Swings, Roundabouts, etc. - 2 December 2025
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50:37
Concept
Motability
Motability is a program that helps people with disabilities get new cars by paying just the car’s price and insurance. The government pays the rest, making it easier to afford a vehicle.
Brand
Stellantis
Stellantis is a big car company that owns many brands, such as Jeep and Dodge. It was created when two large companies joined together.
Car
Citroën EC3
The EC3 is a small French car that many people buy because it’s cheap to run and has a unique look.
Car
Renault Clio
The Clio is a small, everyday car from France that many people use for city driving because it’s easy to park and doesn’t use a lot of gas.
Brand
Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz makes fancy cars that are often more expensive but also very reliable and comfortable.
Brand
Audi
Audi makes stylish cars that are often more expensive but offer good performance and safety features.
Concept
Euro NCAP
Euro NCAP is a group that tests cars in Europe to see how safe they are. They give stars or points so people know which cars protect them better in crashes.
Concept
battery isolation in EVs
Battery isolation means keeping the car’s big battery separate from everything else if something goes wrong, so it doesn’t spark or catch fire.
Concept
three and a half tonne
If a van weighs less than 3.5 tonnes, it can be driven with a standard car licence and gets lower taxes. Anything heavier needs special permits.
Concept
four and a quarter tons
Electric vans that weigh up to 4.25 tonnes will still get the same tax benefits as lighter vans, even though they are heavier than 3.5 tonnes.
Term
MOT test
In the UK, every car must pass a yearly check called an MOT test. It’s like a health check for your vehicle, making sure things like brakes and lights are working properly so you can drive safely.
Car
Renault Trafic e-Tech 2026
Renault’s Trafic e-Tech is a van that runs on electricity, so it doesn’t use gasoline and produces no exhaust fumes. It’s designed for businesses that need to move goods around town.
Term
V12
A V12 is a type of car engine with twelve cylinders. It’s powerful and smooth, usually found in fancy or high‑performance cars.
Term
skateboard chassis
Think of a skateboard: the flat board holds everything together. In cars, this design keeps parts close to the ground and makes the car lighter.
Concept
Android Automotive OS
It's like the software that runs on a car's screen, made by Google. It lets you use apps and control the car from the dashboard.
Brand
Lexus
Lexus is a fancy car brand that makes luxury cars and SUVs, owned by the Japanese company Toyota.
Car
Genesis Magma GT concept
Genesis is a luxury car brand owned by Kia. The Magma GT concept is a new, show‑room model that looks like it could be very fast and fancy, and it shows the brand’s plans to race in big events like Le Mans.
Concept
GTs
A GT is a fancy car that’s built to be fast and comfortable for long trips. Think of it as a sporty, luxury sedan that can go really well on highways.
Brand
AMG
AMG makes super-fast and sporty versions of regular Mercedes cars. They add more power, better handling, and a cooler look.
Brand
BMW
BMW makes cars that are fun to drive, with good handling and a sporty feel. They’re famous for their "Bavarian" engineering.
Brand
Ferrari
Ferrari makes very fast, beautiful cars that are also race cars. They’re known for their red color and sleek style.
Car
McLaren P1
The McLaren P1 is a very fast, rare car made by the British company McLaren. It uses both an engine and electric power to go super quick.
Brand
Noble
Noble makes small, fast cars that are popular among car enthusiasts for their handling and power.
Term
pop-up headlamps
These are headlights that can be pushed up into the car’s front when you turn them on, and they sit flat against the body when off. They make the car look cleaner.
Term
four wheel steering
It means the car can turn its back wheels too, not just the front ones. This helps it turn tighter in parking lots and stay steadier when driving fast.
Company
Aerodec
Aerodec makes parts that can make a car look cooler or drive better. They’re popular with people who want to upgrade their cars.
Term
BTCC
BTCC is a racing competition in the UK where drivers race cars that are based on regular street models but have been upgraded for speed and safety.
Part
mountain bike rack
A bike rack is a piece of hardware you put on the back of a car so you can carry bikes inside or outside. It keeps them safe while you drive.
Car
Citroën Kangoo 4x4
The Kangoo 4x4 is a small van from the French maker Citroën that can drive on all four wheels, so it’s handy for rough roads or carrying heavy stuff. It’s popular for people who need a versatile, budget‑friendly vehicle.
Car
Subaru Baja
The Baja is a small pickup truck from Subaru that looks like a van but has a cargo bed in the back. It’s good for carrying tools, groceries, or even pets.
LIVE
Welcome to the motoring podcast, your weekly discussion of motoring news. This is episode 660 on Tuesday, the 2nd of December 2025. Hello, I'm Alan. Hello, I'm Andrew, and this week you'll hear us question if those making motoring related policy in the UK actually drive. In new new car news you will see one company's racing ambition, and in points of interest you'll want to rush to just outside Paris for next Sunday.
This is the unfortunately budget that we have to discuss unfortunately with lots of unfortunately on top of unfortunately big headline news out of that because there wasn't really much to do with motoring is that the which normally is a good thing by the way. Yeah, the government is going to end the freeze in fuel duty in September.
