In 2012, Volkswagen Group made a splash in the European minicar segment, introducing a triplet of cars under the VW, Skoda and Seat brands, that were to take the successful Toyota-PSA triplets C1, 107 and Aygo head on to become the best (and best-selling) minicars of the continent. The cars have been well-received by the press and the public, storming to a (combined) first spot of the segment in their first year on the market. They are selling at a rate their predecessors, VW Lupo and Seat Arosa, and more recently VW Fox, have never been able to reach.
From my article on Jan-Sept sales of the European minicar segment, you might think sales of these Volkswagen Group triplets keep on rising: VW Up!: +21%, Skoda Citigo: +128%, Seat Mii: +91%. However, that’s compared to their introduction year 2012 when they were in startup mode. Looking more closely at sales of the past four months, a totally different picture is painted. A rather worrying one actually.… Continue Reading …
In 1997 Mercedes had introduced a revolutionary new car, the A-class, Mercedes’s first entry into the compact car segment. Mercedes proclaimed it would be the safest compact car on the market. Shortly after the car was officially introduced, it rolled-over during a test known as the “
Fast forward to 2013: BMW introduces a revolutionary new car, the i3, BMW’s first entry into the electric car segment. BMW proclaimed it would be one of the safest electric cars on the market, thanks to its carbon fibre safety cell. Shortly after the car was officially introduced, it received only a 
The famous German Autobahn will soon no longer be unlimited. Unlimited free kilometers, that is. Chancellor Angela Merkel has 
“Because of the poor state of our infrastructure, safety may be jeopardized if we do not invest in maintenance”, Merkel said. “But there is no money available in our current budget, so we had to choose: introduce a speed limit of 90 km/h (55 mph) or introduce a toll system, which should generate enough revenue to pay for road maintenance”.
Citroën is making a huge bet on its DS premium subbrand in China. With a projected 200.000 cars to be sold through 100 stand-alone DS dealerships by 2015, the investment is enormous and the stakes are high. Crucial to success in the Chinese market is local production, as heavy taxes keep imported models limited to just 10% of the Chinese car market in 2012. This year, Citroën has started production of DS5 in Shenzhen with its Joint Venture partner ChangAn, and two more models will follow.
After 
As I mentioned in my article on 
If Musk’s claim about who initiated the safety investigation proves to be “a bit overstated”, it may hurt his credibility in the future. For someone who is known for his bold claims, credibility is key, or he will make a fool of himself.… 
I recently wrote about 
The idea for hydrogen fuel cell cars has been around for decades. Automobile manufacturers and universities all over the world have experimented with the technology, trying to figure out a way to make it work. But despite these years of research and the investment of billions of dollars, the simplest and most usable solution that is currently available for a reasonable price is the battery electric car.
Of course, this will get populist and