Latest automotive comment
The best views and opinions in automotive industry publishing, all in one place, from just-auto's monthly columnists and in-house experts.
BMW and Mercedes talks prove auto is very CASE sensitive
22 Jan 2019 | Calum MacRae
Recent Reports emanating from the German newspaper Handelsblatt suggest that the two fierce rivals, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, are exploring developing the next generations of their compact cars on a shared architecture.
Ghosn, Brexit and a giant BMW grille - the week
18 Jan 2019 | Dave Leggett
As one of my colleagues remarked, the grille on the just facelifted BMW 7 Series is somewhat reminiscent of the front-end of a basking shark in full plankton filter-feed mode. I'm sure the Chinese will love it anyway (a staggering 44% of all 7 sales last year were in China - which explains the Shanghai roll-out). It was a lighter moment in a week that has had a more serious side on a number of fronts.
DETROIT REPORT - Trucks and performance cars dominate NAIAS
16 Jan 2019 | Dave Leggett
As news of Ford and VW's tie-up dominated headlines from NAIAS 2019 in Detroit, the show halls amply illustrated the current product focus for North America's auto industry. Unsurprisingly, large brawny pickups and performance cars dominated.
Ford and JLR wield the jobs axe - the week
11 Jan 2019 | Graeme Roberts
Restructuring announcements by two major automakers imperiled the job prospects of thousands and rather took the edge off all the clever techie developments revealed out west at the CES show in Las Vegas. Such was the just-auto week.
Mobile power banks for e-cars - the week
4 Jan 2019 | Dave Leggett
Another annual US light vehicle market over 17m units has been posted, the fourth in a row. 2018's tally was pretty impressive in the end, but there are obviously a few question marks surrounding how things will pan out in 2019. The Chinese market data for December and full-year is awaited with considerable interest.
23 Dec 2018 | Dave Leggett
2018 was quite the year and threw up one or two surprises in the automotive business. Editor Dave Leggett's personal review picks out some highlights as seen through the prism of just-auto's industry coverage.
20 Dec 2018 | Dave Leggett
2018 was quite the year and threw up one or two surprises in the automotive business. Editor Dave Leggett's personal review picks out some highlights as seen through the prism of just-auto's industry coverage.
BMW poaches Audi autonomous driving chief - the week
14 Dec 2018 | Graeme Roberts
News that former Audi automated driving head Alejandro Vukotich would take over as head of BMW Group's driver assistance and autonomous driving development department on 1 January, replacing the retiring Elmar Frickenstein, was a most-read news story this week.
COMMENT - The uncertain road to driverless delivery
11 Dec 2018 | Dave Leggett
Autonomous vehicles are increasingly seen as at the heart of a radically different future landscape for transport solutions in the world’s major urban areas. But don't believe all the hype, says Dave Leggett
Nosing around inside Jaguar's E-Pace - the week
7 Dec 2018 | Graeme Roberts
Analysis of the Jaguar E-Pace interior was a popular read this week while newshounds were drawn to the awful possibility the latest round of Ford restructuring could cost 25,000 jobs.
30 Nov 2018 | Graeme Roberts
Analysis is a key part of the just-auto offer so it might pay to start this week with mention of a report by one of our, er, analysts on the Thai plug-in hybrid industry.
How the mighty fall - the week
23 Nov 2018 | Graeme Roberts
I'm sure many others - in or observing the autobiz - were as saddened as I was to hear of Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance kingpin and Nissan Motor supremo Carlos Ghosn's downfall this week.
COMMENT - Is there politics behind Nissan Ghosn charges?
21 Nov 2018 | Dave Leggett
Companies are not just about the clinical science of conducting business and maximising returns for stakeholders. There are other elements in these sometimes complex social organisations.
Mercedes goes hybrid with hydrogen - the week
16 Nov 2018 | Dave Leggett
This week, Mercedes-Benz launched an electric vehicle featuring a hydrogen fuel cell and conventional plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) battery technology.
Ford goes for a Spin - the week
9 Nov 2018 | Dave Leggett
When it comes to urban mobility, the stand-on electric scooter is vying to be a part of the picture, via an asset-sharing business model.