Well, now he should have been done a while ago. It should have been. It's one of those where people started saying, oh, it's political suicide to touch it, but is it, you know, the longer you leave it, the harder it is to deal with it. Look, if there's one thing this government specializes in, if there's one thing this government's behind Andrew, it's political suicide.
Well, it does feel like that on a daily basis, but they are going to also be bringing in a three P per mile levy on fully electric vehicles and 1.5 P per mile levy on plugging hybrid vehicles.
Nothing mentioned about hybrids and I'm not even talking about mild, so there we go. And this is on top of the measures that we're already announced earlier in the year for electric vehicle or new vehicle.
New car, new electric vehicle owners come a certain date, which I can't remember. I think it's next April where they're going to have to start paying V.D. and all that sort of stuff.
Now with the V.D. one is a surprise to nobody though. You know, any.
Any, any longest term owner of V.D. has known that this is that the honey moon was going to end at some point.
Yeah, and from the comments I've seen, people generally are going, of course, we need to pay a fair share at some point, but then quickly go jump behind.
But to do it now means you're going to struggle with the zero emission vehicle Monday brackets, just because I might, you know, do well out of that. That's a coincidence close brackets is how it feels in the way they're couching it because
they've also announced that they, this is a bit of, it feels like it's a Jacqueline hide moment because on the one hand, they're going to give us more money.
And then the other hand, they go, oh, but we're going to put an extra 1.3 billion into the electric car grant pot.
And also we're now going to move the luxury car tax just for EVs up to 50,000 pounds because what rich people need is more money behind.
Yes, now why are people jumping up and down going, that's a great thing is because the average cost of a new EV last year was over 47,000 pounds.
Now why should we be subsidizing the fact that the car manufacturers do not produce things that are more affordable, that's my issue.
I could see a rise in line with inflation, yeah, I could just about go with that from when it was brought in in 2016, I want to say 2015, 2016 something like that.
But I do, I think it's fundamentally wrong to just chuck it up to 50 grand because that that means the car manufacturers have zero incentive to help the consumer out in any way.
And they'll just keep their prices artificially high.
Well, the price, the list price will be artificially high, but then there might well be some kind of purchasing bonus or discount scheme or
but alternatively they can finish out, stop that at any moment, the dismissive way of the hand didn't really work on podcasts, but you're right.
No, no, I'm trying to agree with you.
It's my, I'm trying not to swear because I know you're editing.
Yes.
Is there any more to say on this before you fail?
The real question is, will it actually, will the way this has been handled because the following day from the government announcing this or the chancellor announcing this in Parliament, she was quizzed, how's this paper mile going to work?
They don't know.
One suggestion she had was, well, we'll check the MOT until one interviewer pointed out that they don't know one gets an MOT on new car till year four.
So all that's good years encourage mileage clocking.
Well, that is another thing I've seen some people mentioning, but equally there's a consultation coming out early 2026.
I am putting 50 p on that they will end up with going well, we'll have to black box you.
Yeah.
And this is only for new cars after 2028 allegedly.
The trouble is that really that's the only way to do it unless you've built into the car.
There is no other way to do it.
I mean, you might try and say, well, okay, use a phone app.
It's not compatible.
All of a sudden we're going to find it.
Oh, I should have my phone with me. Oh, it was actually switched off. Oh, it was.
Oh, did I make it from, did I make everyone end of the country to the other on my own without using navigation?
What happens if the if your company's policy you are not to use the phone while driving?
Well, yeah, absolutely.
And is it personal phone or work phone or what if it's outside the UK outside the UK was another classic?
I think we've discussed that one before.
So they just haven't thought it through in any shape or form.
There is no actual solution to this.
There is not a net.
But there's chance in heck that they will be able to implement by that day.
It's too big a project that has to be done successfully.
There are two big policy statements, the unfreezing fuel duty September next year.
And this 2028, which is just before or just in the middle of an election.
It'll be delayed.
Both can quite easily not happen.
Yes, well, exactly.
And I saw that pointed out by a number of people as well.
I suspect it might not happen.
I think you're going to struggle with the paper miles certainly.
Definitely.
And just to do it to be able to roll out in a vaguely successful way,
just there is not enough time to do that project.
Is it something like 28 months?
They've got to get more manufacturers on board with it.
Well, it's got to have gone through parliament, become law agreed on the technology and got manufacturers start installing the technology within 28 months.
And to put for it to work, it has to be installed everywhere.
Anyway, do you want to move us on to something that is not technically struggling or technically difficult to do?
But there are a few issues.
Actually, when we were running through this,
this is the one that caused more swearing from both of us than any of the other stories put together,
because this actually is just petty nastiness.
And this is more of a bankrupt.
Yeah, this is this is Motability.
Now, the thing about Motability, the story that caught everyone's eyes that premium brands will no longer be available via Motability,
despite the fact that it costs Motability less money to supply your premium brand.
When you are also paying top up, then it does to supply other brands in the same way that any that very often you'll find that the lease payment for an Audi or BMW is less per month over your three or four years,
then it would be unequivalent Persia voxel or even something that's not from Stellantis.
