+++ Despite the almost bewildering progress of technical innovation, there are many fundamentals that have been around for a very long time. Hydraulic brakes were introduced in the United States at the end of World War One. Since then, they have evolved beyond measure, with better design and materials and features such as power assistance and ABS. But according to ZF Friedrichshafen, which has produced more than 3 billion brake components in the past 3 years alone, hydraulic brakes’ days are numbered. Given the advance of automated driving features, electrified drivetrains and networking of chassis systems, the component supplier says the switch to BRAKE-by-WIRE (BbW) is inevitable. The ‘dry’ braking tech is already gaining a foothold both as full four-wheel systems and as ‘hybrid’ set-ups that combine both BbW and hydraulics and are aimed at light commercial vehicles. With BbW, the pressure generated for brake pads to grip discs is no longer generated by a force created by the driver pressing on a pedal, but by electric motors in each caliper. An electronic pedal box measures the force applied to the pedal, and the electromechanical brakes (EMB) are applied electrically. ZF says EMBs are more responsive in highly dynamic situations, such as simultaneous braking and steering, and they enable optimised recuperation in electric cars. With the increase in weight of modern cars, engineers say it’s important that brake pressure is built up as quickly as possible, and this is what by-wire systems are good at. Other advantages include reduced maintenance costs (no brake fluid to deteriorate and be replaced) and no spectre of failing hydraulic cylinders and brake lines as vehicles age. Residual drag torque (drag caused when the brake pads don’t retract fully and rub on the discs) is almost zero. This is something that, as a car ages, becomes an unseen parasite eating into fuel efficiency and, in EVs, battery range. There’s also the fact that hydraulic brake fluid is messy, unpleasant stuff, and most types are corrosive to paint if spilt. They’re also hygroscopic, absorbing water. That said, ZF is producing 2 systems: complete 4-wheel BbW aimed at passenger cars and, for the US market in particular, ‘hybrid’ systems for use on heavy-duty pick-up trucks. These are simply a combination of EMBs on the rear axle and hydraulic brakes on the front. On heavier vehicles, the usual electric parking brakes can’t apply enough force to reliably hold the vehicle, whereas EMBs used in BbW systems can. The rear EMB also neatly doubles up for both normal braking and parking. +++
+++ BYD will stop using rotating touchscreens as it ramps up the use of third-party apps and platforms in its cars. Rotating touchscreens were a headline feature of BYDs during the initial phase of the Chinese brand’s European roll-out, serving as a means of differentiating its interiors from those of similarly minimalist rivals. They were fitted as standard right across the range, down to the Dolphin Surf. BYD said the ability to spin the screen 90 degrees made it easier to use while stationary or moving, with portrait orientation giving a better view ahead in navigation mode, for example, and landscape orientation making it easier for occupants to access the whole screen while stationary. But now the firm is discontinuing one of its most distinguishing features in a bid to better integrate the apps that most of its customers use day to day. The Atto 2 is the first BYD to arrive with its 12.4 inch screen locked in landscape mode, and the spinning function will be phased out of the other models in the line-up from now. Vice-president Stella Li explained the move: “We are starting to engage in a lot of apps. The Atto 2 will be the first model with Google and Apple CarPlay. And if they want to give the best experience, then a rotating screen will limit their apps’ smoothness. “And then secondly, we saw the feedback in the market. People love the rotating screens, but the usage is very small”. “The next focus for us will be autonomous driving”, Li added, saying that BYD will also ramp up its tech partnerships with companies like Apple and Google, necessitating a more universally compatible user interface. “We want to make our platforms become more universal to in order to fulfill the best experience. For some apps, like Google, they are a little bit behind”. +++
