Latest automotive analysis
Comprehensive coverage of the automotive industry's latest, breaking news brought to you by just-auto's leading network of international journalists.
Will Ford sieze an electric opportunity for Lincoln?
17 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
It has been just over a year since what Ford calls The Lincoln Motor Company was the subject of a just-auto in-depth analysis feature. China is still nowhere near being the brand's largest market but sales there are up by a staggering 92 per cent and that's even without a local manufacturing presence. With things good in the US too, it surely won't be long before Lincoln returns to being a make selling in excess of an annual 250,000 vehicles worldwide.
ANALYSIS - More SUVs and an electric future for Jaguar
15 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Once in danger of going the same way as Saab or Lancia, Jaguar has been brought back to life via massive infusions of cash, intelligently spent. Thanks to the success of the F-PACE, it is probably now profitable too. Such are the plans for the ongoing transformation of the leaping cat brand, Jaguar's reinvention is really only just beginning.
How 900Nm and 48V make the Audi SQ7 TDI epic
11 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
In the words of a friend who owns a Golf GTD and is a long time fan of multiple Volkswagen Group models, driving the Audi SQ7 would have to be "like propelling a municipal building at lightspeed". Is three times the torque output of most small diesel engines necessary, though?
ANALYSIS - Land Rover and Range Rover SUVs for the 2020s
9 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Land Rover is both the vehicle volume and profits powerhouse of not only JLR but Tata Motors Limited too. Thanks to a spark of genius which saw the L538 project take on Range Rover branding and pricing, what became the Evoque changed everything for Land Rover. Now comes the hard bit: new generations of the Evoque, Sport and Range Rover are being developed. Can Land Rover remain TML's biggest money spinner?
Automotive technologies through a patent lens
9 Aug 2017 | Guest
Aistemos is an analytics company that specialises in providing a view of the technology and innovation landscape through the lens of patent data. It says that through the use of AI, it has harnessed the worlds patent data to create a source of insights into companies and technology outlooks. In an exclusive article for just-auto, they illustrate an analytics solution designed specifically for those needing competitive intelligence about the automotive technology landscape.
Toyota C-HR waistline not a problem for Kidsview, as it turns out
7 Aug 2017 | Graeme Roberts
Consider a large slice of humble pie cut, served and eaten. Traitorous kids. Soon as Toyota last year started issuing early pix of the controversially styled C-HR crossover (people seem to love or hate it), I was convinced the high waistline would make the view out for little ('ish' in my case now) people. "Don't your designers have kids?" I fired at Toyota GB. "For the more conservative family, we have the RAV4," their soshul meedjah team tweeted back. Touche. I should have kept quiet. Finally, we get one in, the troop lines up for inspection, their first quick drive. No problem at all with the view out the back. So much for my problem with Toyota's waistlines (it also does this with the Aygo city car, unlike Peugeot and Citroen with their versions).
ANALYSIS - Picanto 1.0-litre and Kia's plans for A segment
7 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Known as the Morning in the country of its manufacture, the Picanto is one of Kia Motors Europe's best sellers. As an import from South Korea it won't ever be the regional segment's number one against the likes of the built-in-Europe VW up! and Fiat Panda. That doesn't mean that the new shape model isn't as good as these two or other A segment hatchbacks.
ANALYSIS - Tata Motors' future models under the microscope
4 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
After the disappointment of the Nano and a series of underwhelming subsequent new vehicle releases, Tata Motors seemed to lose its way. Now, thanks to the success of the Tiago small car and a record overall Indian market for new passenger vehicles in the first half of 2017, Tata is firmly on the comeback trail and has even pushed the mighty Toyota down to sixth place. But will it be able to achieve its stated goal of becoming number three by 2019?
Toyota's French Yaris gets a Polish heart transplant
3 Aug 2017 | Graeme Roberts
Time was you could just about set your calendar by the Japanese automakers' model rollout programmes. Four years, more or less on the dot. Year one, after a Tokyo motor show debut, a new model; year three, new nose and tail, new dashboard; year one again, full redesign, at least of body and cabin. Engines often carried over and it was not unusual to see a new powerplant or two shoe-horned in, maybe in year two or four, carrying over to the next redesign. Simples.
New Insignia and Opel-Vauxhall's future under Groupe PSA
3 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
It's August, once the month during which the northern hemisphere's automotive industry would quieten down. This being an odd-numbered year there's no chance of that, what with preparations for the Frankfurt IAA well underway. And now, Groupe PSA completing the acquisition of Opel and Vauxhall. The perfect time then to look at how those brands' newest car measures up.
ANALYSIS - What SAIC is planning for MG, Roewe and Maxus
2 Aug 2017 | Glenn Brooks
SAIC has two main passenger car manufacturing JVs in China. These are with the Volkswagen Group and General Motors. China's largest state owned OEM also has much in the way of plans for its own makes and it is these which are examined here below.
HZG project gives Groupe Renault two D-SUVs
31 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
With the second generation Koleos, Groupe Renault is going bigger, and in markets such as the UK, that means a presence in the D segment for the first time in years.
ASEAN vehicle sales rise 8% in H1
28 Jul 2017 | Tony Pugliese
New vehicle sales in South-east Asia’s six largest markets increased by 4.8% to 781,800 units in the second quarter of 2017, from 746,304 units in the same period of the previous year, according to data collected exclusively for just-auto by AsiaMotorBusiness.com.