Yep.
Just because they retain their value, it's better, it's better value.
You're seen as more desirable because they seem as desirable in the second hand market as well as the first hand market.
But somebody somewhere has decided that actually it's terrible that anyone should be able to do that and have that kind of thing.
And that there should be some stigma attached to being able to apply for Motability, which supposedly the wording that's in this auto car article here is pointing out that the scheme is being advised to focus on cars that.
Here are the quotation marks meets disabled people's needs and represent a value and purpose.
So you're not allowed anything nice anymore. I think we're pretty much discovered that that is a government policy and no more nice things.
So you're allowed a Renault Clio adacia jogger Citroen EC3, for example, is just fine.
And we have to just just to reiterate this, by the way, because you've said this a couple of times, but to reiterate this.
The people who were getting or were trying to choose a Mercedes or an Audi were paying the difference.
So this wasn't costing Motability more. It wasn't costing the tax pay a more.
It was all down to them supplying that extra cash themselves.
Yes, absolutely. And yet someone else as well, we know that there's at least one right wing think tank that is decided that that's a warrant and disgusting.
And they should not be allowed to do that.
For who knows what reasons will we all know the reasons really, but.
The other part that's within Motability is that there's a VAT risk exemption on Motability cars.
So also there's a saving to the people who are on Motability of of not having to pay their money on the on the tax, you know, they're not they're not paying the VAT.
So immediately the vehicle's 20% cheaper less expensive evil.
It's the biggest fleet in the UK. It's actually surpassed the post office nowadays, I believe.
And this is this is actually a big deal. It's a really big deal, but it seems that politicians want.
Want people who are on Motability to essentially be put back in some kind of in the car and have some kind of hair shirt that they must.
Let's make you a second class citizen through no fault of your own so we can point at you and mock you or whatever the next stages for this horrific attitude that has seeped into this this government and a certain portion of society.
It's nasty. Spineless people trying to appeal to the trying to appeal to the show to you stroll and do what do what's right for for people.
So yes, unbelievable. I think we saw that with the previous government. We see it with this government and fingers crossed. We don't see it with the next one, but I don't have a huge amount of faith that that's going to be the case.
But anyway, let's talk more about cars and a little less about politics.
And failing at doing that right now, the new Euro NCAP tests, they are responding to consumer criticism.
Yes, that's that's what NCAP claims that there is aid us has been labeled intrusive by consumers, even though just a few months ago, well, about a year ago.
The issue was not that aid us was not good enough or suitable enough or correct enough times on the public road.
It was down to us motoring journalists for telling people how to switch it off as well as social media areas for encouraging people to switch off the technology.
And in a complete around about face and effectively admitting that the tech is garbage a lot of the time and dangerous as well.
They are now going to make it that they're going to tweak the testing regime where they do more for real world usability and the likes.
Yes, for 2026, according to article linked in the show notes, a higher safety ratings will be awarded to cars equipped with a driver monitoring technologies that maintain attention and engagement behind the wheel with points awarded to systems that wants to drive a performance in real time.
You can't see the head shaking at the other end of the day.
No, no, no, they have totally blown by saying that they're going to go and do more real world testing.
They've totally blown that out of the water with bringing in driver phenology.
That's what they are bringing with that because they cannot do testing.
And they cannot have a system that will say the stuff that they're saying because they're also talking about how systems will get extra points if they can confirm someone's drunk or is under the influence of drugs.
Unless you've got an actual pipe you blow into you cannot do that either, not with any any amount of hint of accuracy.
Meanwhile in other topics where I'm not intentionally poking the bear, the systems will also be really rated on their smoothness and intuitiveness.
And also there'll be more of an emphasis on post crash safety.
So electric door handles must now remain functional after an accident and EVs must correctly manage the isolation of their batteries to mitigate any fire risk.
How was that not a thing already?
I want might ask one might ask.
Certainly the second one, the first one I can see not having been a thing because nobody would have thought that anybody was stupid enough to build door handles that electrically retracted to the body of the car and then can't be used unless it popped out again.
But they've been testing these cars for years that have had those very systems installed.
Yes, but it's not been about that.
No, because Michael does this and I can't look outside my click.
You see that would that would be breaking the test procedures and they have to follow the test procedures, Andrew.
And you're right.
But to point it out and start going hang on we need to we need to change this now rather than wait five years before we do our update or whatever it is.
I know you know this.
This is how people would do it.
Well, yes.
So anyway, that's so it's changed to your own cap coming up.
No doubt they will find some way to reverse and back date these results.
But it's going to be interesting to see what actually happens when the next batch of cars are tested against this.
I know how there was the big comments a couple of years ago when certain cars got downgraded.
I was going to do rubbish at this but there we go.
That's not the point.
It's going to be interesting to see how because the same car doing the same thing before the test before this new revised test, which includes and this is amazing.
And urban focus test scenario that includes cyclists and motorcyclists as part of simulated traffic.
So they didn't do that either.
