FOLLOW UP: JLR SILENCE BRIEFLY BROKEN

10 days after the story first came to light that Gerry McGovern, the design chief of JLR, had unceremoniously left the company, they state that isn’t the case and nothing else. No further details, no explanation, nothing. Instead of clearing things up, this has only caused more confusion. Click this Autoevolution article link here to read more.

FOLLOW UP: CRIT’AIR STICKERS STILL NEEDED IN FRANCE

Due to the chaotic nature of French politics, currently, the proposed legislation that would have removed clean air zones from the country’s cities has not been passed into law. Therefore, we are warning all that intend to visit the country in the next few months to make sure they have the appropriate stickers and paperwork. If you wish to read more, click this link from The Connexion.

FORD SIGNS DEAL WITH RENAULT

Ford has signed a deal with Renault that will mean the Blue Oval will be gaining the small electric car platform from the French firm. This will allow them to create more affordable EVs following how badly their larger electric SUVs are doing in the marketplace. Click this Autocar article link here to read more.

BMW GETS A NEW CEO

BMW has announced that they have chosen their production expert, Milan Nedeljković, to take over departing Oliver Zipse’s role as CEO. The change will officially take place on 14 May 2026. If you wish to learn more, click this Autocar article link here.

MERCEDES-AMG GETS A NEW CEO

Mercedes-AMG has announced Stefan Weckbach will be taking over the role of CEO after leaving Porsche, where he headed up the Taycan product line. To read further about this, click this Autocar link here.

ITALDESIGN SOLD TO A LITTLE KNOWN US FIRM

Audi has sold their stake in ItalDesign to a US firm that most will not have heard of, named UST. It is difficult to understand, via their website, exactly what it is they do too. Lamborghini retains their shares. Click this Carscoops article link here, to read more about this story.

EU MOVES ON 2035 ICE BAN REQUIREMENTS

Following hard lobbying from both nations and the automotive industry the EU is proposing some tweaks to the legislation regarding 2035 ICE bans. To read the first rumblings of this matter, click here for an electrive article link.

To find out the apparent shift in the EU’s position, click this Autocar link here.

RENAULT HITS THE BRAKES ON MOBILIZE PROJECTS

Renault has halted most projects that are part of the Mobilize division, with the rest being reduced in scope and size. For more on this, click this electrive article link here.

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NEW NEW CAR NEWS -

Vauxhall Astra

The Vauxhall Astra is getting an update, with the external visuals being brought in line with the rest of the range. Additionally a slightly larger battery pack is being fitted which will result in up to an extra 22 miles of range. Click this Autocar article link here to read more.

Lexus LFA concept

Based on the same ‘core technologies’ as the Toyota GR GT, we discussed last week, Lexus has revealed their LFA concept. This is an all electric two-seater coupe. Details are still scant and the vehicle is clearly more of a real concept than production ready one. Click this Top Gear article link to read more.

Citroën ELO concept:

Citroën has revealed, once again, a small, clever concept that showcases many useful and interesting aspects that would make this MPV a real treat for families and the likes. Unfortunately it won’t get built but to see more about it, click this Autocar article link here.

LUNCHTIME READ: GERRY MCGOVERN WAS A LARGER THAN LIFE CHARACTER AT JLR

Friend of the show, Matteo Licata, has written a wonderfully balance piece on Hagerty’s website all about JLR’s design chief Gerry McGovern. As the situation is as clear as mud, this is well worth your time in reading it. Click this link here to see more.

LIST OF THE WEEK: BEST CHEAP CLASSIC CARS TO BUY IN 2026

Honest John has provided the list for you to choose from, this week. Do you agree with Alan’s choice? Don’t forget to let us know. To read more, click this link here.

AND FINALLY: GYMKHANA 2025 TIMES 2

There is a new Gymkhana set in Australia and powered by a restomod Subaru Brat. Not only that, but we are recommending you watch this video first, to warm you up, from the Mighty Car Mods channel, as they appear in the Hoonigan video too. Click here to see that.

To watch the full Hoonigan video, click this link here.