Motoring Podcast - News Show

During the last Special Edition, we got a few details incorrect when discussing the Smart #2. One of our listeners, Tony, kindly pointed this out to us. Thank you, as we try to be correct and if we make a mistake we like to correct it. If you want to listen to the Paris Motor Show episode, click either of these links here.

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Volvo will be shedding around 2,500 jobs, mainly in Sweden, following a poor third quarter in 2026. They are aiming at mainly temporary consultants and through “natural attrition”. Håkan Samuelsson, CEO, also has a plan to stop the rot in their sales in China. If you wish to read more, click this Autocar article link here.

Bosch is splitting out several of their divisions into independent entities, wholly owned by themselves, as it seeks to try and be more competitive. The Mobility division has announced 900 jobs to go at their Nuremberg site, which is on top of 22,000 redundancies announced last year. For more on this, click the link here to an electrive article.

The UK Government is releasing a new Private Parking Code of Practice, which is aimed at making it fairer to users and feel a little bit less of a rip-off. There will be longer grace to times, ability to appeal, not be so heavily penalised for typing your registration in correctly and more. The RAC had called for even more steps, which have not been included. To find out the full details, click this Motoring Research article link here.

Honda, in collaboration with Taisei and Taisei Rotec, is trialling induction charging but for vehicles on the move. This will mean a power transmitter is embedded into the road with a receiver fitted to the car allowing recharging as the car is driven along. The companies state that real world testing will begin in the spring of 2027. If you want to learn more, click this Top Gear article link here.

Octopus is reducing the amount it costs fleets to charge their EVs, if signed up to the Octopus Fleet subscription service. This equates up to 30% off. By managing to do this, the company is hoping to gain business. To read more, click this Autocar article link here.

BMW has M’d the iX3 and given it a powertrain that supplies up to 604bhp and 645lb ft of the torques. This enables a claimed 0-62mph of 3.9 seconds. Range is down on the rest of the models offered, with a maximum potential of 468 miles, which is still mighty impressive. Prices are yet to be confirmed but the current top of the range costs about £60,000, therefore you can expect a hefty premium to that. Click this EV Powered article link here, for more.

Nissan is going to build the Kicks, their B-segment SUV, in Nissan for the UK and European markets. This will replace the ICE powered Juke, with a hybridised combustion engine powertrain. Details are scant, but it is expected to be in showrooms from summer 2027. Click this Autocar article for more.

Chery is bringing their fifth brand to the UK, in early 2027, as iCaur launches with the V27, a chunky large off-roader with 450bhp range-extender electric powertrain in its own market. Details are thin on the ground but looking at European markets, the prices could be well below the cheapest Defender. Click this Autocar article here, to learn more.

The Tutto Bene Hillclimb is an event unlike others. It is not about being the fastest but about enjoying an eclectic mix of cars and seeing them drive. The motto is “slow down to go fast” and that is also the ethos. Click this article link from Classic Trader here, to find out about this fabulous event.

To watch examples of what was there this year, click this YouTube video link here.

To get a hint of the atmosphere, click this YouTube video link here.

As the weather, in the UK, has turned decidedly grim, we bring you a list that reminds us all that we did have some sunshine earlier this year. Antony Ingram on Hagerty has listed the best cars from the previous famous heatwave year of 1976. Do you agree with the choice made? Click this link to see your options.

During the public days of the Paris Motor Show a Mercedes VLE electric van was crashed into a wall from the display stand. That’s an oops, but it gets worse as it was a child who did this due to being able to power up the vehicle and then engage reverse. Maybe someone needs to rethink the whole keyless systems? Click this Carscoops article link to check out the story.

The Paris Motor Show took place between the 12 and 18 October 2026. Alan and Andrew round up the highlights that caught their eye during the week.

For Autocar’s main coverage and report, click this link here.

For Average Joes’s coverage, click this link here.

For a sweep by Autocar, of the new cars being shown, click this link here.

To watch Tim Rodie Drives Stuff tour of the show, click this YouTube link here.

For DefinitetlyNotAGuru’s tour, click this YouTube link here.

To see what the House of Cars channel found interesting, click this YouTube link here.

The date for the hearing of the two complaints into the motor finance redress scheme has been confirmed to take place between 16 and 26 February 2027. The scheme will remain in its current semi-suspended status until after the rulings. There is a potential for the ruling to not take place until the summer of 2027 with compensation expected to take place from 2028. For more on this matter, click this article link from The Law Gazette here.

