Barnsley In Some Mizzle - 8 March 2022

Motoring Podcast - News Show

FOLLOW UP: GREG KELLY GIVEN SUSPENDED SENTENCE

Greg Kelly, the former Nissan executive who was tricked into flying to Japan, has been found guilty on one of the charges brought against him. His sentence was suspended and he has flown back to the U.S. AS the Asian Times article, linked here, points out the ruling is “flawed”.

FOLLOW UP: FELICITY ACE SINKS WITH VW GROUP CARS ONBOARD

The Felicity Ace, with it’s cargo of VW Group cars, has sunk following the fire onboard. This follows work for a couple of weeks to rescue the ship following the removal of the crew. To find out more, click this Autocar link here.

NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES FEBRUARY 2022

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has released the February 2022 data on new car registrations. The figures are up on the pandemic market but still 25% below the before times. Electric, as well as hybrid and plug-in hybrid registrations rose dramatically. For more on this, click the SMMT article here.

CAR INDUSTRY EFFECTED BY INVASION OF UKRAINE

Following the invasion of Ukraine, by Russian forces, there have been knock on effects to the car industry. Ukraine produces a lot of the wiring looms for vehicles but also many brands have paused selling vehicles in Russia. To find out more, click this Autocar article link.

STELLANTIS LATEST TO ANNOUNCE ALL EV LINE UP IN EUROPE

In this week’s “Company X will go all electric by Y” announcement comes from Stellantis. 2026 is the year all their model launches will be all electric in Europe. For more, click the Autocar article here.

FORD TO SPLIT EV BUSINESS FROM ICE

Ford is creating two companies, one focused purely on EVs and the other dealing with the ICE products. Ford Model E will look after the electric, software and connected car side of things, whilst Ford Blue will focus on ICE vehicle development, cost cutting, simplification and quality. Click this link here to learn more from the Autocar article.

HONDA AND SONY PARTNERSHIP FOR EVS

Honda and Sony are partnering to build electric vehicles. Honda is concentrating on the car side of things, whilst Sony deals with the software of the mobility platform. They plan on releasing their first models in 2025. For more on this story, click the Autocar article here.

REGULATORS CAN BE SUED OVER EMISSION SOFTWARE

Environmental groups have won the right to sue regulators over EU-approved emission software, which they feel amounts to defeat devices. Of particular interest is software that allows a temperature range, which some equate to a defeat device. To learn more, click the Automotive News Europe link here.

VOLVO TESTING WIRELESS CHARGING TECHNOLOGY

Volvo has announced that it is testing wireless charging with six Gothenburg XC40 Recharge taxis, over a three year period. Wireless charging is thought of as a huge step in making electric cars more viable and user friendly. More information can be found by clicking this Autocar 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

Polestar O2 -

The Polestar O2 is a concept outlining the replacement for the Polestar 1, which is coming to the end of its production run. The UK base developed car will be, the company claim, fun to drive, whilst being a 2+2 coupe. There is much talk about the use of recycled and recyclable materials, as one would expect. Added to which a lot of attention has been paid to the aerodynamics, which even goes to the level of the rear lights being designed to reduce turbulence. For more information, click the EVO link here.

Morgan Super 3 -

Morgan has revealed the replacement for their 3 wheeler. Whilst at first glance it does not appear much different, Morgan has developed the car fresh, from the ground up. A 1.5 three-cylinder Ford engine replaces the previous version for a reduction in complexity and weight. The looks are very similar but have evolved, thanks to inspiration of the jet age, added to which is a brand new wheel design. Prices beginning at £43,165, but be careful there are around 200 options selectable! To learn more, click the EVO article here.

Fisker Ocean -

Fisker revealed its SUV, Ocean, to a European audience in Barcelona. The model is expected to take on the Audi Q4 E-tron and BMW i3. A claimed range of 350 miles, added to several modes that allow for open air driving as well as treats for the rear passengers, the Fisker makes a compelling case. Prices start at £48,900 and will be in the UK from the middle of 2023. More on this story can be found from this link to an Autocar article.

LUNCHTIME READ: ICE ST MORITZ IS THE COOLEST (AND COLDEST) CONCOURS IN THE WORLD

Concours events are the epitome of cool vehicles on display that we normally don’t get to see as they are hidden away in pristine garages, but how do you top that? Well, you hold it at St Moritz, but not only that, you do so on the frozen lake at St Moritz. Click the link here to find out about this brilliant event, from Hagerty.

LIST OF THE WEEK: 11 FORGOTTEN HOT HATCHBACKS OF THE 80’S

The List of the Week is a reminder to the older listeners, of cars we used to see on the road, in our youth, but are an increasingly rare sight. Antony Ingram has compiled a list of just 11 80s hot hatches that may have slipped from our minds. Of course more could be added but he only had space for 11. To run through the list and pick the one you would most like, click the Hagerty link here.

AND FINALLY: KEI CARS ATTACK A CLASSIC TOUGE

Japan has some amazing roads that are driven on, “enthusiastically’, by drift cars and hot hatches. However, we are more into seeing souped up Keil cars take on these roads. Now we and you can, click here for the YouTube link to the Goodwood Road & Racing link.