+++ DACIA is about to expand its range of models with a new crossover that’s known internally as C-Neo. The production car might have a different name when it’s unveiled in spring 2026 ahead of going on sale later in the year, but we know it’ll provide Dacia with a C-segment rival to the likes of the Hyundai i30 and Skoda Octavia. I first got a whiff of the C-Neo back in 2022, but now we’ve been given a first look at the new Dacia thanks to some spy shots taken in Europe. Despite this being an early test car covered in camouflage, some key design elements of the C-Neo are already obvious. We can spot the outline of Dacia’s family face: a rectangular light signature that blends into the grille that carries Dacia’s badge. It’s quite an angular front-end design, which goes with Dacia’s recent repositioning as a more robust, adventure-ready brand. Although not quite as rugged as the Duster and Bigster, the C-Neo gets some protruding wheelarches, although we’ll have to wait and see if they’re made from the company’s recycled ‘Starkle’ material, as they are on the SUVs. The overall profile of the C-Neo looks somewhere in between an estate and a SUV. The rear window is quite sloped to give a sportier look, but if the new car is classed as a jacked-up estate, then we’ll expect a decent amount of luggage space back there. While we can’t see an exhaust sticking out the back, we do know the C-Neo will come with internal combustion engines also used by the Duster and Bigster. Dacia’s former Chief Executive Officer Denis Le Vot previously said that the company is sticking to its plan (announced at Renault Group’s capital markets day in November 2022) to add cars beyond the Bigster. “What we’re doing right now is going around all of the ideas because we intend to launch one, maybe 2 more models that will be C-segment in size”, he said. “They would be based on the same platform: CMF-B”. That choice of architecture is only to be expected because Dacia has already announced that its plans for the rest of this decade are intrinsically linked to CMF-B; the same platform that also underpins the Renault Clio and Captur, along with the Nissan Juke. Building larger models on the chassis allows Dacia to tap into Renault Group economies of scale, particularly since its focus remains on efficient combustion-engined models instead of a switch to EVs. The reliance on CMF-B makes it relatively easy to predict the technical make-up of a new Dacia family car. In base form it would feature a 1.2-litre 3-cylinder turbo petrol engine producing 115 hp, but it would also be offered with a 1.2-litre petrol developing 140 hp and boosted by 48 volt mild-hybrid assistance. Further to this, there’s potential for it to use the same 1.8-litre full-hybrid set-up as the Jogger, Duster and Bigster. Pricing is still some way from being confirmed, but I don’t expect it to be too far from the Duster’s starting price: 29.650 euro. That would make the C-Neo far cheaper than the likes of the Hyundai i30 and Skoda Octavia. +++
+++ “Today DS is far away from the likes of Audi, but you need to start the dream”, then-CEO Carlos Tavares told me over a Parisian lunch in 2014. “Anybody trying to compete in the premium area thinks they need to fight the Germans with the same weapons. I won’t do that because I will lose. We want to convey the French touch, sophistication and trendiness in our new DS models; the French way of life, everything that makes the Brits come to France for their holidays. DS is a fashionable brand. This is unique to us”. Carlos Tavares was the hotshot leader who dragged Peugeot and Citroën from near-bankruptcy to profitability, and had the vision to take DS from a Citroën sub-brand to a standalone French premium marque. His ambition was clear: with Chanel, Louis Vuitton and Hermès world leaders in luxury accessories and fashion, why couldn’t the French carve a similar niche in premium cars, introducing avant-garde design where the Germans offered conservatism and comfort instead of sportiness, underpinned by exceptional customer service? Fast forward to 2025 and the DS brand has its 4th CEO in a decade, Xavier Peugeot. European registrations are down almost 21 percent this year to just 20.784 cars; less than half the volume of minnows Alfa Romeo and Lexus. Indeed since DS launched its first bespoke car, the 7 Crossback in 2017, the brand has never topped 50.000 registrations in Europe. Chinese sales have evaporated as that market has embraced domestic EVs. Under the leadership of the former Citroen product director and member of the founding Peugeot family, DS is priming itself for another premium push. The No8, a pure-electric crossover, is the flagship car, flanked by the No4, a facelifted and rebadged version of the family hatchback launched in 2021. Note the new naming convention, a la Chanel perfume. A third model, expected to replace the 7 Crossback, is due to be launched next year. “There