The Chinese Government has announced that it is reducing the VAT rebate on exporting battery electric and plug in hybrid vehicles. This is associated with the reduction in assistance for ‘future-orientated’ industries. This is bad timing for the car industry of the country as there is a slump in sales, which is adding more pressure on companies. If you wish to read more, click this electrive article link here.

The practice of charging drivers to drop off or collect those using an airport has become a source of income for UK sites. However, the prices have increased at a rate that far outstrips what many feel is fair. Now the UK Government has announced it will look into these fees. Fingers crossed the result is they are banned as this does not happen in Europe. If you wish to read more, click this Motoring Research article link here.

Section 59 of the Police Reform Act was amended to enable police to seize a driver’s vehicle with an incredibly broad set of criteria. Criteria such as careless driving, inconsiderate driving or unauthorised driving off-road. On top of that if the officer believe conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance. Passengers too can be fined for their involvement. You can find out more by clicking this Carscoops article link here.

Euro NCAP has clarified what interactions it believes are safety critical and thus require a physical button and which do not. Climate control and media can be left on touchscreens, as they do not see them as “time-critical tasks” as well as the mind boggling statement “it is also not proven that direct physical input is safer”. Tell that to the UK lawmakers and how drivers are banned from interacting with their phones even in a mount for media etc. If you want to read more, click this EV Powered article link here.

VW is preparing itself for a large battery recall in Europe, on top of those already underway in the UK and US. In Europe ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz, as well as Cupra Born are the affected models, when they have been built between 2023 and 2025. However, the actual number to be recalled will be lower than currently stated due to it only be a small batch of batter cells that are the issue.

In the UK, the ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo, built between 2022 and 2025 are potentially affected. To find out more, click this electrive article link here.

The VW ID.3 GTI is the most powerful GTI they have ever produced, by half a horse power! Still most powerful is most powerful. It will come with a single motor and be rear wheel drive, the battery is a 79kWh one which will enable a maximum range of 373 miles. Power is 321bhp and 402lb ft of the torques, which will allow for a 0-62mph time of 5.6 seconds and a maximum speed of 124mph. Click this EVO article link here to read more.

The internal combustion engined version of the 3-Series has now been revealed. Looks wise, we feel its a big wiff. Really struggling with the front end visuals, which are so far from the Neue Klasse concept, making it look like it has been crashed already. Inside it matches the current BMW design. There will be a myriad of options for powertrains, power outputs and costs. Click this Autocar article link here to read more.

Hyundai have freshened up the very popular Tucson SUV. The front and rear have been sharpened up with new lighting and looks, whilst inside there is a change with a similar small screen for the driver behind the steering wheel and a HUD display. Obligatory large central screen is in place too. No doubt this will sell well. Click this Autocar article link here for more.

Plenty of car makers have chosen to name their cars using only numbers, Driven to Write have catalogued some of them for you to find out more. Very interesting to see the different approaches of brands with some having a high number on the range topper whilst other have it on the entry level one. Click this link here to read more.

Classic & Sports Car bring us another cracking list, this time all about estates that have partaken in motorsport. Be warned this is from the full breadth of motorsport. Do you agree with the choices made? What would you pick? Click this link here to view your options.

Asa we have, for once, remembered to cross promote our own work, here is a link to a video on the Seat Leon ST Cupra 290 Black.

Terry Ross is a motoring artist who creates these wonderful sculptures which ooze with speed and drama even though they are a static thing. Click this Classic & Sports Car article link here, to check out some selected works as well as the link to his site which we encourage you to go view as its all fabulous.

In this week’s show, Alan starts with a follow-up on China agreeing to limit the number of hybrid and PHV cars it imports into the EU, and discusses Porsche's forthcoming halo-vehicle and strategy announcements.

Google Maps and Waze are now displaying fuel prices, Freelander is confirmed for the UK - eventually, and TfL makes a bid to regulate “robocabs” in London.

In New New Car News, Alan talks about he likelihood of success of the much-discussed Jaguar Type-01, the Nissan Pixo, and the Bentley Torcal. Lunchtime Read covers the history of the Peugeot 309; there are 10 unusual homologation specials for List of the Week. And Finally covers the importance of removing vehicle liveries.

