Anarchic Assemblies - 5 April 2022

Motoring Podcast - News Show

FOLLOW UP: SSANGYONG SEEKS NEW OWNER AS DEAL FALLS THROUGH

Ssangyong has started the search for a new owner after the consortium headed by Edison Motors failed to meet a payment deadline. This money was supposed to be made to 95% of creditors and was a condition of the approval of South Korea’s bankruptcy court. For more on this story, click the Autocar article link here.

MARCH 2022 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has published the March new car registration figures. As was to be expected, the figures are down, in fact the worst since 1998, thanks mainly to semi conductor shortages. However, battery electric vehicles had their best ever month, with 39,315 registered. To learn more about the month, click the SMMT link here. To get some more insight into what the figures mean, click here for Auto Retail Network’s Tristan Young’s thread on Twitter.

THOMAS MULLER IS THE NEW JLR ENGINEERING CHIEF

Thomas Muller, who is moving from VW, will take up the reigns of executive director of product engineering for Jaguar Land Rover, replacing Nick Rogers, who left the company at the end of 2021. Muller will be responsible for JLR’s technical development, as well as hardware and software for all future JLR vehicles. More can be found on this, by clicking the link here for the Autocar article.

SCHÄFER AND ZELLMER GET NEW VW GROUP ROLES

Thomas Shäfer will take over as Volkswagen brand COO come 1 July 2022, moving from Skoda. Skoda get a new boss, in the form of Klaus Zellmer who moves from VW passenger cars. To learn more, click the VW press release here.

VW GROUP RECALLS OVER 100,000 PLUG-IN HYBRIDS

Due to a fire risk, with Volkswagen Group plug-in hybrids, over 100,000 are being recalled. To learn more, click the Bauaelectric Auto News article link here.

MAZDA IMPORTS DIRECTLY TO UK

Mazda’s first shipment in Bristol Port has berthed, cutting 10 days from the time cars previously took to arrive on UK shores. Previously, they were brought to Zeebrugge and distributed on. Click here for the Mazda PR article, to learn more.

GOVERNMENT PRODUCES LIFECYCLE ANALYSIS OF UK ROAD VEHICLES

The Government, with the help of Richard Energy and Environment, has produced a comprehensive lifecycle analysis of UK road vehicles. This compares battery electric, hydrogen and ICE vehicles, for their CO2 footprint from their manufacture, through their expected life on the roads and recycling at the end. Click here for the link to the report. Their tweet with an interesting graphic, plus the joy of all the cyclists who found they weren’t included, can be clicked here.

UK GOVERNMENT CONFIRMS WHERE GETS BUS BOOST

The Government has informed the local authorities that were successful in receiving extra money promised, to improve and upgrade bus services. Only 40% of those who applied were awarded funding. The result of this has brought the Government under fire for failing to meet their own targets and promises. For more on this story, click the BBC News article link here.

MOTOR SHOW NEWS

Beijing Motor Show has announced that they will be postponing indefinitely, due to the Covid outbreak in China. To learn more, click the Autocar article here.

Geneva Motor Show organisers have stated that next year will see the return of the show, this time in February. Click here for the story from Autocar on that news. ——————————————————————————-

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REIMS-GUEUX PIT PHOTOS BAN

Over the weekend, the news spread across social media, that we will no longer be allowed to stop at the Reims-Gueux pits to to take photos of the historic location. Groups have been meeting and causing a nuisance which has lead to this move by the local mayor. This is not a total ban from visiting, so do listen to Alan explain the why’s and how’s.

NEW NEW CAR NEWS

Lotus Eletre -

Lotus, to much razzmatazz, revealed their first ever SUV and fully electric production model, in the form of the Eletre. This is a technological showpiece with much made of driver assistance type technology as well as the interior space. But with figures of 162mph top speed and an expected 0-62mph of under three seconds, this is should also be a driver’s car. For more, click the EVO article here.

Toyota GR86 -

Toyota has now told us the prices and specs of the GR86, which starts at £29,990 for those of us in the UK. The monthly costs also looks hugely enticing. But be quick as we only have two years to get one new, thanks to a limited run from Toyota. Click here for more from EVO on this news.

Toyota Aygo X -

Alan went on the European launch of the Aygo X. Not only that, but he has produced a 150 video to tell you all about the key details. Click here to view the YouTube video.

LUNCHTIME READ: CAN YOU RACE AN AMBULANCE ACROSS THE USA?

This week’s recommended article is all about the last Cannonball Run, the favourite for that year and what happened. Not only is there something to read but there is a video or two as well. The near full multimedia experience for you! Click here for the Arne’s Antics link. What a story!

LIST OF THE WEEK: 10 CARS THAT ALWAYS GET RUINED BY THEIR OWNERS

Jalopnik has put together a list of cars the feel are always ruined by their owners. Run through the list and see if you agree with Andrew’s choice. Don’t forget to tell the chaps which you’d stick at number one! Click here for the list.

AND FINALLY: A CAR THAT WAS BOTH A FORD AND A CHEVY?

There is one car that was sold by both Ford and Chevy, but which was something else entirely, the Suzuki Carry. Click the link here, to find out more thanks to new site The Autopian, which we anticipate will be providing a lot of And Finally articles in the future.