And I've been in a car that could not spot a motorcyclist in front of me on its own system.
Okay.
Yeah, I raised it with the manufacturer. Don't worry.
I can see some manufacturers are going to have some challenges with this.
I can name at least one.
Now they're too busy emailing the Dutch safety organization.
Oh, well, I wasn't even the one I was going to name. That one was that's a given.
That's a different one.
No, it was another one, but we'll talk more about them later on.
The generously named English coastal town of South End on C.
I was joking that it was London, South End on C, but that was absolutely missed earlier.
Is gearing up to install a major charging infrastructure over hope they're going to install in conjunction with zest over 3000 public charging stations.
Well, come on Alan, the southeast is so poorly served when it comes to electric vehicle charging stations public and private.
I mean, they need all the help they can get.
I mean, there wasn't hasn't been a report that came out just this week that said that there is an incredibly disproportionate amount of charging points in the southeast compared to anywhere else in the country.
Yes.
So this is going to be a combination of on street charges installed in lamppost.
So watch out for every second lamppost and South End on C having a having having a socket on it.
As well as fast and rapid charging stations.
Robin heaped the CEO of zest.
Said that South End is setting a benchmark for how cities can lead the transition to cleaner transport with their ambitious EV infrastructure deployment plans.
Oh, ambitious, that's a bad word.
The partnership is designed to make EV ownership practical for everyone, especially communities without off street parking.
I'm joking, I'm making fun of this. This is really really what's needed, isn't it?
I was about to say it much as I've made the mock I mocked the southeast and how well they provide this is the sort of thing that needs to happen across the country.
Absolutely, absolutely.
This sort of thing where we are basically carpet bombing towns and villages with charging points to because so many people won't be able to charge from their home.
But and it's the slower charging points as well, so it doesn't need to be fancy doesn't need to be big.
You know, as long as you think through where you're putting them.
Yeah, yeah, but.
Because you know, I've got personal experience of having wasn't thought through.
Yes, yeah, no, I absolutely do, even if it's down one side of a street in every second lamppost, you're well on the way there.
And really, this is this is to me.
I know it's a motorway charge points that seem to get all the headlines and everything.
Oh, we got on this drive day to all I have come have to wait 10 minutes to 10 minutes to get a charge a charger.
But actually where it matters is this kind of stuff because because this is what most people are doing and need to plug in once or twice a week and just leave it overnight near a socket.
I mean, that's what that's what I'd love to be able to do near me is something within walking distance that I could plug in leave all day or overnight and go back and get it later.
Yeah, and get on with my to do the things I need to do in my day and then I fit going around that whereas it that that I just can't do at the moment.
Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.
So more of this please.
I feel you're more charging points, Andrew.
Yes, but less.
But fewer.
Unfortunately.
North Lincoln chair is thanks to believe without a final e hello startup believe he's going to get 470 new charge points.
And these are going to be across a typically across a key car parks in North Lincoln chair.
And they will be a mixture of rapid and ultra rapid charging stations.
They haven't given much more detail than key car parks.
But again, it's it's more.
This is good.
It's not just the southeast.
This is this is better.
Yeah, we we like to bring on the show and mention when things like this happen like we did with the south end story as well, because it is not just about massive rapid ultra rapid charging hubs.
Yeah, agreed.
I was saying really this is this is the area that needs that needs focused on now.
OK, we've we've we have shown that we can chuck a lot of charging points in.
We need to put more in and they need to be the right ones in the right place.
That's what we need now.
And that I think was what that EV owner survey is trying to get to help them with as well is these are the locations we're in.
And that sort of stuff because they won't because you apparently do give in your quite tight details, but that doesn't come across in the general, the results don't come in the survey because that's not.
They can go regional.
That's easy.
Excuse me. That's easier.
Absolutely.
One last story.
Before before guilt minute, I'm going to take this one so there's not another outburst.
Maybe electric vans and light goods vehicles.
We are so familiar in this in the UK with the idea of the three and a half tonne.
So like good vehicles up to three and a half tons.
Government has announced plans to reclassify vans and pick up some light good vehicles.
Then our EVs, not so they're three and a half tons up so that they're four and a quarter tons will still fit under the three and a half ton regulations.
It's an unusual thing that obviously this is popular with the van manufacturers.
This is popular with the fleets.
It could be bothered to read this fine print and work out what actually the constraints were due to weight.
They failed in their jobs to not spot that that meant they were heavy goods vehicles.
Yes.
And now because they've loved that hard, the government has basically turned around and gone.
Yeah, physics doesn't matter as long as it's electric powered.
It doesn't matter.
OK, the safety bits that were to do with going over that weight limit, that doesn't matter either.
Now the thing is that what I was going to say at this point was I was originally going to point out that well, you know Andrew,
these rules and the weight limits were put in long before, you know, with much older tech of breaking, steering, chassis dynamics and all of these things.
The old regulations and really, you know, the vehicles and the quality of the systems in them have increased quite a lot.
So in actual fact, it's probably a bit more reasonable than it would have been some time ago.
And then I'm scrolling through the running order for this for this week's show, OK.