Alan was invited to the launch of the Peugeot e208 GTi, an electric hot hatch, conveniently close to home. What does he think? Is it a worthy successor to the still-lauded 205 GTi, or is it a pretender? We discuss it in depth in this Special Edition.

Alan’s also done a walk round on YouTube, so you can enjoy him pointing at things while he talks about them. You can find it here: https://youtu.be/GdVyzyeQhs4

The SMMT announced surprisingly impressive numbers for September 2026 registrations. Astonishingly surprising numbers. One third of registrations took place in the last three days of the month. BEVs were up to 99,201 and Private figures were up nearly 14% compared to 2025. For the Top 10 models, do remember it is coming up to an earnings call for one company you see in that table. Click this article link, from SMMT, to learn more.

Volkswagen has cancelled several contracts with IG Metal union workers prompting a furious backlash. There is a current truce for strikes which runs out on 31 December 2026. The two sides will meet later this month. If you want to read more, click this article link here, from Reuters.

Volvo has stated that they will miss their predicted sales and cash flow targets for this financial year, therefore will no longer report them. They have cited that their performance in China has been poor and surprised them, although at this point why? Other problems include a reduction in PHEV sales and new models not doing as well as hoped. To find out more, click this Autocar article link here.

Renault has announced a new plan that involves investing over €10 billion mainly to develop electric and affordable models. However, there are conditions as the CEO, François Provost, explicitly said this relied on political and social ‘environments’ matching expectations. You can read more, by clicking this electrive article link here.

Hagerty surveyed over 1200 classic car owners who said they would welcome a proportional MOT test for classic cars. However, they did warn that they should not be tested as if they were a modern car, which they didn’t feel was appropriate. For more on this, click the link here to a Hagerty article.

Instavolt has confirmed that their network will continue to charge cars with CHAdeMO connections, whilst others walk away from the technology. This will mean that second hand EVs can use some of the public network, thus prolonging their useful life. Click this EV Powered article link here, to read more.

Due to a susceptible bolt in the steering rack of an expected four million vehicles world wide, Volkswagen are staring down the barrel of their biggest recall since dieselgate. Depending on the territory, it will affect VW, Audi, Skoda and Seat. Details are due for all the affected regions, with the US having started their process. To read more on this, click the Carscoops link here.

Dacia have a new Spring coming out. Developed in just 16 months the new car leans heavily on the same platform as that utilised by the Renault Twingo. Prices will start under £18k and it has a WLTP rated maximum range of 155 miles. The car is expected to receive the full Electric Car Grant amount too. Click this Autocar article link here, to see the improvements made over the original version.

Finally Audi has reached back into their catalogue to bring a new A2. Based on the same MEB platform as the VW ID.3, Skoda Elroq and Audi Q4 E-tron, the car in the right spec will have a maximum range of 401 miles. Prices are to start at £32,200 and rise to an expected mid £40,000s. THere is a myriad of battery packs and motor options. Click this Autocar article link here, to check how well they reinterpreted the original small Audi for the electric age.

Following on from the success of the PV5, Kia are bringing out a bigger version. This will enable a maximum payload of 1200kg or to be able to hold up to 11 people. The Korean company has the Ford E-Transit Custom in it’s sights with this vehicle. The Long Range version will have a maximum WLTP range of 286 miles. Click this Autocar article link here.

As the nights draw in and the weather turns grim, thoughts go to sunnier locations and holidays next year. Hagerty has a lovely itinerary that combines cars, driving, good food and Italy. Click this link here and then get ready to start planning something to look forward to!

We all know about platform sharing and economies of scale, but still there are some related cars you may not be aware of. Check out this link here, to an Autocar slideshow highlighting some of the more bizarre links.

A German YouTuber called Nils has taken the guts of an autonomous lawn mower and rehoused it so now it looks like a MkII VW Golf GTi, with working lights and BBS-style wheels! Click this Carscoops link here, to check out this fun project and how to see the video.

The campaign to push both the UK Government and EU into a favourable deal connected to the ‘Made in Europe’ regulation is gaining momentum from within the industry. The SMMT has produced a report to claims the UK industry contributes €24 billion in ‘economic activity’ across the continent. This is to try and show that be excluding the UK would actually hurt the EU. Click this article link from Motor Trader, to read more.