Your smart office on the move - the week
2 Nov 2018 | Dave Leggett
I have tried typing from the back seat of a car on quite a few occasions (needs must and all that) and it's not much fun.
Jaguar rethink? Results season starts - the week
26 Oct 2018 | Graeme Roberts
"Will Tata reinvent Jaguar as the new Tesla?" We asked. You read.
Will somebody think of the Brexit? - the week
19 Oct 2018 | Graeme Roberts
"So, how was just-auto's week?" I think "varied" might be the best answer as a wide variety of different articles on many different subjects drew readers' eyeballs over the seven days.
Polestar and polar bears - the week
12 Oct 2018 | Dave Leggett
The Polestar car designs I have seen so far are pretty easy on the eye.
UK auto sector (and Tata) watch closely as JLR hits headwinds
10 Oct 2018 | Dave Leggett
Tata-owned Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has been a stunning success story under the ownership of Tata Motors over the past decade.
We love Paris in the autumn time - the week
5 Oct 2018 | Graeme Roberts
If it's autumn and not Frankfurt it must be Paris and we have our show coverage packaged in a handy Hot Topic bundle here.
3 Oct 2018 | Chris Wright
There was a distinctly threadbare feel to this year's Mondial de Paris - more no-show than show.
Enthusiastic about Volvo's new XC baby - the week
28 Sep 2018 | Graeme Roberts
My look at Volvo's first small(er) SUV, the XC40 was the most read yarn on just-auto this week. We've had Cross Country (the name is also applied to a train franchise here in the UK) Volvos for years, of course, including both the original XC90 and various beefed-up versions of the wagons the brand is also well known for (latest XC60 just coming out now), but this is the first venture into 40-sized kerb climbers and also the first of the new models on the CMA (Compact Modular Architecture) architecture shared with parent Geely - the bigger brothers are on the SPA (Scalable Product Architecture) platform - which gives the economies of scale needed to make a buck in this segment.
Brexit continues to worry automakers - the week
21 Sep 2018 | Graeme Roberts
News Tata Motors' Jaguar Land Rover would be putting its Jag plant on a three-day week from next month was the most-read article on just-auto this week.
3D metallic printing gains traction - the week
14 Sep 2018 | Graeme Roberts
I'm not usually one for blowing me own hooter but this week's most-read item on just-auto was last week's week, if you get my drift, mostly musing on the former GM Europe brands Opel and Vauxhall, now in the steady hands of PSA. Worth a read - especially the underlying articles - if you missed it.
PSA makes the first big Opel move - the week
7 Sep 2018 | Graeme Roberts
"We don't plan any job losses." How often have you heard that as Company A gobbles up Company B and nervous workers await the almost inevitable axe or, at best, substantial changes to their conditions (and sometimes locations) of employment?
Taking care of the workers - the week
31 Aug 2018 | Dave Leggett
Just occasionally, it's the unexpected light shone into less headline grabbing aspects of company operations that can really impress. As was the case this week when we learnt about the medical services provision for the workers at SEAT's Martorell plant. I do not know the ins and outs of this provision in Spain or the history, but in these hard pressed times for health provision generally, it's good to see something like that in place. Good for the workers and the company.
Ford's Brexit frustration - the week
24 Aug 2018 | Graeme Roberts
Ford reportedly telling British politicians it would take "whatever action is needed" to protect its business over Brexit was the most-read story on just-auto this week, as the UK government, six months from the off, finally decided to issue some position papers to various industries outlining what is most likely to happen following an increasingly-likely 'no deal' departure from the EU.
Wolfsburg gets a lift - the week
17 Aug 2018 | Dave Leggett
There was some good news for Wolfsburg this week when Volkswagen Group said it planned to lift annual output at the plant to 1m units a year by 2020.
Building another Lexus in the US - the week
10 Aug 2018 | Graeme Roberts
News Toyota's longest-standing 'transplant' facility in Georgetown, Kentucky, had started production of a new Lexus was the top story on just-auto this week.