And I noticed that there are two links against this story and the second one is a link to the first one being the link to the story on electric drive.
The second one is a link to a story again from last week by John Redford on motor and research.
Hunting out that one in four UK vans feel their first MOT test.
And that the failure rate for like commercial vehicles, like what we've just been talking about, is more than twice the rate recorded for cars.
And the only 12.6% of cars fail their first MOT, but 25% of vans fail their first MOT.
So at that point, I rather felt what all of my arguments about the upgraded tech and how they're much, much safer than they used to be have just been thrown out the window by people who don't check their tires.
Well, a van has a very, very hard life.
It does.
It has an incredibly hard life.
It is costing a company if it is not moving about and doing something.
So therefore, these are run to the limits of making sure they are on the road.
They are off the road, the minimum amount of time.
And that causes sometimes that you've got the danger of people making compromises and going, I'll get to it next week or the week after or something like that.
And if I may, the number of self employed contractors to delivery firms.
Yes, that too.
Where it is costing a person a significant amount of their income and possibly some fines if they're not on the road on a certain day.
Again, that has a big effect on this as well, because I can imagine that there's some vans on board it two years and then just never maintained in that kind of reason across that brings them in before their first MOT.
This is the challenge.
Sure.
The big fleets will still perform the same, you know, so people will still have to perform the same walk round checks up, go to the same rigorous maintenance.
But as soon as the vehicles leave those, that's actually when that extra 750 kilos is on top of.
Hard life on top of the hard life and maybe not to be maintained as well as they might be from that point onwards is likely to be an issue.
Yeah, for fleets and first owners and people who have them on contracts and all these kinds of things.
Boo for the rest of us when the vans are a bit older.
So, you know, swings roundabouts, etc.
Yeah, they'll struggle on both those.
Especially the roundabouts, yes.
Anyway, that ray of sunshine brings us to guilt minute, the quick break in the show where we asked for a tad of financial support to get the lights on and the hosting running.
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Right, new new car news and I am so happy because I get to talk about something more positive now after the first part of the show is out the way.
I've now got that recorded as a snippet the words I am so happy.
It might put it on the text my ringtone for you.
And we're going to start with the day she jogger is being updated and they are putting in a whole host of new designs internal and external and some technology type things to bring it up to date with the rest of the range from day she and it is going to cost only 25 pounds more.
So that means it starts at 18,995.
This is what actually value is.
This is what because this is a seven seat family vehicle that's well made that's under 20 grand.
Is it still seven seat at that name?
Yes, but it is still seven seat. Wow.
Okay, that's a lot of space and a lot of seating for for the cash.
Yeah.
And a couple of years, three years ago, I voted for the the jogger to be car of the year because of its value for money and what it offered most people in this country.
I felt it was it was worthy of winning that on the UK car of the year awards.
I think it came in second or third something like that in the end.
So other plenty of others did agree as well, but I love the idea behind this because it doesn't look like it's a cheap and tattie car that someone's making do with.
And it didn't the previous model didn't feel like that and apparently there is an upgrade in all the quality of materials and finish and that sort of stuff.
So this is if you are looking for a vehicle to haul either a lot of stuff or a lot of people, it will be a hybrid as well.
It's mild hybrid, I think, on top of it.
So looking at the specs.
Yeah, the hybrid is going to be 23,330.
You know, the petrol is the just under 19 grand version.
There's a lot to like for that and I wish more would this is this goes back to my anger with the 50 grand luxury car tax thing more of this please less of that.
Sorry, I was playing with the configurator and I got distracted already.
Anyway, do you want to take us on to briefly to new new venues?
The 2026 Renault traffic e-tech has been unveiled.
It delivers new tech as well as the e-tech.
And it is it has a range of up to 287 miles if you decide to buy that size or battery.
It comes with a choice, by the way, the smaller unit will arrive at a later date and it will deliver almost 217 miles.
This is a very strange statement.
It is, isn't it?
It's made me chuckle when I read it.
I'm sure that if you would translate it into kilometers, it is a is a nice round number.
Yeah, previous generations of the traffic just managed a hundred and 86 miles, which by the way is I happen to know is 300 kilometers, which is a nice round number.
Yeah.
Also allow true rap ultra rapid, which charge in which we'll get 15 to 80% charge in 20 minutes.
Which is vital if you are using a van.
Yeah, it is actually.
Yeah.
This is one of the one of the problems that's holding back the adoption of electric vans.
Another one is their capacity as well when low when laden is their range and that being a problem.
But if you are charging that quickly, that can help negate some of that issue.
So this eTech also features V12.
So vehicle to load for power power in laptops, tools and other accessories and also vehicle to grid.
Should you need a one or desire that says all versions of the van be powered by real minded 201 horsepower.
And 254 pound, a foot pound pound foot, pardon me, motor, sort of freedom units.
Allowing a two ton towing capacity and up to one and a quarter tons of payload.
Also the new skateboard traffic chassis has allowed them to optimize the car capacity relative to the footprint, lower its height.
To under two meters, so it fits into car parks easily.