The EU, for its part, has some demands of the UK, if they are to be considered to be covered. First and foremost is to impose extra tariffs on Chinese imports. This comes off the back of the suggestion it should join the EU’s customs union, as that means aligning with the economic policies of the bloc. Click this EV Powered article link for more.

Meanwhile, the ACEA (European equivalent to the SMMT), has called on a delay for the stricter rules of origin for the batteries of electric vehicles, between the UK and the EU. By pushing it back until 2029 that will save billions in extra costs. Click this electrive article link here, to learn more.

Mercedes-Benz is the latest company to be trying to reduce costs by cutting worker expenses in Germany. Reports state options being considered include asking employees to work longer without extra pay, changing holiday and Christmas bonuses as well as eliminating special payments. These options have been gift-wrapped in the not-at-all threatening statement that two German plants are at risk otherwise. If you want to read more, click this Reuters article link here.

In 2016 the EU found that several vehicle carriers had created a cartel to keep prices favourable to them at the cost to the buyers of those vehicles. In the UK the Competition Appeal Tribunal (CAT) has announced the compensation due to those who bought or leased a new vehicle between 18 October 2006 and 6 September 2015. For the first effected vehicle it is expected that the person will receive £25, for multiple vehicle claims the second to sixth should get £5 per vehicle and those over six are presumed to be getting £2.50 per vehicle. Which seems pittance and won’t affect the companies who have been found guilty of breaking the law. Again. For more on this, including the link to sign up for potential compensation, click this FleetWorld article link here.

Elements of the UK motor manufacturing industry have asked the UK Government for help in transitioning to serve the defence sector as geopolitical tensions rise and local car industry is under increased pressure. This follows moves in Europe where they are doing this. To find out more, click this Sky News article link here.

Nio has closed their hubs in Cologne and Weiterstadt, which is near Frankfurt at the end of this month, September 2026. The one at Munich will remain and is their last in Germany. Lots of corporate language was used, but essentially they’re in trouble and their European adventure seems almost over. Click this electrive article to read more.

Meanwhile, Geely has announced that it will be integrating with the technology of Nio to enable battery swapping in it’s vehicles in the future and working closely with them to integrate their networks. The deal is quite complicated with each company owning shares in each other’s subsidiaries. If you want to find out more, click this electrive article link here.

We came across an interesting article on Motoring Research, which discussed a ‘survey’ by an insurance company. The headline from the research is two-thirds of UK drivers want a lower speed limit on country roads. The wonderfully deadpan way this was written exposes the nature and silliness of these ‘surveys’, which are generated for publicity. In reality it was demonstrating so many feel incompetent behind the wheel as well as then bringing in irrelevant stats about the number who exceed the national speed limit, like that would change with a reduction. Click this article link if you wish to see how daft so much of what goes for ‘safety discourse’ is today and how well that was laid out.

Great news, for those who love the World Rally Championship (WRC) and are based in the UK, as it has been announced that the BBC have a three year deal to show the championship on their platforms. For more, click this Motoring Research article link here.

Renault is updating the Scenic with a new long range battery, giving a WLTP maximum range of 399 miles. There will also be an upgrade to the ADAS tech with the driver monitoring system being able to spot the difference between drivers, it is claimed. From this info the preferred settings of each driver will be enabled. No confirmation as to when the car will be coming to the UK yet from Renault. Click this Autocar article link here, to read more.

Mazda are planning to bring their electric family-sized SUV to the UK, in the coming months. As with the 6e, their electric car, this is the result of collaborating with the Chinese company, Changang. Prices are to start from £42,990 and will come with a 78kW battery producing a maximum range of around 300 miles. Click this EV Powered article link here, for more.

Mitsubishi are bringing back the Pajero/Shogun. Starting with the Thailand and then Australian markets, there is no clear indication that it will come to the UK. This is a proper off-roader, with a body-on-frame construction, with good ground clearance and a 2.4 litre diesel engine. The interior, on the press photos, looks quite luxurious and time will tell if the touch matches the vision. Click this Autocar article link here, for more.

This week we are recommending several videos brining Rustival 5, which took place last weekend, alive to us who could not make the wonderful event. We have tried to spread the love a bit this time, with some channels that may not be as well known, we hope you give them some support.

For IDriveAClassic and Steph’s coverage, click this YouTube link.

To watch THT motoring’s view of the show, click this link here.

Old Cars New Van has a nearly 51 minute long video which you can enjoy by clicking this link here.