Why the Ford Mustang is so successful the world over
27 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Talk to Audi, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz and BMW and you'll hear that sales of sports coupes and convertibles are in decline all over Europe. Ford's experience with the Mustang seems to be the opposite.
ANALYSIS - future Chevrolet SUVs & pick-ups
26 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
The final instalment in a series which has looked at the current and future vehicles of General Motors now goes under the skin of Chevrolet division's light trucks.
Why non-premium brands should study the Škoda Superb
21 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
So-called value brands are in a death squeeze as premium makes continue to colonise their traditional territory. Or so goes the theory. And how about the supposed fact that to pull in big worldwide sales and profits, a car company must also be in the US market? Škoda breaks these and many other rules.
Volvo’s safety trademark spelt out on the S60
21 Jul 2017 | Matthew Beecham
Continuing just-auto/QUBE's review of interior design and safety technology trends, we take a closer look at Volvo’s premium mid-size S60. While the S60 is a solid, safe and sensible choice, it comes bristling with an appealing spec.
Manufacturers energise the solar car roof market
19 Jul 2017 | Matthew Beecham
Despite the fascination for clean tech, commercialising solar roofs have been weighed down by the extra cost and complexity. Continuing just-auto/QUBE’s series of research snapshots, we take a look at who is doing what to energise the solar roof market.
Volvo's hand-me-down little sister - the redesigned XC60
17 Jul 2017 | Graeme Roberts
In many ways, the fully redesigned Volvo XC60 SUV/crossover is a bit like a little sister inheriting a hand-me-down dress from big sister - the older sibling gets all the praise at the time of the first-time reveal; but the younger, in the elder's shadow, still looks just as nice. In this case, big sister is the XC90, launched to considerable acclaim - was it really two and a half years ago already? And now comes little sis XC60 in much the same dress but cut to a smaller size with a few stylish tweaks just for the newer generation.
ANALYSIS - what the future holds for Chevrolet cars
13 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Following a major expansion in the 2000s, Chevrolet is now shrinking. Fast. GM has pulled its largest brand from all European markets (though the Corvette and Camaro remain available), and a withdrawal from India and South Africa has now begun too. Meanwhile, in the US, China and South Korea, sales of Chevy car models are falling, leaving Brazil as the world's only large market where things are improving.
ANALYSIS - Volvo V90 Cross Country
10 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Will people in the US take to the V90 CC? That's the key question for a model which replaces the XC70, a car that Audi went after with the A6 allroad, and now Mercedes-Benz wants in on the action too.
Why the Jeep Wrangler is such a money spinner for FCA
6 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
There are certain cars that just keep on selling, no matter what their age. The Wrangler is about to enter its tenth year of production and yet sales keep rising. As was the case in 2016, production looks like being in excess of 250,000 units in 2017 too.
ANALYSIS - Holden's future under GM and Groupe PSA
5 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Over the last five years, GM has slipped from second place in Australia to its current fourth position. General Motors Holden fears that with the closure of only car plant near Adelaide in October, the brand could slide further.
3 Jul 2017 | Tony Pugliese
China is the world’s largest market for electric vehicles, with a total of 409,000 units sold in the country last year – up by 65% on the previous year, according to data released by China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).
ANALYSIS - Infiniti Q60 3.0 Sport Tech
3 Jul 2017 | Glenn Brooks
The latest Q60 will never be a big seller for Infiniti and with the contraction of the global market for convertibles, there probably won't be a replacement for the old-shape open car. Even so, this challenger for the BMW 4 Series, Mercedes C-Class and Audi Q5 coupés is both a big step forward over the old-shape car and an underrated alternative to the segment leaders.
ANALYSIS - current and future GMC trucks and SUVs
30 Jun 2017 | Glenn Brooks
GMC is General Motors' second largest division by sales volume in North America. While traditionally a truck brand, it continues to evolve, with smaller and more fuel efficient SUVs and crossovers added in recent years. That strategy is working well, with sales for the year to the end of May reaching 221,741 units, a year on year gain of five per cent.
Ford fields highest tech Fiesta ever
29 Jun 2017 | Graeme Roberts
Nothing like kicking off with a bold claim - Ford reckons the redesigned Fiesta is "the most technologically advanced small car on sale in Europe".
ANALYSIS - multiple new future Cadillac SUVs
29 Jun 2017 | Glenn Brooks
Cadillac cars and light trucks are the focus of the third feature in the series concerning the current and future vehicles of General Motors. This follows features on Baojun, Wuling, and Buick.
Takata bags a buyer - ANALYSIS
27 Jun 2017 | Matthew Beecham
Since April 2013, when carmakers began recalling deadly faulty airbags supplied by Takata, the family-controlled parts maker’s fortunes have been in free fall. The massive recall resulted in an apology from the world’s second-largest supplier of airbags and it filing for bankruptcy.
Interior design and technology - Suzuki Swift
26 Jun 2017 | Matthew Beecham
Since the Suzuki Swift first appeared on the planet way back in 2005, it has attracted some 5.4 million buyers worldwide, 127, 000 in the UK alone. The automaker’s latest and third generation Swift swooped into showrooms dotted across the UK earlier this month with bosses predicting 12,500 units to fly off the shelves in the first full year. Continuing QUBE/just-auto's review of interior design and technology trends, we take a closer look at the new Swift.
