+++ 2025 marks the 10th birthday of the ALFA ROMEO GIULIA , unveiled at the Arese Museum on 24 June 2015. A double-digit landing that also marks the last year of the Biscione sedan, at least in the form we know it. In fact, 2026 will see the debut of the new Giulia, which will be new in every respect. In fact, only the name of the current generation will be retained: the rest will be completely different. Even if there are no official announcements yet, between statements and rumours we already know a lot about the new Giulia. I will tell you all about it: The fact that the new Giulia would abandon its classic saloon shape has been known for some time, both thanks to statements made at the end of 2023 by Jean-Philippe Imparato (then Alfa’s number one) and thanks to my sources who have come across some mules during testing. So what shape will the next Giulia have? To answer that just look at what motorists like these days: crossovers. So the next generation Giulia will have a raised trim (but not too high) on which a fastback body will rest. Indiscretions confirmed by Santo Ficili (Alfa Romeo CEO) in a recent interview. Part saloon, part coupé. Like DS N°8, Citroen C5 X and Peugeot 408. But with larger dimensions, for a length that should in fact exceed 4.8 metres. Beyond the general lines, the new Alfa Romeo Giulia will be radically different in every detail, from the front, with a redesigned badge, to the rear, with a triangular light signature. The big news for the Giulia will be underneath. The platform will no longer be the Giorgio, but the STLA Large from the Stellantis Group. The platform is already used by the Dodge Charger and Jeep Wagoneer S and designed to accommodate electric, hybrid and purely combustion powertrains. The new Alfa Romeo Giulia will therefore be electric, at least initially, just like the new Stelvio scheduled for 2025 and based on the same platform. The batteries will be 800 Volt with a capacity of between 85 and 118 kWh and ultra-fast charging up to 270 kW and a range of up to 800 km (WLTP cycle). As for the engines, Ficili said that the power range will be 204 to 448 PS with rear or all-wheel drive. However, we do know that the new Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio is aiming for 1.000 hp, with 0-100 kph in 2 seconds (the time given by Stellantis at the presentation of the STLA Large). Hybrid powertrains will also arrive later, but there is no information about them. There could be a range extender system (where a small combustion engine recharges the battery that powers the electric motor) or an unprecedented mild or full hybrid system. No mention has been made of pure combustion, but looking at the Dodge Charger, I know that a 3.0-litre petrol straight-six could find room under the bonnet. There will, of course, be many technological innovations, from a completely rethought infotainment system (perhaps with a monitor for the passenger) to the use of artificial intelligence systems to manage info telematics, batteries and Level 2+ assisted driving systems. +++
+++ It was June 2022 and the annual WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) was taking place in Cupertino, California, a conference organised by Apple to showcase its latest software innovations. Among the stars was the new APPLE CARPLAY , completely redesigned to appear not only on the central screen but also on the digital dashboard. And highly customisable. The launch date was set for 2024, initially in some Aston Martin and Porsche models. It is now February 2025 and there is no sign of the new Apple CarPlay, anywhere. What has happened? It is a question that many people have been asking over the past few days, and one that Apple has officially answered in a statement published on the MacRumors website: “The next generation of CarPlay builds on years of success and insights gained from CarPlay, offering the best of Apple and the automotive brand in a deeply integrated and customisable experience. We continue to work closely with several manufacturers, allowing them to showcase their design philosophy in the next generation of CarPlay. Each car brand will share more details as the dates for announcing support for the next generation of CarPlay get closer”. The new Apple CarPlay has not been cancelled, but postponed to a date to be announced. This date, however, will not be announced by the Californian company, but by the individual car manufacturers that will adopt the bitten apple’s mirroring system. So much so that any reference to the date, which was there until a few days ago, has disappeared from the official website. +++
