+++ British firm ANALOGUE AUTOMOTIVE has detailed the VHPK, a dramatic new reimagining of the Lotus Elise S1 weighing just 600 kg and featuring a central driving position. Announced to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the seminal sports car’s unveiling, it draws on the Sport Elises raced in the Autobytel Lotus Championship at the turn of the millennium. Like in those race cars, the driver sits dead centre in the cockpit – but the interior is said to have been modified with an array of carbonfibre components. The bodywork too has been replaced with carbonfibre, while extra stopping power comes courtesy of a new set of carbon-ceramic brake discs, reducing unsprung weight. Sitting amidships is the Rover K-Series engine that originally powered the Elise, but its displacement has been increased and it has been upgraded with forged-and-billet internals. These tweaks have netted a power output north of 250 hp, according to Analogue, giving a power-to-weight ratio in excess of 400 hp per tonne. That more than doubles the original Elise’s 167 hp per tonne. A total of 35 examples will be built, with orders set to open next year. Prices remain under wraps, but the less extreme Analogue Supersport is priced into the six-figure range; the VHPK is expected to comfortably exceed it. +++
++ FORD is preparing to launch a crucial new Focus-sized crossover as the first step in a radical rethink of its European gameplan. Following the landmark unveiling of a new platform for affordable EVs in the US, Ford is expected to follow up soon with details of how it will expand and electrify its European range, emphasising its commitment to remaining an important player in the region’s car market. Ford ended production of the Fiesta in 2023 so it could start building the electric Explorer and Capri at its Cologne factory in Germany, leaving the Puma as its cheapest car. With the Focus due to end production in November as Ford shuts its Saarlouis factory in Germany, the company’s car line-up is, on average, far more expensive than it has been at any point in its 122-year history. But a wide-reaching shake-up of the firm’s European business in the coming years (which is set to be detailed soon) is intended to restore it to a mass-market volume player that once again does battle for sales chart supremacy in the region, while boosting its electric vehicle sales mix with the introduction of more affordable models. The company will put a stake in the ground in 2027 with the launch of a new mid-sized crossover, built in Spain and effectively filling the gap left by the Focus when it retires later this year. With an annual capacity of 300.000 units at its Valencia plant in Spain, the new crossover could become one of Ford’s best-selling model lines globally. It will not replace the Kuga, but rather will be sold alongside it as a separate model line that introduces a ‘multi-energy’ powertrain offering with petrol-hybrid and electric drivetrains, as it has done with the Puma. As the 2 cars will be built in parallel at Ford’s Valencia plant, it is also expected to be a close match size-wise (to avoid the need for costly alterations to the production line and process) while also sharing key components. The new model is highly likely to be based on the same ‘C2’ platform that Ford uses for mid-sized C-segment models in Europe. Having first been used for the outgoing fourth-generation Focus from 2018, this architecture underpins a range of saloons, crossovers and SUVs worldwide (testament to its flexibility) but has so far yet to accommodate a pure-electric powertrain. But while Ford has abandoned its pledge to offer only electric passenger cars in Europe from 2026, it still needs to totally electrify its cars by 2035 in Europe and significantly boost its EV sales mix in the years before that, so the new ‘multi-energy’ model is likely to be offered as a pure-EV, even if not initially. In a recent interview, executive chairman Bill Ford doubled down on the ongoing importance of a combustion offering in the firm’s European line-up, with EV uptake generally lagging behind the levels that had been forecast by law makers. He said: “What went wrong is that the regulators got out ahead of the customers. That’s never a good situation. In the future, electrification will play a very important role in transportation, but it won’t be the only part. The ICE business will be gradually phased out, but it won’t disappear. What happens will vary according to region. At Ford, we’ve invested in all of these clean technologies, and I feel good about that. But it’s down to customers. They want what they want, and it’s our job to give it to them”. The Kuga is currently offered with a choice of mild, full or plug-in hybrid powertrains, though Ford has not said which could be carried over into