is a momentum, which is very exciting for DS, with 3 launches in 18 months”, says Xavier Peugeot. “We do not deny that our sales were down in 2024”, Peugeot tells. “To me, 2024 and 2025 are transition years. The car market is highly competitive and you need to feed your product range on a very regular basis, otherwise you are immediately impacted”. The No8 is DS’s first all-new car since 2021. That is damning, with the ‘7’ and now 7-year-old ‘DS 3 compact SUV ‘3’ left to age, and new model introductions slowed: the pure electric version of the DS 4 is now arriving more than a year late, for example. But it’s hard to prioritise investment in DS when Stellantis has 13 other brands, many with a more convincing chance of delivering a bigger return faster than the French manufacturer. “DS is a profitable brand”, counters Xavier Peugeot. “And we’ll go into next year with some incredibly powerful tools that we didn’t have going into 2025”. Carlos Tavares left Stellantis almost a year ago, but not before making ambiguous comments that loss-making brands could face awkward questions. But Peugeot vows the question of DS’s closure is “not on the table”, because of Stellantis’ otherwise limited access to the premium market, which he claims represents one quarter of European volume and nearly 40 percent of the profits. “Should we stop a brand bringing profitable results to the company in a premium segment, which is impactful for the car market?” DS’s chief executive officer asks. Peugeot refuses to be drawn by my request to outline why DS has not gained a foothold outside of France, which tends to back its homegrown brands. The fundamentals of DS cars remain the same as a decade ago: a comfortable ride and groundbreaking tech inspired by the hydropneumatic suspension and swivelling headlamps of the original DS19 from 1955, beneath avant-garde design. But the first DS launches did not live up to this billing, a notion laid bare by comparing the original DS 7 Crossback with the new No8. The 2017 SUV had a timid, faux-Audi exterior design, an imaginative interior let down by wobbly quality, and lacklustre drivetrains; the new flagship looks bold and distinctive, with its illuminated grille, optional 2-tone bonnet, modernist surfacing and sloping roofline. After 10 years, DS has finally delivered something eye-catching and compelling. The press praises the ride comfort and commends the interior as “feeling and looking brilliant”. DS has always been a strong advocate of electrification, starting with plug-in hybrids, the pure-electric ‘3’ and racing in Formula E, with the intent to launch only electric cars from 2024. But electric vehicle leadership poses risks with lower sales, as Porsche has discovered: the No8, like the new Macan, was conceived solely with an electric drivetrain, although DS’s STLA Medium vehicle architecture does support hybrids if the firm goes back to the drawing board. DS wants to showcase its tech prowess with one of the largest ranges on the market: 750 km. “No8 is the halo”, Peugeot says. “We all know that a strong, distinctive product can have a big impact on cutting through”. So what are Xavier Peugeot’s expectations? “We sold 55.000 cars in DS’s best years since launch. We need to ensure that this maximum level of worldwide sales becomes the minimum level in future. And if I was to tell you I’d like to triple that, you would call me crazy! The coming launches will be key to the success of DS. Peugeot says DS should not be judged through volumes, just as Tavares did. “This is a 20 to 30-year story”, he told us back in 2014. Maybe, but the next three years will be pivotal. Cupra sold just under one-third of DS Automobiles’ European volume in 2020; 4 years later, Seat’s start-up premium brand registered almost 6 times as many cars. Why? It’s down to product and positioning. While DS targeted old-school premium with big cars such as the DS 7 and DS 9, Cupra went for the heart of Europe’s biggest market, the mid-size SUV. The Formentor was launched in 2020, and looked fresh with its jacked-up estate bodystyle covered in trendy matt paint and copper-coloured accents. Most importantly it cut through, giving the brand visibility and momentum. Subsequent launches (the Tavascan and combustion-engined Terramar) also doubled down on mid-size crossovers with swoopy, aggressive designs. New chief executive officer Markus Haupt chuckles at the memory of the Seat team pitching Cupra to the Volkswagen Group executives in 2018. “People were saying ‘these guys are completely crazy!’