Motoring Podcast - News Show

FOLLOW UP: MORE APPEAL AGAINST FCA RULING
Following the deadline passing for appealing against the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) plans for compensation following the car finance industry breaking the law, there are now three lenders fighting back. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services join VW Financial Servcices and CA Auto Finance. The companies have declined to clarify to the public why they have made the move. To find out more, click this link from MoneySavingExpert.
TOYOTA SUPPLIERS HIT BY IRAN CRISIS
Toyota has announced that their suppliers have already begun to state they are feeling the effect of the Iran crisis with warnings that parts will not be delivered at the time expected. Toyota and their suppliers have already downgraded their expectations on 2026 production numbers. Click this CBT News article link here for more.
LAMBORGHINI GETS A NEW CTO
Fermín Soneira is leaving heading up of AUDI, the Chinese only off-shoot of Audi, to take up the role as Chief Technology Officer for Lamborghini. Fred Schulze will replace Soneira. For more on this story, click the electrive article link here.
EV CHARGING GRID VULNERABILITY DEMONSTRATED
At BlackHat Asia, a large cybersecurity and research conference, the vulnerable nature of EV charging networks and shared e-bikes was demonstrated. Companies are being accused of putting customer convenience ahead of security. One possible scenario is the ability to remotely disable an entire city’s EV charging network. You can learn more by clicking this link, from The Register, here.
MG TO BUILD CARS IN SPAIN
MG has chosen Spain as the location for their European car factory, over Hungary. By doing this they should avoid any tariffs or agreed minimum price requirements that are to apply with cars coming to Europe from China. Click this EVPowered article link here, to read more.
HONGQI IN TALKS WITH STELLANTIS ABOUT SPANISH FACTORY
The Chinese car maker, Hongqi, is in discussions with Stellantis about using capacity at their Spanish factory to build their cars in Europe, also taking advantage of avoiding extra financial penalties. Both parties are tight lipped on the matter. If you wish to find out more, click this Carscoops article link here.
AUDI RECALLING 96,000 CARS WORLDWIDE
Audi is recalling 96,180 e-tron quattros and Q8 e-trons, due to a potential brake issue. The fault is a lose screw that may prevent full braking ability in cars built from the 2 February 2018 until 11 June 2024. To read more, click this electrive 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 -
Freelander 8
JRL and Chery have revealed their first concept from their joint-venture for the Freelander brand. Unsurprisingly, this is an electric SUV with a hint or two of the original Freelander and some of the JLR back catalogue. Initially this will be launched in China but then to other international markets, including the UK. We don’t really know much about the specs or what the final look will be. Click this Autocar article link to learn more.
For information on timings of the Freelander hitting markets outside of China, click this EV Powered article link here.
BMW 7 Series
BMW have given the 7 Series a facelift. Specs have improved with a longer range possible. The interior has also had a spruce up. For more on this, click this Autocar link here.
Old Car Dead News: GWM Ora 03
The car formally known as the GWM Ora Funky Cat is no longer going to be sold in the UK. Never a big seller, whether it was the looks or name that put people off. GWM is reviewing their strategy in the UK and are looking to bring more offerings here. Click this electrive article link here for more.
LUNCHTIME READ: COMPETING CARS FROM THE SAME DESIGNER
Not big enough to be a List of the Week it is still a fab article to have a read through and check out some designer’s work where they competed against their own designs. Click here to read the Hagerty article.
LIST OF THE WEEK: 23 SPACE INSPIRED CAR NAMES
Classic & Sports Car provide the slideshow this week, all around the theme of space related car names. Click this link here to see if you agree with the choices made on the show. Thank you to listener, Damien Scully for sending the link our way, very much appreciated.
AND FINALLY: HOW TO DRIVE IN JAPAN FROM THE MIDLANDS
The racing game Forza Horizon 6 is about to launch on the Xbox and PC, with Playstation following later in the year. This iteration is set on the roads of Japan and include a lot of JDM cars. In a collaboration with the British Motor Museum there will be a Horizon Festival on 23 May 2026 on site, where there will be live music, food trucks, gaming vans (to try out the game) and drifting demonstrations. Click this Motoring Research article to find out more, including how to book your tickets.