a new model. One potential addition to the ranks could be a range-extender (REx) system, following Ford’s confirmation last year that it was developing REx technology for SUVs and pick-ups in response to a global dip in demand for pure-EVs in those segments. Regardless of powertrain, the new model will need to be substantially differentiated from not just the Kuga but also the electric-only Explorer and Capri. A diverse powertrain offering will be one means of giving the new arrival a clearly defined position, but it is also likely that the new crossover will be significantly more affordable than those models. Introducing more electrified cars at a far lower price point than the €40.000-€46.000 Explorer will be pivotal in helping Ford to reduce its fleet emissions and growing market share. For reference, the new electric Puma Gen-E drove a 324% year-on-year uptick in Ford’s UK electric vehicle sales in the first half of 2025; demonstrating the importance of maintaining an affordable entry point into each segment. There is currently a big pricegap between the electric Puma and Explorer, and it is in here that the new crossover is expected to be pitched, lining it up as a rival to the likes of the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Niro (some of Europe’s best-selling cars) with a starting price around €38.000. A return to the glory days of the mid-1990s, when Ford dominated the European market with the wildly popular Escort, Fiesta and Mondeo (claiming a share of around 12%) is unrealistic. Today, the firm has around a quarter of that figure, has axed the Fiesta and Focus and must face off against a far greater number of rivals in all segments these days, but Renault’s 6.7% share would seem a viable target. Distinctive designs and dynamics play a central role in Ford’s ploy to grow again in Europe, so the new Valencia-built SUV will be styled according to the company’s bold new American-flavoured design principles, and engineered to give driving characteristics that major on engaging handling and refinement; attributes that have long helped Ford’s cars claim an edge over rivals in Europe. The company, like many other European marques, is looking to leverage its strong heritage in the region and the brand’s defining qualities (as part of a bid to keep new Chinese rivals at bay) and that extends to the redeployment of historic, familiar nameplates such as Capri and Explorer. Ford has given no indication of what the new multi-energy car could be called, but has recently filed to trademark terms including Fuze, Mythic and Hive, which some reports have suggested could be used for upcoming new models. However, given the firm’s strategy of retaining existing badges, it is more likely any new Europe-focused hatchback would bring back a previously used moniker, and given it will effectively fill the gap in the line-up left by the departing Focus, that name would seem a logical fit. In the past few years, the company has also renewed the rights to names such as Zephyr, Orion, Granada and Cortina. +++
+++ HYUNDAI Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung took the high road and avoided making any confrontational remarks about last week’s U.S. immigration raid on one of his company’s showpiece industrial joint venture projects in the U.S. He chose his words today very carefully about the incident, which resulted in the detainment of about 350 Korean workers at the Hyundai-LG Energy EV battery plant under construction near Savannah. The workers departed today on a plane home to South Korea. “I’m really worried about the incident and really glad they are coming home safely”. Chung said. “Our government and the U.S. government are working closely. These immigration regulations are complicated and maybe we can develop a better system”. Chung and most of his Korean allies have been diplomatic all year in their remarks about U.S. relations, particularly when it comes to trade and tariff negotiations. Chung also appeared with president Donald Trump in March to discuss Hyundai’s massive $21 billion in U.S. investment commitments. Hyundai later boosted the commitment to $26 billion. But the company and its contractors nonetheless face labor compliance challenges in the South. Last week’s incident could still spark a more hostile climate toward the company, but if Chung’s diplomacy exhibited today remains in place, Hyundai might come through this crisis with improved operating procedures at its U.S. investments. Hyundai Motor CEO Jose Muñoz earlier said the raid would cost the battery plant project at least a 2- or 3-month delay in Georgia. He defended the use of Korean workers at the site. “For the construction phase of the plants, you need to get specialized people. There are a lot of skills and equipment that you cannot find in the United States”, Muñoz said. +++