. But the designs are spectacular, we built up on very good VW Group platforms, and it’s the ecosystem around the brand and the cars”, the CEO explained. Ecosystem? Cupras are pitched at young urbanites, with ‘City Garages’ that put a twist on the typical retailer, hosting gigs, DJ nights and artistic events to incentivise joining the ‘tribe’ and building the brand’s cultural capital. It hasn’t hurt that Cupra has mined its hometown link with Barcelona FC, and sponsors padel, the mash-up of tennis and squash that is growing in popularity as dramatically as Cupra. Haupt claims his customers’ average age is 43, and the brand has just built its one-millionth car. Plus the all-new models will reach a fifth car in 2026, when the electric Raval small hatchback joins the party. Cupra focuses on design just like DS does, but it’s executed in a more dynamic way, with performance sitting at the heart of each model. Sadly for DS, that appears to be the quicker route to market success. After all, consumers like to think of themselves as sporty, youthful and trendy – even when they’re not. +++
+++ MG will put a Renault 5 rival on the road by 2027, priced from around 26.000 euro, and it will be designed in the United Kingdom. Called the MG 2, the new EV will sit below the MG 4 EV as the entry-level model to MG’s 7-strong EV line-up, which has been bolstered recently by the S5 EV and S6 EV. MG Motor UK boss David Allison told that “it’s the obvious area of the market that’s next to happen” and “we will absolutely be in there”. Regarding an arrival date, he said the Chinese brand is “still probably over a year away from it”, suggesting a 2027 launch is viable. Asked about pricing, Allison said the 2 will be focused on value, rather than just an enticing sticker price. He added: “I think we have moved on. Not consciously, but other brands and other products have come in that are the cheapest. If you look at the price of the Dacia Spring and you look at the price of the Leapmotors, that’s not the space we occupy. And I don’t necessarily think it will be the space that we can occupy. I think our ethos has always been about value. You know, it has not necessarily been about being the cheapest; it has been about providing the most that we can for the best value for money. The ZS is Qashqai-sized, but it’s Juke money. And I dare say we will see something similar with the 2”. Technical details are thin, but Autointernationaal.nl understands that the 2 will use the same SAIC Modular Scalable Platform as the 4. MG will also likely benchmark the 2 against the Renault 5, which is powered by a single 150 hp motor and offers a top-end range of 400 km from a 52 kWh battery. On design, Allison wouldn’t disclose any details but did confirm that “fairly advanced” concepts have already been built, which suggests that mules could soon begin testing. Allison said the sales response to the Renault 5 has shown that the market for small, affordable EVs is much bigger than previously anticipated, and therefore it’s crucial for MG to launch such a model as soon as possible. “The Renault 5 has made the job much more important”, he said. “I’ve always felt that was the next market that was going to happen, because as Europe transitions towards EVs, inevitably the easiest way of making them more affordable is downsizing”. Allison also said the MG Motor UK team will have a big hand in creating it: “Having the London design studio is quite helpful. I’ve seen some concepts and drawings of the car. It fills me with lots and lots of confidence that that should be really, really successful in the space”. On the need for a car like this to be designed in the UK, he said: “It has to be, because that car wouldn’t succeed in China. In a lot of Asian markets, such as South Korea, you tend not to see cars smaller than a C-segment hatchback. So to try and conceive a 4-metre battery-electric car that has very much a European style just won’t really work. So that kind of car, in my view, has to have a more European-centric approach in terms of styling”. MG’s engineering centre at Longbridge, which refines global products for the European market, will also play a role in testing and configuring the 2. Allison said the 2 could be a big player for MG in other markets where the brand has yet to succeed. “You take Italy, for example: the EV mix is under 4%; it’s tiny,” he said. “That’s because a lot of electric cars aren’t really suited to the tight Italian roads. But the moment someone comes up with an affordable 4-metre or sub-4-metre electric car, then that sort of thing should be really successful. And it’s a space we absolutely should be in. I’m very confident that when we do bring something to market like that, we will do really well with it”. +++