The direct successor to yesterday’s Porsche 356 - and this one was popular with the Dutch and German police too - was the 912, which was basically a four-cylinder version of the 911. I was quite excited to see this 912 at the recent #SMMT Test Day, which turned out to be not quite what it seemed. This particular car is an electric conversion (see the black battery box under the raised engine cover). Beautifully executed. (1/2)
#SMMT
One more car from last week’s SMMT Test Day in Bedfordshire - the BMW i5 Touring estate. The i5 is the pure electric version of the 5 Series. I didn’t actually drive this one on the day, but I like its long, low, athletic appearance, which is all the more impressive when you bear in mind that it has 80+ kWh of batteries secreted about its bodywork, and it’s not on a pure EV platform.
Today, another car you’ve probably never heard of from the house of Chery - the Jaecoo J7 plug-in hybrid, on sale in the UK soon. The word Jaecoo is apparently a conflation of the German word for hunter - Jäger - and the English word ‘cool’. The claimed ‘electric-only’ range is 55 miles. Expect to see a lot more unfamiliar Chinese cars on our roads as unprecedented change in the automotive industry unfolds. Pic: SMMT Test Day, 2024.
Today, a car I’d never heard of before I saw it at yesterday’s SMMT Test Day at Millbrook - the Omoda E5 EV. It doesn’t really stand out from the crowd but it would be a mistake to underestimate it. Omoda is a brand of Jaguar Land Rover’s Chinese partner Chery, and Chery platforms will provide the basis for several of JLR’s forthcoming plug-in models. Apparently, there will also be an ICE version of this car.
Just a quick one today, from SMMT Test Day in Bedfordshire. This is the range extender version of Mazda’s MX-30 EV. The unique thing about this is that the range extender is a small rotary (Wankel) engine. Oh - that and the distinctive (presumably in the interests of sustainability) cork interior trim. Very nice vehicle, but a bit niche.
After yesterday’s Austin-inspired 1935 Datsun Type 14, we leap forward nine decades to the all-electric Nissan Ariya, snapped here at #SMMT Test Day North at Wetherby Racecourse this week. Nissan phased out the use of the Datsun brand for exports in 1986, although it was later revived for emerging markets. Here, the link is to the French, rather than the British motor industry - the Ariya and the #Renault Megane E-Tech Electric are sisters. #Datsun #Nissan #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
More driving today at SMMT Test Day South in Hampshire. Most of the cars are out already - very popular event. #SMMTTestDay #SMMT
Name a Suzuki car manufactured in Britain. Does anything come to mind? Meet the Suzuki Swace, a rebadged version of the Toyota Corolla Touring Sports hybrid estate, built at Toyota’s plant in Burnaston in Derbyshire, and snapped here during SMMT Test Day North at Wetherby Racecourse yesterday. These, or at least the Toyota version, are popular with provincial British taxi firms. Tomorrow, another Japanese car with British connections. #Suzuki #Toyota #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
We begin this week's @motoringpodcast New Show with August's new car registration figures for the UK. A decent month. Finally. Comparable with the Before Times, too.
Amazingly, the UK Gov, with less than 120 days to go, hasn't told the car industry the Zero Emission Mandate rules!
You can hear about that and more, now.
#Podcast #AutomotiveNews #NewCarRegistrations #SMMT #Podcasting
To 👂 via streaming click 👉 https://www.motoringpodcast.com/episodes/2023/09/12/542-too-wet-to-light-man
To 👂 via Apple/Google click 👉 https://buff.ly/2ZvyyAo
Much of the cleverness embodied in yesterday’s Honda NSX in pursuit of performance was subsequently deployed in the interests of economy and efficiency in this, the first-generation Honda Insight launched in 1999. Aluminium construction, advanced aero, this car had the lot. Unusually for a hybrid, the Insight was initially sold as a manual. Pics: 2017 Millbrook Test Day for car journalists held by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. #Honda #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
Today, Honda’s first-generation mid-engined NSX, which was famously developed with input from the racing driver Ayrton Senna. The NSX was a showcase for several technologies, including aluminium construction. Another specialised Honda model with an aluminium body structure coming up tomorrow. Snapped at the 2013 Test Day for car journalists held by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders at Millbrook. #Honda #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
Today, we’re sticking with Volkswagen and the same electric MEB platform as used by yesterday’s ID. Buzz. This is something completely different, the thoroughly modern ID.5, a sort of SUV coupé sister to the slightly staider ID.4. The ID.5 has had some slightly lukewarm reviews but I rather like it. Snapped/driven at the 2023 Test Day for car journalists held by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders #VW #Volkswagen #EV #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
Today, a modern take on the traditional Volkswagen bus, or in this case van, in the form of the battery-powered ID. Buzz. The resemblance to the old T1 and T2 is more than skin deep; the ID. Buzz marks a return to a rear motor/RWD set-up thanks to its MEB platform, which is shared with several other Audi, Skoda and VW EVs. Snapped/driven at the 2023 Test Day for car journalists held by the UK Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders #VW #Volkswagen #EV #SMMT #WeirdCarMastodon #davidsdailycar
We talk through the UK's New car registration figures on this week's @motoringpodcast News Show.
Good to see growth but still WAY down on the Before Times. EVs need to be doing much better too. 16% is ok but it is 16% of a much smaller total, we never look at just the total or the percentage, they need to be put in context.
#AutomotiveNews #SMMT #Podcast #Podcasting #NewCarRegistrations
To 👂 via streaming click 👉 https://motoringpodcast.com/episodes/2023/08/08/537-when-mpvs-were-real-mpvs
To 👂 via Apple/Google click 👉 https://buff.ly/2ZvyyAo
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has been forced to make astonishing plea to any political party to listen and help or risk a lots of jobs and money. We fear on the @motoringpodcast that its fallen on deaf ears.
Hear that now and much more besides.
#AutomotiveNews #SMMT #Politics #IndustrialStrategy
To 👂 via streaming click 👉 https://motoringpodcast.com/episodes/2023/07/04/532-moved-to-tears
To 👂 via Apple/Google click 👉 https://buff.ly/2ZvyyAo
I used to have to (until about 2013) analyse the latest SMMT UK car manufacturing data on a quarterly basis.
I have seen some peaks and troughs in some months or quarters. I have never seen an overall collapse like this.
Almost 80% of these are made for export (almost 58% to EU) so car exports are significantly down (14% in 2022 alone).
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