For PeugeotCitroën’s takeaways, click this link here.

As we hurtle towards fuel shortages, thanks to geopolitical idiocy, we thought now was the perfect time to check out some of the largest engined cars of all time. Do you agree with the choices made? Click this Autocar article link here, to view your options.

With the risk that they fill this slot like Bryan Adams topped the charts in the UK for what felt like a year, The Autopian bring another lovely article, this time about cars sold by the Lane Motor Museum very recently. Check out what has left this eclectic collection by clicking this article link here.

Klaus Zellmer is leaving Skoda to head up Volvo. Håkan Samuelsson will hand over the reigns of the Swedish company no later than 1 October 2027 as per his contract. Zellmer had been in charge of Skoda since 2022 and with the VW Group for almost 30 years. If you wish to find out more, click this Autocar article link here.

Not content with appointing a new CEO, Volvo have plans to launch 13 new models by 2030. Additionally, they will be developing model variant specifically for different regions. Reading between the lines of the announcement, there is hope that saloons or even estates may be making a comeback, as well as the expected SUVs. For more on this, click this link here, to an EV Powered article.

Ahead of the October deadline for the trade discussions between China and the EU, there have been calls for a self-imposed limit to exporting hybrid vehicles into Europe. Currently, special tariffs only apply to pure electric vehicles and the rate is calculated on a brand by brand basis. Chinese hybrid sales in Europe have jumped in recent months as they look to off-load their oversupply due to the Government edict on annual production numbers. China has rejected these calls. Click this electrive article to read more.

McLaren has announced the outline of their plans for the next decade. This will include a second production facility, more models including a SUV line and the creation of thousands of jobs. All of this is thanks to a £500 million investment from their new owners, Abu Dhabi government’s L’imad investment entity. They are being tasked with increasing volume too. To read more on this, click this Autocar article link here.

Porsche has confirmed that the Cayenne Electric can now come with inductive, or wireless, charging. Maximum power is 11kW, but that is the same as many home, wall charging outputs that use AC. If the driver uses the assisted parking system of the car it will make sure the vehicle is perfectly aligned, apparently. But this will not be a cheap option, as the car mounted pad itself is €1,844.50, with the floor pad being €5,116,69, according to German configurator version. If you wish to learn more, click this electrive article link here.

The UK Government, via the Department for Transport, has announced that it is going to give permitted development rights for cross-pavement charging in England. Planning permission will not be required for homes who can only have on-street charging. Permission from the local highway authority will still be required, though. Click this electrive article link here, for more.

Chery is bringing their Fulwin T7 to the UK, using the Lepas badge. Utilising the same underpinnings as the Jaecoo 7 and Omoda 5, we get another cut and paste SUV from China, emphasising how they make vehicles so much cheaper than traditional manufacturers. Due to sharing platforms, there should be a maximum range of 279 miles, and a charge from 30-80% in 22 minutes at 120kW. Prices and full specifications are yet to be announced but the Omoda twins cost from £33,065. Click this Autocar article link, for more.

Once again we have an electric luxury MPV to discuss, this time the Mercedes option. A completely new platform, with a maximum WLTP range of 435 miles, dependent on battery and powertrain selected. Also 30-80% charging can add 226 miles in 25 minutes, if all conditions are perfect. The interior is vast and mind-bogglingly configurable, with a variety of seat types and positions. As with all Mercs these days you can get more screens than a multiplex cinema, if you so desire. Full UK specs and prices are yet to be announced. Click this Top Gear article link, for more.

Genesis has revealed their largest model to date, the GV90, a luxury electric SUV. Using the same platform as the Kia EV9 and Hyundai Ioniq 9, it is even longer at nearly 5.3 meters. There will be options for either seven seats or four, with the front two swivelling around. Additionally it will come with ‘barn doors’ enabling easier in and egress. There is a 123.5kW battery pack, enabling a maximum range around 311 miles. Due to 800v architecture 10-80% charging can take from as little as 22 minutes. There has been no confirmation of exactly when it is coming to the UK and prices are expected to be well above £100,000.

Once again Driven to Write has a fascinating and fun couple of articles about the Stellantis light commercial vehicle range (sorry for any flashbacks, Phil). The first, linked here, is all about the older brands within the group and how to pick the van or even car you want when they take rebadging to an extreme. The second, which is linked here, takes a look at the new stable members.

