Wombles and Hobbits - 18 March 2025

FOLLOW UP: NISSAN LEADERSHIP CHANGESThe turmoil at Nissan continues, as CEO Makoto Uchida announces he will resign and Ivan Espinosa, the chief planning officer, will step up into the vacated role. That is the fourth CEO in six years. Click this AMOnline article link to read more. FORD INJECTS $4.8 BILLION INTO EUROPEAN OPERATIONSFord has been forced to help the European division, a separate company, by investing up to $4.8 billion, as debts reach $5.8 billion. Unions are very fearful that the company will go bankrupt. If you wish to learn more, click this Reuters article link here. FIAT UK MAKE MANAGEMENT CHANGESAh, the carousel that is Stellantis management positions, in the UK. This time Fiat are making changes, with a new head of sales and a new head of marketing. Neil Heilbron will be heading up the sales function and Victoria Hatfield in charge of marketing. You can read more, by clicking this AMOnline article link here. MIDLANDS CHARGER NETWORK TO EXPAND BY 16,00013 local authorities have been allocated up to £40 million, via a Government grant, to install a further 16,000 charge points across the Midlands region. Apparently, this more than doubles the provision. To find out more, click this EV Powered link here. MOTO INSTALLING 300 HGV CHARGERSMoto, the motorway service station operators has announced that they will be installing 300 eHGV charge points across the UK in the next five years. Click this EV Powered article link here, for more. M56 TO GET NEW SERVICE STATIONThe M56, near Tatton, will get a new service station in the mould of the one at Tebay, following approval of the planning permission. There will be a farm shop, 100 bed hotel and the usual provisions one would expect. If you wish to learn more, click this Manchester Evening News 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 - Mercedes CLAMercedes has taken the wraps off the new CLA, a four door saloon, which will come in electric and hybrid forms. The EV has a claimed maximum range of up to 495 miles, with Mercedes making the further claim that it will do 421 if driven just on the motorway. Hybrids are supposed to give us diesel like mpg figures. Click this Autocar article link to learn more. Toyota C-HR+Toyota has revealed the C-HR+, an electric SUV that sits below the bZ4X in the range, but hoped to be a huge seller for them. With a maximum claimed range of 373 miles and a price which is expected to start from around £38,000 it will be up against the likes of the Volvo EC30, BMW iX2 and Mini Countryman. Click this Autocar story link for more. Morgan SupersportMorgan has unveiled the Supersport, their most advanced car to date with a host of engineering and design work to make a modern car which is still linked to their heritage. Price is starting from just over £100,000. To read more, including an interview with the head of design, Jonathan Wells, click this Autocar link here. LUNCHTIME READ: FRANCE’S MANOIR DE L’AUTOMOBILE MUSEUM IS MIND BLOWINGHagerty provide the link to this week’s recommended reading, with an article about the Manoir de l’Automobile museum. A stunning example of how and what to house for the visitor’s pleasure. Click this link here to read more and maybe add to your trip agenda. LIST OF THE WEEK: 30 CARS THAT ARE 50 IN 2025A couple weeks ago, we helped to make you feel old with a list of cars that in no way many could be 25 years old. Well, thanks to Classic & Sports Car we have doubled the age. 50 year old cars are on the menu, which some are more believable but still. Click this link to see what options there are. AND FINALLY: TEMPORARY DELAYAuto Shenanigans has visited the longest running temporary traffic lights in England. They’ve only been in place for 10 years. Click this YouTube link to see more.