+++ MERCEDES-BENZ is preparing to expand its line-up from next year with the introduction of the electric-powered C-Class EQ. The all-new model, which will be twinned with the recently revealed GLC EQ, will sit alongside a facelifted version of the combustion-engined C-Class. The electric C-Class will be the main rival for BMW’s new electric 3 Series, the i3, which is due on the market at around the same time and with comparable specifications. Like the GLC, the new C-Class will adopt the German brand’s new ‘Iconic Grille’ design that is being used as a differentiator between ICE and EV models as Mercedes moves away from the distinctive stylings of the first-generation EQ-badged electric models. Each model will wear its own bespoke interpretation of the grille, and Mercedes previewed the C-Class’s design at the Munich motor show. The C-Class EQ is the second model based on the new MB.EA platform, following the GLC. The 800 Volt electrical architecture will also be used by the E-Class EQ, which is due in 2027. Mercedes’ new electric saloon is expected to grow beyond the 4.751 mm length and 1.820 mm width of the combustion-engined, MRA2-based C-Class, with a longer wheelbase and wider tracks contributing to a more spacious interior. Unlike today’s model, the C-Class EQ will be offered solely as a saloon, no estate version is planned. Mercedes-Benz sources say rear leg room and head room are both significantly better in the new C-Class EQ; the increased interior space addresses one of the key criticisms of earlier EQ saloons. Boot capacity is also said to be slightly larger than that of today’s C-Class, with additional storage available in a frunk. Drivetrain hardware is largely shared with the GLC EQ. It will be offered in configurations from a 340 hp single-motor, rear-wheel-drive model to a dual-motor 4Matic with up to 490 hp. The C-Class EQ will be offered with a 94.5 kWh NMC battery. While the GLC offers a top-end range of 700 km, Mercedes says the sleeker and more aerodynamically efficient C-Class will arrive with a range of 800 km. It will be able to charge at speeds of up to 400 kW. An AMG variant is also in development and set to go on sale in 2027. Using powerful axial-flux motors developed by UK-based Mercedes subsidiary Yasa, total output is tipped to exceed comfortably the 680 hp of the current plug-in hybrid C 63 S E Performance. Inside, the C-Class EQ adopts a cabin layout almost identical to that of the GLC EQ. It features the latest generation of Mercedes’ optional Hyperscreen, which covers the entire dashboard. Speaking to Autointernationaa.nl at the Munich motor show about the GLC’s new interior, chief designer Gorden Wagener said: “It’s such a valuable piece. To get this level of luxury inside is amazing. When you look at the interior, it’s amazing what we have done there. That interior is almost S-Class in terms of technology”. +++
+++ New RENAULT Group boss François Provost has said legislators should focus on how to reduce the cost of electric vehicles, rather than forcing manufacturers to sell them in ever-greater numbers. The Frenchman was recently named CEO of the French car giant, succeeding Luca de Meo, who was instrumental in implementing a recovery plan that involved reviving the Renault 5 and 4 as small EVs. Provost sat down with a select group of journalists at the Munich motor show to outline his vision for the firm and answer questions on a range of topics, including the EU’s planned 2035 ban on the sale of non-zero-emission cars. While the professional, slightly conservative Provost might seem a sharp contrast with the sharp-suited predecessor De Meo, they are similar in how they answer questions: Provost speaks with a brisk directness and a pleasant candour not so different from De Meo. He launched immediately into the most important of declarations: “I’m a continuity man”, he said. “Our central task is to promote the Renaulution plan (introduced by De Meo in 2021) to build a strong line-up in Europe and then to renew it. Of course, we must be ready to react if internal factors change, but we have the Ampere and Horse divisions (spin-off firms that focus on EV and ICE development respectively) to help with that”. When it comes to dealing with the Chinese model offensive in European markets, Provost pointed to Renault’s attempts to speed up its model development to less than 2 years and added: ”We are also capable of very strong and emotional designs and we have proved it. We are better at this than our competitors, especially the Chinese. We are also busy improving our customer engagement: we respect our dealers and we aim to bring our own special values to the customer experience”. When asked about the EU CO2 targets, Provost gave a thoughtful response. “We should not focus on 2035”, he