Motoring Podcast - News Show

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
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

SEPTEMBER 2026 NEW CAR REGISTRATION FIGURES
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.
VW RIP UP WORKER’S CONTRACTS
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 TO STOP SHARING SALES FORECASTS AND CASH FLOW
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 TO INVEST OVER €10 BILLION
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.
CLASSIC CAR OWNERS WOULD WELCOME MOT TESTING
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 WILL KEEP CHARGING CHADEMO CARS
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.
HUGE VW RECALL INCOMING
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.
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 -
Dacia Spring
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.
Audi A2
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.
Kia PV7
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.
LUNCHTIME READ: SEVEN DAYS IN ITALY’S MOTOR VALLEY
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!
LIST OF THE WEEK: SURPRISING CARS THAT ARE RELATED TO EACH OTHER
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.
AND FINALLY: WATCHING GRASS GROW CAN BE FUN
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.

FOLLOW UP: BIG PUSH TO PROTECT UK AUTOMOTIVE RELEVANCE
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 IS THE LATEST TO TRY AND CUT WORKER COSTS
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.
CONSUMERS AND FLEETS ENCOURAGED TO CLAIM FROM SHIIPING CARTEL
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.
MOTOR INDUSTRY WANTS HELP TO TRANSITION TO DEFENCE
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.
MAJOR CHANGES FOR NIO AS IT CONTINUES TO STRUGGLE
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.
TWO-THIRDS OF UK DRIVERS CONFIRM THEY CAN’T DRIVE IN THE COUNTRYSIDE
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.
BBC TO SHOW THE WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP FROM NEXT YEAR
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.
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 -
Renault Scenic
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 CX-6e
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 Pajero
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.
LUNCHTIME WATCHES: RUSTIVAL 5
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.
LIST OF THE WEEK: THE CARS WITH THE LARGEST ENGINES EVER MADE
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...

SKODA LOSE A CEO AND VOLVO GAIN ONE
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.
EU ASKS CHINA WILL PINKY PROMISE ON EXPORTS
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 OUTLINE THEIR FUTURE PLANS
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 CAYENNE CAN USE WIRELESS CHARGING
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.
CROSS-PAVEMENT CHARGING MADE EASIER
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.
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 -
Lepas L6
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.
Mercedes-Benz VLE
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 GV90
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.
LUNCHTIME READ: A BOXER, A JUMPER AND A FIST FULL OF COINS
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.
LIST OF THE WEEK: 20 VERY ANGRY-LOOKING CARS
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.
AND FINALLY: ALWAYS CHECK THE CAR PARK
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.