+++ The recent assertion by CATL ’s top management that Chinese cars do indeed have an advantage is more than just biased. After all, their growth in international markets shows that they are products with a growing reputation, which cannot be justified solely on the basis of more competitive prices. The vice-president of the Chinese battery giant, Pan Jian, even went a step further by creating a new acronym for ‘home’ electrics, no longer EV but EIV, with the extra ‘I’ standing for ‘intelligent’. In fact, he said, they offer more advanced technology and capabilities than traditional petrol cars. If we leave Tesla out of the equation, the most interesting figures in the car market, and in particular the electric car market, are close to those of Chinese manufacturers, which, according to the latest figures, will achieve a 25% increase in global sales and a volume of more than 17 million units by 2024. This represents more than 60% of the total number of EVs sold worldwide. It should be noted, however, that the richest and fastest-growing market (40%) is still China, where, apart from Tesla, domestic brands dominate. In any case, as reported by several online newspapers, at the World Economic Forum held a few days ago in Switzerland, the co-chairman of the CATL said that the rapid growth of Chinese cars was due precisely to the evolution from EV to EIV and the offer of new features that were not possible with traditional cars equipped with internal combustion engines. For example, the SU7, the latest four-wheeler launched last March by mobile phone giant Xiaomi, which uses CATL batteries, offers an infotainment system with a 16.1 inch ultra-lightweight screen supported by Apple CarPlay and a 56 inch head-up display at a price of around €40.000, technologies that we find in much more expensive premium European cars. In addition, the driver can remotely control over 1.000 home devices, integrating advanced connectivity and home automation. Not to mention the driver assistance provided by a complex of 11 cameras, 12 ultrasonic radars, Lidar and the services of the Nvidia Drive Orin platform, the SU7 includes advanced ADAS and autonomous driving capabilities. CATL itself recently unveiled its proposed high-security skateboard platform, called Bedrock Chassis, which promises to open up a new market for intelligent vehicle design with an estimated turnover of more than €130 billion. +++
+++ What were EUROPE ’s best-selling electric cars in 2024? The whole market declined, but Tesla hold its own with the Model Y in first place, followed by its Model 3. Specifically, 209.214 European drivers bought the Model Y last year. This is (as mentioned) a drop of 17% compared to 2023, but Tesla can console itself with the growth of the Model 3, second on the list with 112.789 deliveries (+12%), and with the knowledge that the 2025 Juniper restyling can only be good for the crossover. In the meantime, it has slipped to 4th place in the overall ranking (including all fuels), where it has been overtaken by the Dacia Sandero, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Golf. Returning to the pure electric market, the final step of the podium goes to the newcomer Volvo EX30 (78.032 sakes). The rest of the top-10, in a sector where total registrations fell by 1.2 per cent to 1.985.996, with Volkswagen as a group in first place, followed by Tesla and Stellantis, were: Skoda Enyaq: 68.874 (+4%), Volkswagen ID.4: 64.756 (-24%), Volkswagen ID.3: 54.531 (-14%), BMW iX1: 52.283 (+16%), MG4: 51.775 (-28%), Audi Q4 e-Tron: 48.094 (+2%) and BMW i4: 45.062 (-8%) +++
+++ The date is set for 5 March. On that day, the EUROPEAN COMMISSION will reveal its plans for new cars, updating the controversial rules on reducing emissions from new vehicles (under threat of fines for manufacturers totalling up to €15 billion) and, most significantly, ending the sale of petrol and diesel cars in 2035. The anticipation comes from EU president Ursula von der Leyen herself, who opens the proceedings of the much-anticipated ‘Dialogue on the Future of the European Automotive Industry’ in Brussels: a meeting bringing together politicians, companies and trade unions to rewrite the rules of tomorrow’s mobility. The result will be an ‘action plan’ to be presented by Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, responsible for transport on the continent. In the meantime, discussions will continue, focusing on “clean transition and regulatory simplification, as well as identifying areas where more concrete action is needed”. Some examples are “industrial value chain, technology, digital and skills”. But nothing is coming out of Brussels. So we do not know how the issues of fines and phase-outs will be resolved. However, according to rumours and statements in the hours leading up to the meeting, the Commission would be open to a compromise on the targets for this and the next few years, i.e. reducing the average emissions of new cars, forcing manufacturers to increase sales of electric vehicles by sacrificing combustion engines. Von der Leyen herself states that the issue will be resolved within “weeks, not months”. However, it remains a ‘problem of fairness, because some manufacturers have successfully invested to meet the targets’. What is needed instead is ‘fairness and pragmatism, in the knowledge that issues should not be examined in their individual dimension, but put into a framework’. Looking ahead to 2035, she remains committed to the goal of “climate neutrality for cars”, but is open to “a technology-neutral approach in which e-fuels play a role through a targeted amendment of the regulation as part of the planned revision”. As well as electric cars, there is also space for synthetic petrol, while there is no mention of biofuels, so dear to the Italian government. Minister Adolfo Urso himself held a series of meetings with various EU commissioners and reiterated “the need to press ahead with the revision of the regulation on CO₂ emissions from light vehicles, as indicated in our non-paper on the automotive sector”. +++