To match the general mood of waves arms around dramatically we have a list of angry looking cars, from Autocar and Aysar Ghassan. Do you agree with Andrew’s choice? Click this link here to see your options.

The Autopian for the second week running rounds out the show, thanks to Annie Keller and how she stumbled across a one of two Bose suspension prototype Lexus. You’ll learn why this was a cool attempt at ‘doing suspension’ and how it ended up in the car park of a garage in the US. Click this link here for a fascinating story.

Porsche has completed the sale of its shares in Bugatti Rimac and the Rimac Group. This has netted them around €1 billion, destinations for portions of this have already been decided with €250 million going to the pension fund. The rest helps makes the company more financially stable. If you want to learn more, click this Autonext article link here.

Xpeng has decided to open its own UK operations, instead of just relying on International Motors. They will begin this by opening a sales company, which will control the “strategic commercial development of the brand”, whilst Internation Motors will supply the “operational services”. This is all happening ahead of the launch of their new model, the L03 SUV. To read more, click this Auotcar article link here.

Lidl has cut the price of its rapid EV chargers, if customers use their Plus app. Additionally they are investing £10 million in the charging network. Prices drop from £0.62 to £0.59p per kWh when you use the Lidl Plus app. The £10 million investment will expand their charging network across the UK, as well as trying to install rapid chargers at all new sites. For more on this story, click this electrive article link here.

Altilium has been awarded their first patent for recycling batteries. This is tartgeting lithium-ion batteries. Most recycling produces intermediate materials that need to be shipped abroad to be processed further to end up with suitably high quality material that can be used in battery manufacture. Altilium hope to circumvent this step with the process in the patent. If you wish to find out more, click this electrive article link here.

Ford has partnered with Jiangling Motors to built electric vans for them at a lower cost than the American company can manage. The Transit City will first be seen in Europe at the IAA Transportation event in Hannover. The Chinese built van will undercut the one made in Turkey by roughly £15,000. You can read more, by clicking this Autonext article link here.

Driver Monitoring Systems have been painted as the cure all for driver inattention. However, as with all ADAS, the reality of what sounds like a great idea on paper compared to the execution is very different. Lexus is the latest to come under scrutiny, as claims online point out in-built flaws because their system uses eye-aspect-ratio and at least one Asian person has claimed it gives false positive warnings because of the shape of their eyes and eyelids. As this podcast has warned many, many times over the years, this leaves the industry open to potential lawsuits for racism. Additionally, these systems will never be able to get this right because they do not have a picture of everyone’s face, their head position when driving, how their eyelids are shaped and so much more. Click this Gadget Review article link here, to read more.

Mazda is ditching the range-topping 2.0 litre MX-5 from sale in the UK. But as we all wipe tears of sadness from our eyes, they also confirm that there will be some upgrades to the 1.5 litre version remaining. Power is ever so slightly upped to 134bhp and 114lb ft of the torques. New prices are yet to be announced and the car will be available from January 2027. Click this link from Autocar, for more.

The Range Rover Electric details and pricing has been revealed, ahead of being in customer hands in 2027. Starting at £154,070 the car will come with an 120kWh battery pack and a WLTP range of 372 miles, which according to JLR is 330 miles in the real world. The car will weigh in at 2885kgs, therefore drivers either best not have many passengers and luggage or get an HGV license. Click this Autocar link, to find out more.

Zeekr has announced that the 9X Super Hybrid, their large premium SUV, will be coming to Europe, although there is no news on the UK yet. It has a 2.0 litre turbocharged four-cylinder engine, with single electric motors up front and at the back linked to a 55.1 kWh battery pack all on 900V architecture. Full range is quoted as 458 miles with electric only being 111 miles. Weight is very similar to the above Range Rover at 2.9 tonnes. Click this Top Gear article link, for more.

Let Top Gear introduce you to possibly your new favourite dealer, BINGO Sports Japan. They work with buyers to find rare and specific cars that once found lead everyone involved to shout BINGO! This is a lovely article that tells all and has some fabulous pictures showing the sort of thing they find. Click here to read more.

Classic and Sports Car bring this week’s list, all about Mazdas that didn’t make the cut and ended up not being made into production models for sale. Do you agree with the choices made? Click this link here to check out your options!

The Autopian rounds out the show with the story of the safari tourist Land Cruiser, in Tanzania, which ended up in crocodile infested river following an error by the driver. No one was reported injured. Click this link to find out what happened.