Alan was invited to the BYD Sealion DM-i launch. In this episode he tells us all about his first impressions of the car as well as give us some background on the company.
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

FOLLOW UP: APPEAL AGAINST FCA RULING
Consumer Voice, a consumer group, is to appeal against the FCA car finance miss-selling redress scheme. Their argument is that the way the compensation has been calculated does not reflect the real world and those affected will not be paid what they are actually owed. To find out more on this matter, click this Motor Trader article link here.
FOLLOW UP: APPEAL AGAINST VAT RULING FOR PUBLIC CHARGERS
HMRC has decided it will appeal against the tribunal ruling that found that VAT on public chargers should have a VAT rate the same as those who can charge their EVs at home. Apparently the specific definition of “a month” and “premises” is the focal point of their case. Once again the Government manages to miss an open goal by announcing that they are dropping the VAT rate. For more on this, click the EV Powered link here.
CROSS-PAVEMENT CHARGING MADE EASIER
The Government has announced that they will be brining in rules that will make the installation cross-pavement charging gullies permitted development, meaning residents no longer have to seek planning permission for them. This will speed up and cut costs for households. Click this EV Powered article link here to read more.
Additionally, following a Freedom of Information request from Vauxhall, which councils already allow cross-pavement charging gullies to be fitted and how they go about that has been established. Only four out of ten do permit, with some giving financial aid and others have a fee of £1000 for the work to be completed. Click this Motoring Research article link for more.
AT LEAST ONE EUROPEAN OEM PREDICTED TO DISAPPEAR
A survey of used car dealers has found that six out of ten believe a European car brand will cease to exist within ten years. On top of that, nearly fifty percent believe that Japanese and Korean car makers are under the same pressure from Chinese companies. The transition to electrification and cheaper products from China are cited as the major reasons. If you want to read more on this, click here for a Motor Trader article link.
PORSCHE SELLS OFF BUGATTI RIMAC SHARES
Porsche is selling their 21 percent stake in the Rimac Group, enabling them to focus on their “core business”. Rumours have been swirling about tensions between the two companies for over a year now. The venture capital group, HOF Capital, are buying the shares. Click this electrive article link here, to read more.
FOUR YEAR HIGH FOR SPEEDING FINES
22 out of 24 police authorities have responded to a Freedom of Information request, confirming that they have had an increase in the number of speeding penalties from 2024 to 2025. London was, by far, the area with the most and double that of West Yorkshire in second. If you want to find out more, click this Motoring Research article link here.
RIVERSIMPLE DROPS OWN DESIGNED CAR
Riversimple has, with a group of other companies, been awarded £1.7 million to develop a vehicle for the Zero Emission Lightweight Long Range (ZELLOR) project. The aim of this is to produce a vehicle that has zero emissions, is light weight and a com,es with a 400-mile range. They will be converting two Audi A2s to demonstrate the technology that is being developed. You can read more by clicking this FuelCellWorks 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 -
Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes has revealed the looks and specifications for the new electric C-Class. Coming with 800v hardware, enabling quicker charging where conditions allow, a 94.5kWh battery pack and at launch the dual motor 400 4Matic powertrain. Combined this will produce 483bhp and 590lb ft of the torques, which enables a 0-62mph time of 4.1 seconds. Range is significantly down on the recently revealed BMW i3, with a 472 miles maximum. Prices are indicated to start below £60,000. The interior can come with the very silly full width screen, lots of mood lighting which also includes being in the panoramic roof. Click this Autocar article to learn more.
Smart Fourtwo
Smart are brining back the Fourtwo, although it will be known as the #2. Full details will not be known until October, during the Paris Motor Show, but what has been revealed is a maximum range up to 186 miles and a 10-80% charging potential of 20 minutes. The brand is aiming for a more premium product. Click this Autocar article to learn more.
Farizon V7E
Farizon has launched a new compact electric van, called the V7E. This will be priced from £28,000 on the road (that is without VAT and any Government grant). There will be two battery options, 50.23kWh and 67.67kWh, which have a claimed maximum range of 149 miles and 204 miles, repectivley. The company is pushing the value for moeny aspects of this vehicle. Click this Proffessional Van article link to learn more.
LUNCHTIME READ: THE BMW 02 SERIES
Paranjay Dutt, via Hagerty, brings you our recommendation to read over your sandwiches. He is discussing the BMW 02 Series, the one that lead to the 3-Series. We have linked to both articles Paranjay has written as they are both excellent and linked. Click here for Part One. To read Part Two, click here.
LIST OF THE WEEK: WINGS
Autocar are back providing the slideshow for you to check out, this time all about rear spoilers. They have selected some of the most memorable for you to choose from. Click this link to see what your options are.
AND FINALLY: MODEL PARKING
Do you have a lot of Hot Wheels sized model cars taking up space in your house? Are you at a loss to know how to store and display them? Fear not, Fun-Tech Labs has a solution, the Parksible, the world’s first smart die-cast model car park. This is a model sized version of the automated parking lots that move the car to the correct space without human intevention. Yes, really! This is currently a Kickstarter campaign. Click this Design News article link here to read more and see a video.

We held our first ever live Question and Answer session, where you the listener supplied the topics you wanted to hear us discuss. This is the audio of that conversation, as a result the audio has not been edited for content in order for our real reactions to be heard.

We hope you enjoy it and do let us know your feedback, what can we do to improve it, do you want this to be a regular thing, all respectful comments will be considered.