And it has the similar turning circle to a Renault clear.
It also looks like the clear is very bad considering its size.
Oh, this is very good.
I think it's because this is very well, if it's real drive, you see, it's the front wheels just turning so they can do the whole London taxi to open.
And some counter right over.
And inside, it's kind of car like.
It makes a point, this article by Matt Allen makes a point of saying that it has a 12 inch touchscreen or any Android automotive.
I think, well, why would you mention that?
And then you think, well, actually for fleets, that makes sense because they could have their own.
I don't know, DHL, how poor whatever.
Well, Renault did say they're going all in with Android Auto whilst slugging off anyone who possibly was thinking about Apple's ultra car play, which I always, because they were heavily quoted when that came out, when it was when there was a slew of articles that said,
manufacturers go cold on ultra Apple CarPlay or Apple CarPlay Ultra, whatever they call it.
And then it was the Renault person who was quoted and I went back and looked at their site.
Yeah, we're, you know, we've gone, got into bed with Google on this.
Of course, you slugged it off.
The thing is that normal car play will still run on Android Auto.
There's no reason to exclude one from the other. I have a little Android computer fitted in the Lexus, which runs a car play for me.
So really, the fact that it's Android in the back end doesn't really make a difference. It's just running as an operating system.
But you are quite right apps wise for businesses.
Yes. And helping helping them out.
Exactly. That's why that's a good thing.
It also looks really cool, by the way.
Yeah, the external looks great.
It looks so good. It almost looks like it's Korean.
Yes.
Which is the benchmark for cool looking fans. I know that not all beer is going to have to have the game again.
Yeah, well, I was talking about it. I was mentioned, but yes, exactly.
But it looks great. It really does. Although it does seem to be birthing it's one car right to the front of it's never mind.
I shouldn't have looked too closely.
But now I think it, I think it looks great. I'm really.
Yeah.
I hope that does fit more needs.
So that more electric fans can be bought.
Or be seen as a viable option for more fleets.
Yes.
Or businesses which aren't necessarily fleets as well to be honest.
That's important to you.
Yeah.
You next then.
Yeah.
Going to round out with more on the ridiculous side of things.
We've done two very sensibles.
And now we are going to something that really isn't.
And this is the Genesis Magma GT concept that was revealed last week.
Now, the whole point behind this is it underlines Genesis desire to be a racing brand.
Now we know that they've got the hypercar for Le Mans.
I think they announced Jamie Chadwick is the backup driver for that.
That's coming soon to the endurance racing series.
I think it's come to Imsa as well as WEC.
It makes sense spread it's far around the world as possible with us.
Exactly.
So why not?
Yeah.
That because both WEC and Imsa have got very close with their regulations now as well.
So that it does lend to car to the same car being able to be used pretty much in either one of the series,
which is which is brilliantly clever.
And finally they've done that.
In a rare piece of common sense.
I know.
Particularly if it's motor racing.
I know.
It's.
So this Magma concept.
What will mean for them to be able to do GT racing.
They will need to have them obligated at least 200 units.
Now there's there's a time scale on that, but it's not you have to have 200 before you start.
I don't think.
No, I think it's that you have to promise to make 200.
It's the classic.
It's the classic.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
And then then then they can do that whole knit around the back and drive around.
Go to the back of the key.
Let's go for lunch.
We saw that.
No, that one was was was that not reliant.
Was that really.
Now I thought I.
Apocryphally.
Yes.
Yes.
That was reliant with the Escort RS 200 or possibly some of the attack one of the Italian launchers.
Yeah.
But there's definitely a more of the story.
The first of it is the RS 200, which is like we'll show you all the cars here.
And then we'll go.
Then let's go for lunch.
Then we'll look at the look at the rest of them in the other location later.
So because they go for lunch.
All the same cars are driven to the other location.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So this isn't what when you click the link that's from Top Gear in the show notes.
You'll see the concept looks very swish.
It looks when they say GT.
It's not like many other GTs out there at the moment.
Because a lot of the GTs are very recognizable road cars like the the AMG, the BMW.
That sort of thing and the Ferrari.
This is because it's a totally new thing for Genesis as well.
It's going to be it's going to look completely new.
But the the chief of design.
What?
I've lost.
I know what the name is.
Luke Donkerwolk.
Volk.
Sorry.
Luke Donkervolk.
He said that this isn't the finished version.
But it's most of what you see is what is going to make up the actual GT model that they bring out.
This one here.
It has the rear horns just have a certain width of Ferrari app.
Not Ferrari.
Goodness me.
McLaren P1.
To me.
And then from the back.
It's a little more bugatti I think.
I'm also getting the noble.
Where I found the rear three quarters.
The low down picture.
The way that whole line comes all the way across and sort of like almost like an arch.
But it isn't.
You can see it basically any of these super.
Super cars like that.
I mean, there's this.
You can also sort of add a buttress to it go well if it wasn't.
If it had a little buttress on there, it would be just like a 4GT.
Well, that's one of the first cars I've ever tried.
So it's driving it.
And I also yes.
