Tesla Model S Wafts Along Like A Rolls-Royce. “Tesla will have a big lead because the Germans won’t be ready to compete until 2019 or 2020 and it will have become more stable with Model 3” More than 10 years ago I first heard the term “waftability” when interviewing British luxury legend Rolls Royce about […]
Is Diesel Death Imminent, Or Is Threat Short Term Jitters? “Premium (manufacturers) have the highest diesel share today, but are also likely to enjoy the most rapid increase in mild-hybrid gasoline and BEV sales” Diesel powered cars are on death row, condemned by worries about health, sales undermined by dieselgate publicity, and about to be […]
SUVs Get Smaller As Suzuki Starts Mini Sector With The Ignis. “described variously as baby urban chic, radical, bold or simply cute” Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) used to be the preserve of the rich and famous, but these high-riding, off-road capable and arrogant big beasts bred ever smaller and cheaper versions which have been leaping […]
Auto “Mobility Solutions”, Paranoia Or Rationality? “The automotive sector may need to consider moving from using a pure product ownership model toward providing a range of transportation services” The automotive industry is understandably wary of being blindsided by some overnight technology sensation, but that doesn’t mean it has to take on board every crackpot theory. […]
Electric Car Sales Forecasts Crank Higher; Europe Unconvinced “today’s electric car sales remain a great deal weaker than the industry had hoped” I’m drowning in forecasts telling me electric cars, currently too expensive and plagued by range anxiety, will rule the world soon. The price of batteries will be slashed and range extended to the […]
New Audi A5 Coupe Coming To The U.S. In The Spring. “Audi’s original A5 forced the likes of BMW and Mercedes to raise their game” BRIGHTON, England – Audi’s new A5 and S5 Sportback coupes boast strong performance and cutting edge technology and will go on sale in the U.S. in the Spring, although they […]
FCA Wins Time In The Sun As Investors Turn Favourable. Debt Mountain Looks Manageable If Spin-offs Happen. Maserati, Magneti Mareli, Alfa Romeo, Jeep Raise Hopes. A combination of hopes that Maserati and Alfa Romeo might lead a renaissance, or at least be sold off to pay huge debts, has transformed the prospects of Fiat Chrysler […]
New BMW 5 Series Will Maintain Profit, But Don’t Expect More. “What’s in store for 2017? Flat margins from what we can see” BMW’s new 5 series goes on sale in February and while investors reckon it will help maintain profits they worry that the styling doesn’t turn heads, while the competition has raised its […]
Global Auto Growth Set To Accelerate In 2017. But Protectionism Clouds Prospects In NAFTA, Europe. The global automotive market is set to grow at twice the 2016 rate next year led by emerging markets like Russia and Brazil, but a number of challenges include the possibility of an increasingly protectionist environment. That’s the view of […]
Self-driving Cars Excite, But Not Yet Ready For Prime Time. “Would anyone pay $200,000 to sit in a supercar driven by computer?” There has been much fevered talk about the imminence of self driving cars, leaving the impression with the public that it won’t be very long before the automobiles we buy don’t even have […]