+++ MORGAN is a car company that prides itself on its history and in its 115th year it is bringing out a new flagship model that is very much in keeping with the firm’s character. This image from Morgan provide us with our first official look at the newcomer, and while it’s still under camouflage, we can see the traditional lines of the outgoing Plus Six remain intact. There’s still no confirmation what the model will be called and while the Malvern-based company says it won’t be a direct replacement for the Plus Six (which is bowing out this year with the limited-run Pinnacle), the new model shares plenty (aside from its looks) with the old car. For starters, the flagship will sit on an evolution of the company’s bonded aluminium chassis called the CXV platform and (although this is yet to be confirmed) I expect the use of wood for the car’s frame to continue, which is a signature feature of Morgans. According to the firm we can also expect “a range of new technical features and engineering enhancements throughout, all contributing to greater dynamic performance and driving enjoyment”. BMW’s straight-6 3.0-litre turbocharged unit will continue to power the flagship, just as it did in the Plus Six. A similar output to the old car (which put out 340 hp and 500 Nm through an 8-speed ZF automatic transmission to the rear wheels) is likely. Although the design is unmistakably Morgan, the company says it has tried to project “a more contemporary aesthetic and an aerodynamically informed proportion” with the new car. Up front there’s the traditional horseshoe grille paired with twin circular lights that look larger than the Plus Six’s, and more akin to those of the exclusive Midsummer speedster. A cab-back profile with a long bonnet remains, as do the sculpted wheel arches that flow towards those pronounced rear haunches. Some less prominent features, such as the 3 wipers on a flat windscreen, have been retained, while others, like the vent in the front wing, have been removed. This test car also sports a hard-top (which I assume to be a removable item) with a soft-top canvas hood likely to be offered on the new car when it arrives in spring. At the rear there’s a twin-exit exhaust system, just like on the Plus Six, and rounded, retro rear lights. +++
+++ The SUZUKI JIMNY has been completely withdrawn from Europe due to emission limits that will come into force in 2025. However, it will continue to be sold in the rest of the world, also in a 5-door version. Following its debut in India in 2023, the small rear-door SUV has now arrived in Japan. The Jimny Nomade retains the boxy design that has made it so popular, but with 5 doors it is understandably a few centimetres longer than its 3-door counterpart. As a result, it offers more space inside. The 5-door model was also shown at the Bharat Mobility Global Expo in a visually upgraded version. We do not know if the Jimny Nomade will come to Europe. A hybrid version seems inevitable, but it is not available yet. The Jimny Nomade measures 3.89 metres with an extended wheelbase (Jimny three-door: 3.78 metres) to create more space and room for the 2 rear doors. Although proportionally smaller than the front doors, they are large enough for easy access to the second row of seats. Otherwise, the Jimny Nomade is the same as the 3-door model. The vertical lines are just unusually stretched. Iconic details such as the plastic mudguards and round headlights have been retained: a rugged off-road look. There are no new pictures of the interior of the Suzuki Jimny Nomade for its Japanese premiere. However, apart from more space, there are unlikely to be any major innovations. We were able to see the interior at the premiere in India. Here we saw the familiar picture of a central infotainment screen, analogue instruments and physical controls for the climate control. The Suzuki Jimny Nomade comes with four-wheel drive. This is combined with the familiar 1.5-litre petrol engine with 105 PS. There is a choice of manual or automatic transmission. This is exactly the reason why the 3-door Jimny had to flee Europe. Theoretically, Suzuki has a 1.2-litre mild hybrid with 83 PS on the shelf, combined with four-wheel drive in the Swift 4×4. A rather weak alternative for an industrious off-roader, but at least one for the possible return of the Jimny to Europe. In the end, however, this is pure speculation. +++