FOLLOW UP: EU INDUSTRIAL ACCELERATOR ACT THREAT TO UK
We last covered this story on the episode Its talcum powder - 10 March 2026, but more have noticed the huge threat the ‘Made in Europe’ element is to the UK automotive industry. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has become increasingly vocal in its warnings. As it stands cars and parts made in the UK would not receive the incentives those made in the EU would. To read more, click this EV Powered article link here.
AUTOCAR GREAT WOMEN 2026
Autocar held their Great Women 2026 event last week, where the winners were announced for a variety of categories showcasing the breadth and depth of the talent, quality and excellence that is brought to the automotive world. Lisa Brankin, Managing Director and Chair of Ford UK & Ireland, won the overall award. Click this link here, to find out more about the event. Then click this link here, to see all the categories, nominees and winners.
CUSTOMERS CAN TAKE ARNOLD CLARK TO COURT
Arnold Clark suffered a cyber attack in 2022 that resulted in customer data being available to anyone on the internet. The company has tried to argue that it should not face a claim in a Scottish court as they were already doing so in England. The highest court in Scotland rejected this argument as people had bought their cars in Scotland and this case was not connected to England. You can find out more, by clicking this Yahoo!News article link here.
STELLANTIS TO END CAR PRODUCTION AT POISSY FACTORY
Stellantis has announced that it will be winding down car production at it’s Poissy factory, in France, from 2028. Once this is completed the site will still make parts for other Group sites. To read more, click this electrive article link here.
VW WRITES-DOWN $500M IN US BUSINESS
Volkswagen has had to write-down $500 million due to the cancellation of the production of the ID.4 at their Chattanooga factory, in the US. This comes after pausing the production line when the US Government cancelled the previous administration’s EV subsidies, causing sales to plummet. If you wish to find out more, click this article link from electrive, here.
NISSAN SEEKING PRODUCTION PARTNER FOR SUNDERLAND
Nissan’s Sunderland plant is running at about 50% capacity currently and is seeking to sub-let that spare capacity to another brand. Discussions are ongoing with Chery and Dongfeng. For more on this, click the link here to an electrive article.
STELLANTIS PARTNER WITH MICROSOFT
Stellantis has partnered with Microsoft, who will be providing their software and AI to allegedly assist the group in becoming more efficient and better, as well as offering customers supposed improvements to their car ownership. You can read more by clicking this CarScoops article link here.

On Thursday 23 April at 20:00 BST, we will be going live with a Q&A on our YouTube channel. We need your help though, send us your automotive and motoring related question you would like to hear us answer. To send one in use our Contact Page, linked to here, and put “Q&A” in the Subject Line so it does not get lost in all the spam.

NEW NEW CAR NEWS -
Nissan Juke
Nissan shocked everyone with the reveal of their radical looking next generation Juke, which will be all electric. Taking its cues from the Hyper Punk concept of last year, this is a stylised vehicles with lots of sharp angles to the bodywork. Click this Autocar article to read more.
Volkswagen ID.3 Neo
The VW ID.3 is being updated once again and this time it also partially gets a name, Neo. The exterior is recognisably close to the previous version but the interior gets upgrades, including adding buttons to the dash and steering wheel. Materials will also be of higher quality and better feel. Click this Autocar article for more.
Denza Z9 GT
Denza is a new to the UK brand from BYD and they are bringing a £100,000 performance EV. Technical specs include an 122kWh battery pack and triple electric motors producing 1140bhp, enabling a 0-62mph time of 2.7 seconds. The car will get access to BYD’s Flash charging network once it is up and running. Click this Autocar article for more.
DESIGNERS MOOD BOARD: KEMEL CURIC WILL LEAD MCLAREN’S DESIGN
Kemel Curic has been announced as the new head of design at McLaren. He joins at a time when the brand is trying to reinvent itself. He leaves Ford, more specifically Lincoln, where he was working. You can read more by clicking this Autocar article link here.
LUNCHTIME WATCH: RUSTIVAL 2026
To help yours and our FOMO, if you didn’t get to it, we are linking to four videos about Rustival 2026. We have picked the three channels that helped organise the event and one more, but do search YouTube for Rustival 2026 and spread some love to those who aren’t linked below.
Click this link here for Steph’s I Drive a Classic channel’s video.
To see what Furious Driving’s video is like, click this link here.
HubNut produced a slightly different video, giving us a peak at what it takes to put on the event. Click this link here to see that.
Click this link here for Jon Coupland’s take on the day.
LIST OF THE WEEK: HERE ARE OUR NINE FAVOURITE OFF-ROAD ESTATES
Top Gear, once again, has a cracking list for you to check out. Do you agree with Alan’s choice? Which of the nine would you pick? Click this link here to see what the options are.
AND FINALLY: COME FEEL THE NOISE
This week we effectively give you another Lunchtime Watch, with Mr Patina beginning the restoration process of a classic Renault 4. Do sit back, relax and enjoy some ASMR restoration. Click this link to watch.