said, “even if it makes a nice hook for your headlines. The fact is that EV prices now are far too high for people right now and because of that, we are producing more carbon than we need to. We must make it clear that the industrial logic in Europe is wrong. What is needed is less regulation, which would allow car prices to be more affordable. Technology neutrality that pushes EVs forward should be the way”. Asked what he was doing to push that message, Provost said: “First, I will focus on what I can control, so I’ll keep working on costs. Then I will go to the European authorities with my colleagues (other industry leaders) to enhance their sense of urgency. They should know that the job of stimulating the EV market cannot fall on car manufacturers alone: as well as the wrong European logic, we have issues with charging infrastructure and the price of electricity across Europe”. Like De Meo, Provost makes it clear he believes generally in pursuing value over volume with car sales, which instantly opens him to questions about how Renault will cope with new-car discounting, rising across Europe. “We will follow the market”, he said, “but without doing anything crazy. Again, this is why I continue to push on reducing costs…”. +++
+++ SKODA isn’t considering launching an electric car smaller than the forthcoming Epiq in the future, preferring to focus its entry-level efforts on its existing ICE models. The Epiq will arrive next year using the Volkswagen Group’s new MEB Entry platform, which it will share with the Volkswagen ID Polo, Volkswagen ID Cross and Cupra Raval; all of which will be priced from around €25.000. While that project has been a joint effort across the Group’s 3 ‘Core’ brands, Volkswagen is also working on a production version of the ID.Every1 concept (tipped to revive the Up name) as an electric city car with a target price of around €18.000. That has been referred to as purely a Volkswagen brand project, and Skoda boss Klaus Zellmer confirmed that the Czech brand has “consciously designed not to be part of that market”. He said: “We believe that with the Fabia, Kamiq and Scala and the material cost price we can realise in the market, we’re in a strong position. We would rather look at the other end”, he added referring to the forthcoming production version of the Vision 7S seven-seat SUV concept. Zellmer said that the decision made sense because “Volkswagen has always been the brand that covers it all”, adding: “You have to make decisions and say ‘do we want a BEV-only vehicle in that segment or do we believe in the Fabia, Kamiq and Scala being the ones that deliver the most for us in terms of profit and getting our investment back?’. In terms of a business model, that’s a wise decision to let Volkswagen play on that side. The most importantly thing in the brand group Core is that we don’t stand on each other’s feet: we want to have a big footprint in the market”. Skoda will continue to invest in the Fabia, Kamiq and Scala, with sales boss Martin Jahn confirming that some level of hybrid technology will be introduced for the Fabia and Kamiq. +++
+++ BYD’s Ferrari-rivalling YANGWANG brand will enter Europe, but not until 2027, according to the firm’s Europe chief. The Chinese giant will launch its Denza brand in Europe next year with a 3-car line-up designed to take on premium rivals such as Porsche and Audi, and the more extreme Yangwang will follow soon after. Stella Li, BYD’s vice-chairman and Europe boss, said the push to bring both brands to Europe comes because it is one of the “leading countries for premium car sales, and so is very important for our Denza brand, and very important for Yangwang in the future”. According to Li, the decision to wait until 2027 to launch Yangwang in Europe was to ensure it would be able to compete from the off. She said: “We need to build up the team for Europe. We need to build up the foundation. And we will do that step by step”. The brand was launched in 2023 with the Yangwang U8; a huge range-extender luxury SUV that packs more than 1000 hp, outpaces the BMW M3, can turn 360 degrees on the spot and floats on water. That was followed shortly after by the U9, an electric supercar that cracks 240mph and can use its fully hydraulic suspension to jump on the spot or drive on three wheels. Both cars have been on sale in China for around 2 years, priced at the equivalent of €135.000 and €230.000 respectively. Li previously said the U8 and U9 are earmarked for European sale, as well as “more cars coming” including the U7 super-saloon; a quad-motor Lotus Emeya rival with 1.250 hp and 1.850 Nm for a 0-100 kph time of 2.9 seconds. BYD also has a burgeoning electric van range in China and Li hinted that could also be introduced in Europe in the near-future, given the lucrative business opportunities. +++