Special Edition - Paris Motor Show 23 October 2026

FOLLOW UP: MOTOR FINANCE REDRESS HEARING IN 2027 The date for the hearing of the two complaints into the motor finance redress scheme has been confirmed to take place between 16 and 26 February 2027. The scheme will remain in its current semi-suspended status until after the rulings. There is a potential for the ruling to not take place until the summer of 2027 with compensation expected to take place from 2028. For more on this matter, click this article link from The Law Gazette here. CHINA REDUCING TAX REBATE FOR EXPORTED NEVS The Chinese Government has announced that it is reducing the VAT rebate on exporting battery electric and plug in hybrid vehicles. This is associated with the reduction in assistance for ‘future-orientated’ industries. This is bad timing for the car industry of the country as there is a slump in sales, which is adding more pressure on companies. If you wish to read more, click this electrive article link here. AIRPORT DROP OFF PRICES TO BE INVESTIGATED The practice of charging drivers to drop off or collect those using an airport has become a source of income for UK sites. However, the prices have increased at a rate that far outstrips what many feel is fair. Now the UK Government has announced it will look into these fees. Fingers crossed the result is they are banned as this does not happen in Europe. If you wish to read more, click this Motoring Research article link here. POLICE NOW ABLE TO SEIZE YOUR CAR FOLLOWING ACT CHANGE Section 59 of the Police Reform Act was amended to enable police to seize a driver’s vehicle with an incredibly broad set of criteria. Criteria such as careless driving, inconsiderate driving or unauthorised driving off-road. On top of that if the officer believe conduct that causes or is likely to cause alarm, distress or annoyance. Passengers too can be fined for their involvement. You can find out more by clicking this Carscoops article link here. EURO NCAP SAYS CLIMATE CONTROL CAN STAY ON SCREENS Euro NCAP has clarified what interactions it believes are safety critical and thus require a physical button and which do not. Climate control and media can be left on touchscreens, as they do not see them as “time-critical tasks” as well as the mind boggling statement “it is also not proven that direct physical input is safer”. Tell that to the UK lawmakers and how drivers are banned from interacting with their phones even in a mount for media etc. If you want to read more, click this EV Powered article link here. VOLKSWAGEN BATTERY RECALL VW is preparing itself for a large battery recall in Europe, on top of those already underway in the UK and US. In Europe ID.3, ID.4, ID.7 and ID.Buzz, as well as Cupra Born are the affected models, when they have been built between 2023 and 2025. However, the actual number to be recalled will be lower than currently stated due to it only be a small batch of batter cells that are the issue. In the UK, the ID.3, ID.4, ID.7, ID.Buzz and ID.Buzz Cargo, built between 2022 and 2025 are potentially affected. To find out 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

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

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’, whic