The board of the Volkswagen Group has agreed to the restructuring plans that will include closing four plants, halving the number of models offered and an additional 50,000 roles to be culled. Additionally the Seat brand is to be retired in 2030. There is also a change in tactic with their Chinese operations, where they plan to build cars and export from the country to other markets. To find out more, click this Autocar article link here.

Catching many by surprise, the cost-cutting measures will include around 4,000 roles going. The company hopes voluntary redundancy will do the trick. They are also leaning heavily on their suppliers to cut costs, but that is difficult for many to do. If you want to read more, click this Autocar article link here.

The SMMT has released the August 2026 new car registration figures. Astonishingly, this is the best August on their chart going back to 2010. BEVs increased their market share again, as did HEVs and PHEVs. Surprisingly, there was a jump in private registrations. Once again Mikes Hawes, SMMT’s Chief Executive, reminded the Government of how unsustainable the industry’s efforts to meet the ZEV mandate are. Click this link here, to read more.

Stellantis Europe, once again, is shuffling their senior management. This time starting with Olivier François ending his reign as the head of Fiat. He will be replaced by Arnaud Belloni who moves from the head of marketing for Renault. But Belloni will be also head up Abarth ad Lancia, as well as being the Chief Marketing Officer for Europe for Stellantis. Elsewhere, Xavier Chardon will lead DS Automobiles, as well as continue as CEO of Citroën. Xavier Peugeot will take the new role as Head of Jeep in Europe. There are many others too, which you can read all about by clicking this electrive article link here.

Geely is shutting the satellite Volvo office in Stockholm, with the loss of an unspecified number of the 450 roles under that roof. The site was a key element of Volvo’s moves in software, AI and digital customer experiences. To read more, click this Auto Igloo article link here.

Earlier in the year the news came out that Honda and Nissan were close to signing a partnership or even merger, however that fell apart after Honda’s valuation of their rival was significantly lower than was expected. But, both companies have now agreed to work together to standardise parts and software so they can share the economic benefits. The hope is that this can help them be more competitive with Chinese brands who are marching into their markets and taking an increasing share. Click this electrive article link here, for more.

Additionally, Honda is leaning on its suppliers to reduce costs. There are three key areas, electrical parts, parts for software-defined cars as well as pressed and forged parts. The company is aiming for $9.4 billion in savings with 30% coming from the three areas mentioned, which sounds like a lot. Click this yahoo!finance article link here for more.

Suzuki are poised to bring their second EV to UK shores, in the kei car form of the e-Sky. This is a small city car, expected to be priced below £20,000 and in Japan it has a max range of 193 miles. The car is due to go on sale in early spring 2027. Click this Autocar article link for more information.

Hyundai has opened their order books for the Ioniq 3, a B-segment hatch with a starting price of £22,245 for the 42.2kWh battery pack version, with a maximum expected range around 213 miles. A 61kWh battery pack option is available from £25,745, which is expected to enable a max range of 308 miles. The final specifications and test results are yet to be confirmed. There are further trim levels which you can read about by clicking this electrive article link here.

The new GLA has been revealed, in electric guise, by Mercedes-Benz. Bigger than the previous model, it is now squarely aimed at the likes of the Audi Q4 and Volvo EX40. Whilst the electric model will be available from November, the hybrid will only arrive in 2027. There will be a variety of battery, including different chemical compositions, and motor options. This will translate to a variety of maximum ranges, with the longest being 408 miles. Click this Autocar article link here to read more.

Driven to Write and Eóin Doyle are the originators of our recommendation for something longer form for your enjoyment. Eóin talks about how the Citroën AX came to be, what it replaced and how revolutionary this was for the company. To read more, click this link here.

Autocar and Richard Dredge provide the slideshow of supercars you might have forgotten ever existed in the first place, if you knew about them at all. Some wonderfully mad options which go some way to explaining why they did not register in the mind more firmly. Click this link to see what your choices are.

During the CarFest event, at the end of August, the Hot Wheels Legends Tour UK final was held. Three judges, Dwayne Vance (Hot Wheels designer), Nicola Hume (presenter) and Richard Hammond (classic car restoration company owner) all voted for the winner, a heavily modified 1972 VW Beetle. You have to check out this Motoring Research article link here, to see how epically insane the car is.