But I can't wait to see the flames split out spit out of the three.
And then we've got the mid height.
Uh, centered exhaust pipes.
When it goes, uh, when it starts going along the full chat.
Can I just make it completely clear that I have no fixed plans for a little more weekend.
This year.
So.
Yeah.
Yeah, I have actually in fact deliberately kept my weekend free really or and the week leading up to it.
Yes.
just in case somebody needed to get in touch about that time period.
Yes. Yes. Yeah. Still, the one of the worst things I've had to turn down was a trip to
a mall for a car manufacturer. So my list of, I have turned down more fun things, and I've
been able to accept. But two weeks before moving to the US was just not a time to be able to do it,
even I had to draw the mental line. I would have been a complete mess if I'd done that.
Anyway, that moves on to points of interest. It does. It's quite a good way to move on to points of
interest. This week, then it is episode 4,397. No, no, it just feels like that. It is only 42.
Oh, episode 42, yes. Well, as the, as the, as this project is dragged by its fingernails ever
closer to the end. But then you watch this and you think, oh, okay, now I understand why it's
missing so a lot. I know. And that is one of the problems with this. It's the stuff that you see
on screen and there's to discuss for three minutes, maybe. Yeah. And you think that's weeks. How many
months was that? That's there is weeks of work, just in in the steering column alone.
Which project Binky would be talking about by the way? It is project Binky. Sorry, did I actually say
that or not? No, I don't think we did. I think we were just too excited to talk about it.
I think we skipped over it. Yeah, it was a bad obsession. Most sport project, Binky,
episode 42. And we don't quite learn the answer to leave the universe and everything. But
but it does, but Binky does actually move not for the first time, but under its own power.
And with a looking incredibly finished. So not quite there yet. I think there's going to be
a little bit more. And then there's going to be the results of some testing and some tweaks
and some changes and possibly a bracket or two. So yeah. Good news. Yeah.
Excellent. Keep up the good work, Richard Nick.
Right, I'm going to take us to list of the week then. And it is a from
car and sports car, classic and sports car, even if I could read the title properly.
And it is titled 31 times Honda got it right. There are 32 slides because it starts on a non
non car as it were for the opening slide. But Alan, I really like this. I get to choose first
because there is a high likelihood we're going to choose either the same car or a very similar car.
I have chosen slide 18, number 17 on the list, the 1987 Honda Prelude.
Because why would you not want a two-seater saloon with pop-up headlamps and four wheel steering?
It's also incredibly pretty. It's just a massive glass house.
Yep. And it's just a lot of very, very nice things in the camera. I would absolutely love one.
I imagine to find one that's half worth owning is going to be going to be kind of expensive.
But yeah, I love it. Really, really cool. What about you? Because the study won. So we're not
going to choose one each. We're not going to steal the whole list.
No, we really aren't because I'm going for number eight. And I picked the 1978 Honda Prelude.
Do you know what? That was an early option.
I think this looks great. It's on some fabulous wheels. But I just love the way
the bonnet goes and the grill across. I think it just looks so nice.
Parents looked at one of those years and years and years ago.
I didn't tell you. Yep. I like that a lot.
I do, but it was an option. And I thought, no, no, no. I'll have the pop-up headlamps and the four wheel steering.
Well, I of course had the accord aerodec of that milk. Exactly. Yeah, I thought that when I chose it,
and that's why I thought you might have chosen the same one.
Anyway, do you want to take us on to the end finally? Because I think we are spoiling our
listeners this week. Oh, we are. Yes. And finally, it's from carscooks.com.
And it amazingly, it's not talking about yet another Ford US recall.
No, it doesn't. One hundred and have they passed those over a hundred and four hundred and four hundred and fifty now.
It's it's been more than two days. There has to be another one. The Renault is emptying out its
secret vault. And so it is putting up some of its more obscure concept cars and
historic cars. And we installed, yes, and motorsport too. And so race cars as well.
So if you want to gen you in Alam and you BTCC Renault Laguna, this is your opportunity.
And that's a genuine not just one of the one many that have been made to look like it.
If you want, I don't know. If you want the original concept just before production for the
market to Laguna estate, this is your this is your opportunity to own it, folks.
As well, I want the decked up. The decked up. The deck up. This is the next one up there.
It's up from the Laguna. There's the deck up. And then there's the gear, the break up as well
as the other one. But there's the one that made me laugh, which is the sort of kangoo four by four
with mountain bike racks instead of the rear luggage compartment. A little bit,
Subaru Baja or what's a little tour to open deck. Yes. Yeah. So I can imagine
the because we've done this before when we've talked about vehicles from a certain time period,
particularly French, I can imagine the environment they were put in originally for the press photos
and the way people were dressed. You know, we're anything to do with them. Some of
I mean, certainly, these ones is going, there's going to be quite a lot of sort of beaches and
and rocks and mountain bikes. Some of the others I can imagine there were
ladies in silver spandex and looking a little bit like the future space thing. Was that
that was Renault and that was the Renault that folded and that I, one of the first things I ever
wrote for the internet that was published by Michael Benowski in the original Weird Cars site. And I
now cannot remember the name of the concept car, but the one that folds. They've got shorted.