+++ What was the world’s best-selling car in 2024? The official answer is yet to come, due to the fact that some markets are slower than others to report sales figures. The final ranking will come in the spring, but Elon Musk has provided a spoiler. According to TESLA ’s number-1 at a conference with investors, the Model Y was the world’s best-selling car in 2024, repeating the success of 2023. Admittedly, Musk is speaking on the basis of Tesla’s own data, without knowing the figures of its competitors, but you only have to add up the figures for the last few years and those already published by some markets to see how this statement can be true. Let’s start with the European market. The Tesla Model Y did not repeat the feat of 2023 and in 2024 it was the 4th best-selling car in Europe, surpassed by the Dacia Sandero, the Renault Clio and the Volkswagen Golf. There are several reasons for this, but the main one is the price: around €46.000 for the electric SUV and (in most European countries) €17.000 for the Romanian small car. But Europe is not the world, and the Tesla Model Y is a global model that has been successful in many other markets. First and foremost, the United States, where Cox Automotive estimates that the electric SUV will sell 372.617 units in 2024. Pending the final figures, the sum of Europe plus the US gives 583.097 registrations in 2024. If we look at China, another 480.309 units have been sold, for a total of 1.063.406. Other markets are missing from the roll call, but the impression is that the Model Y could be close to the 1.223.000 registrations from 2023. And the others? Looking at the ranking of the world’s best-selling cars in 2023, the Toyota RAV4 (1.075.000 units) is in second place, with the Honda CR-V (846.000) on the third step of the podium. The RAV4 could challenge the Model Y, but we must bear in mind that the new generation will arrive in 2025 and, as is often the case, this could have slowed down sales, with customers waiting for the new features or a physiological reduction in the price of the version ready to disappear from the lists. All the other models in last year’s top 10 are unlikely to challenge the Model Y, barring unimaginable heroics. The rest of the 10 best-selling cars in the world in 2023 are: Toyota Corolla Sedan, 803.000; Toyota Corolla Cross, 716.000; Toyota Camry, 651.000; Ford F-150, 624.000; Toyota Hilux, 605.000; Nissan Sentra, 534.000 and Tesla Model 3, 509.000. Now it remains to be seen whether Musk’s statement that the Tesla Model Y will be the world’s best-selling car in 2024 will be true or not. Let’s assume that the assumptions are all there. The challenge for 2025 began with the new generation of the electric SUV, unveiled at the beginning of January and on sale in several markets, but not all of them with the full range. For the time being, some price lists only include the Launch Series version. Over the next few weeks, other versions will arrive at lower prices, making the list richer and more complete. According to some analysts, however, the Model Y is destined for a drop in sales, having now lost the novelty (or wow) effect that accompanied it in its first years on the market. Will they be right? Looking at the sales history, one might disagree. In 2020, Tesla sold 80.000 unit of the Model Y, 2021: 410.517, 2022: 759,579 and 2023: 1.223.000. However, the competition is getting tougher and more numerous. +++
+++The TOYOTA GR COROLLA is one of the last great internal combustion hot hatches standing, a bright spot for driving enthusiasts in an SUV-dominated world. While the industry marches toward electrification, Toyota’s Gazoo Racing division shows no signs of slowing down, meaning there’s a very good chance the GR Corolla gets another generation. The GR Corolla sticks to the styling philosophy of the current model, featuring beefier bumpers, larger intakes, wider fenders, and a fresh set of alloy wheels. Additional upgrades over the standard Corolla hatchback include extra vents on the hood and functional side gills. At the rear, the design refines the formula with slimmer LED taillights, additional vents integrated into the bumper, and a more conventional dual-exit exhaust replacing the current model’s signature triple-tip setup. A sizable rear wing completes the look, reinforcing its WRC-inspired aesthetic. The greenhouse and the hardpoints are carried over from the current model, as the next-gen Corolla is expected to ride on an upgraded version of the same underpinnings. Toyota has taken a similar approach with several recent models, including the redesigned Camry sedan, and is likely to do the same with the next generations of the RAV4 SUV and Hilux midsize pickup. As for what will power it, that remains a mystery. Toyota could stick with the current turbocharged 1.6-liter 3-cylinder unit, or it might swap in the new 2.0-liter turbo-4 that’s in development. The latter is expected to find its way into future Celica and MR2 revivals, with power outputs ranging from 300 hp to 400 hp in road-spec form. For reference, the current GR Corolla uses a turbo 1.6-liter 3-cylinder producing 304 hp and 400 Nm, paired with either a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed automatic. Power is sent to all 4 wheels through Toyota’s GR-Four AWD system. The current 12th-generation Toyota Corolla was introduced in 2018, with a 13th-generation model rumoured to arrive in 2026. However, given that the GR Corolla only launched in 2022, it’s unclear whether Toyota will update it alongside the standard model or hold off to keep it in sync with the rest of the performance line-up. +++