, click the link here to a FleetNews article. COMPANY GUILTY OF NOT ENSURING ILLEGAL CAR WOULDN’T BE DRIVEN ON THE PUBLIC ROADOnyx Performance, has been convicted of not ensuring that a car they modified, with a ‘pop bang’ map, new exhaust and removal of a catalytic convertor, was not to be driven on the public roads. This is the second company, in a few months to have been brought to court for the same issue. You can learn more, by clicking this AMOnline article link here. UK FUEL PRICES INCREASE QUICKLY ON RED SEA DISRUPTIONSurprising no one, is the news that the retail fuel prices increased astonishingly quickly off the back of the news of trouble in the Red Sea, even before the affects were really being felt. Whilst the wholesale price increased, the retailers have not passed on the buffer the Government has allowed them. Click this Autocar story link, for more on this. BBC REPORT INTO ETHNICITY INFLUENCING CAR INSURANCEThe BBC has reported, following their investigation, that there is evidence that car industry rates are affected by location and the percentage of ethnic minorities the location has. The industry strongly deny this claim. We are not saying this does not happen, but we do urge for more and open investigations into this claim. As we cannot see all the data reported on we cannot see if some other conclusion could also be found. If you wish to read more, click this BBC article link here. For more information on the book Andrew recommended, click this link here. YORKSHIRE NATIONAL PARKS INSTALL EV CHARGERS WITH BMWIn partnership with BMW, Yorkshire National Parks have installed 18 EV chargers across the county. This is great news for more remote areas of northern Britain, which have been poorly served to date. To read up on this, click here for the EVPowered article link. UK GOVERNMENT CONTINUES TAXI PLUG-IN GRANTThe UK Government is continuing the taxi plug-in grant until April 2025, although it is cutting the pay out to £6000 per vehicle. This is good news, targeting urban areas and helping to clean up the air for residents. For more on this, click here for the electrive article link. 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 - Dacia SpringDacia revealed, what will be the cheapest EV car, for the UK market, the Spring. This B-segment SUV/jacked up hatchback will come with approximately 110-120 real-world mile range and only be able to charge via slower chargers. However, with an expected price point of around £17,000, these may well be trade offs plenty will accept. Click here to read more, from the Autocar article link.VW ID.7 TourerVolkswagen has revealed their very practical ID.7 Tourer, bringing us another EV estate option. With an impressive boot space, both with the seats up and down, combined with a good range this will be an attractive option for many. For more information, click this link to a Motoring Research article. Cupra Born VZ Cupra is bringing out a hot Born version, the VZ. This will have upgraded battery tech, improved handling and driving dynamics. Do click the link to read one of our favourite lines in a car review for some time. You can read more by clicking this link to the EVPowered article here. INEOS FusilierINEOS has revealed their third vehicle, the Fusilier, a EV or range extender EV depending on specification chosen. Details are a little scant, but it is smaller and lower than the Grenadier. Do click this Top Gear link for more, plus ideas they supply for future model names, which made us smile. Old Car Dead News - Hyundai i30N and i20N removed from saleTwo of our favourite cars to have driven are being removed from sale by Hyundai. The i30N and i20N sales numbers dropped, in combination with legislation, have made the decision for the Korean company. The electric range will carry the N torch moving forward. Click this EVO article link for more information. LUNCHTIME READ: PORSCHE 911 BACKDATES ARE BAD AND NEED TO BE STOPPEDWhilst many might think this is an article directly from Alan’s own keyboard, and the name of the author even has Bradley in it, we bring you a Jalopnik opinion piece on why the Porsche restomod scene needs to stop butchering its past cars to make very expensive homages to the past. Click this link to read more. LIST OF THE WEEK: THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF THE ROTARY ENGINEOnce again, we might well think Alan has created this article and slide show too! Think of this as a part List of the Week and part Lunchtime Read. Click this Autocar link to get a history lesson and see if you agree with Alan and Andrew’s choices. AND FINALLY: SPEND TIME IN THE ALFA ROMEO SECRET VAULTAnother, effectively, Lunchtime Read and Watch as we share an article which explores the Alfa Romeo secret vault and includes a 48 minute video that is well worth watching. For more, click this Jalopnik article link.