So yes, that's the one with that picture. That's annoying. I can't remember that now. There's
also the yes, the Renault traffic deck up. That is super cool. I really like that sort of.
I don't know. Yeah. Anyway, lots of fun stuff. So there's one, two, three, four, five, six,
slide shows plus a video embedded in this article. Fill your boots, people, because you will want to.
There are 99 slides in this 99 pictures plus the video. So there's a lot to flick through and see
in this one. This could almost have been a lunchtime read or a lunchtime flick through.
Yep. Right. Well, I think that just about does this for this week, doesn't it?
I do believe so. Excellent. It's been good to have you back.
Mr last to be back. Thank you, everybody, that sent messages in to ask if I was okay.
I just was not near an internet and I am struggling a lot of the time to be near an internet
with other things I've got on at the moment. And thank you to all those who also have reached out
personally and got in touch with me via various messaging services. It is appreciated.
Thank you very much for your concern. I am okay. Just a bit too busy.
Anyway, don't forget that between now and next week, folks, you can give us any feedback,
share your thoughts with the show at motoringpodcast.com on Blue Sky at motoringpodcast on Instagram
and Facebook and on the contact page of the www.motoringpodcast.com, the hub of all our activities.
I remember you can support us financially via Patreon and please leave a review and read
your Apple Podcasts YouTube or whoever your podcast app lets you do such a thing.
Andrew, in the meantime, if you are vaguely near an internet, what is the best way to get in touch with you?
The best way to get in touch is if you search for correct windscreen on Blue Sky
and also I am under my name, my full name in LinkedIn, don't think I'm ignoring you,
I just have not got the time to check it but I will get to it. So I am not being rude, I am just
busy. Alan, because you aren't rude, what's the best way for people to get in touch with you
personally? I am the nice one. To get in touch with you personally is best to use Blue Sky
at AJP Bradley. That's B-I-D-L-E-I dot B-Sky dot social. We'll be back very soon,
until then, I've been Alan Bradley. I've been Andrew Kloos and Safe Motoring.
About this episode
A lively discussion on recent UK motoring policies kicks off the episode, questioning whether policymakers truly understand the impact of their decisions on drivers. The hosts delve into the implications of ending the fuel duty freeze and introducing mileage levies for electric vehicles. They also critique the Motability scheme's exclusion of premium brands, highlighting the unfair stigma attached to disabled drivers. The episode wraps up with updates on new car news, including the affordable Dacia Jogger and the innovative Renault Trafic e-tech, showcasing advancements in electric vehicle technology.
Original notes
UK AUTUMN BUDGET ANNOUNCED
The UK Government finally announced the autumn Budget, after weeks of leaks and rumours. There was some motoring related aspects, most notable being from 2028 new electric and plug-in hybrid car drivers will have to pay-per-mile which is additional to previously announced measures. How this is to be run has yet to be decided, with a consultation being conducted in early 2026.
More money is being allocated the Electric Car Grant, increasing the pot by a further £1.3 billion.
Additionally, the luxury car tax will increase, only for EVs, to £50,000, following a lot of lobbying by industry.
Click this EV Powered article link here, to read more.
MOTABILITY FORCED TO REMOVE PREMIUM CARS FROM SCHEMEThanks to a dishonest and disgusting campaign, that attacked those with extra mobility needs, Motability has been forced to removed premium brand vehicles from their scheme before the Government caved to such abhorrent pressure and pushed to remove nice things from a segment of society. There are many reasons, both factual and moral, why this did not need to happen. Click this Autocar article link here, to read more.
NCAP TO REVISE ADAS TESTINGAs this show has stated many times, along with others in the automotive media, the current raft of ADAS safety systems are not fit for use on public roads. NCAP has announced they are revising the testing standards and procedures for them. After admitting they are not good enough, by the way they will now be tested, NCAP is finally doing something. To read more, click this Autocar article link here.
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA GETS BIG CHARGER BOOSTEV charging company Zest has been selected to install 3,000 public charging points across the city. This will be a mix of on-street chargers in lamp posts, as well as fast and rapid charging stations. If you want to read more, click this electrive article link here.
NORTH LINCOLNSHIRE GETS SOME NEW CHARGERSBeliev has been chosen to install up to 470 fast and rapid chargers across the region, over the coming years. Very limited details have been revealed, such as some of the charging stations will be fitted to some ‘key’ car parks. To learn more, click this electrive article link here.
GOVERNMENT DECIDES PHYSICS DOESN’T APPLY TO E-VANSThe UK Government, following hard lobbying by fleet operators who didn’t pay attention to details, is going to reclassify electric vans in a way that removes them from being classified as HGVs, even though they are overweight. One of the key elements of doing this will be not requiring a first year MOT. In the same week as it was shown that a quarter of all vans fail their first MOT. For more on the reclassification of e-vans, click this electrive article link here.
To learn about one aspect that makes this a very dumb idea, click this Motoring Research article link here.
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