Autocar September 21, 2022

WITH PEUGEOT’S announcement of the e-308 SW (p11), we’re being treated to an electric estate car that, like the MG 5 SW EV before it, breaks the SUV-monobox mould. To a certain extent, we only have ourselves to blame for the car market’s ever-decreasing diversity. It’s a commercial world out there, so the more vehicles we all buy of a particular type, the more the car manufacturers will respond in kind. Even a firm as vast and profitable as Mercedes-Benz isn’t immune to the winds of capitalism. Markus Schäfer, its chief technology officer, has called the estate car “a niche”, with only a few markets left where they’re still viable. To those of us who were lucky enough to grow up riding around in the backwards-facing seats of a 300TE, that’s some…

Dacia has previewed a series of new features that it hopes to offer on its future models on a bold new concept car that is set to star at next month’s Paris motor show. The Manifesto concept is a rugged off-road buggy, similar in size and style to the Ariel Nomad. While the two-seater doesn’t directly preview any future production model, it is a statement of intent in terms of how the Renaultowned budget brand sees itself evolving, as well as a technological showcase in what Dacia calls a “lab for ideas” – hence the name. Dacia design director David Durand said the new concept is a “super-compact open-air vehicle blended in with nature”, adding: “It’s a great way to brainstorm ideas without the pressure of production.” The concept’s arrival coincides with that…

Away from the bright lights of Pebble Beach and Knightsbridge, a revolution is bubbling away, fuelled by a preoccupation with affordability and real-world utility. Because over here in the real world, load capacity and ease of maintenance are far more commonly considered by the average car buyer than sexier attributes like 0-62mph times and torque vectoring. And there’s nothing like a global economic meltdown to bring to the fore exactly what a consumer needs. Doesn’t Dacia know it? With this latest concept, it provides a welcome sign that car bosses do listen to customers, and that today’s economic climate could foster a renaissance of the simple, cheap car. Thankfully, it’s not the only brand with this mindset: Skoda, MG and Toyota have each proven of late that cheap can be very cheerful…

DACIA BELIEVES IT is on the cusp of becoming one of the most relevant and popular car makers in Europe, as buyers switch towards seeking greater value for money amid the ongoing cost of living crisis. To that end, the firm has launched a new brand strategy hot on the heels of a new styling direction and a new logo earlier this year. It centres on three mantras: making cars that are ‘essential but cool’, ‘robust and outdoor’ and ‘eco-smart’. While perhaps rooted in marketing speak, the overall theme of the new strategy is clear: to ensure Dacia focuses on making cars that are offered only with the equipment they need and no more, which in turn keeps down prices and ensures outstanding value for money. “We’re in a new economic environment,” said…

What’s the main message that we should take from this new brand mission? “The big message is that the world is changing. We don’t change, but the world is changing. Fifteen years ago, we were known as low-cost, for poorer people who could not afford more. People would say: ‘[Dacia] is not for me, as it’s from eastern Europe.’ With time, we’ve proven that we’re reliable and the cars are working well. People renew with Dacia 60% of the time and keep the cars a long time.” What’s Dacia’s key point of difference? “We do cars simply and in a modern manner, with 3000 engineers working on the right content. However, weight is at the heart of what we do. This drives fuel consumption and now CO2 emissions. Our Jogger is 1250kg but…

Ford has unwrapped its new seventh-generation Ford Mustang, which could be the final model in the icon’s 58-year history. Launched at a huge outdoor event following the opening of the reborn Detroit motor show, the Mustang will hit the UK next year. Featuring a bolder take on the classic Ford model’s look, the new 2023 Mustang remains on the previous generation’s S550 platform – rather than being based on Ford’s latest CD6 architecture, which underpins the current US-spec Ford Explorer. That means the new Mustang, codenamed S650, is more of a comprehensive reskin of the current model and will miss out on not only the long-rumoured electrified powertrains but also the US car brand’s next-generation autonomous driving aids. Both the 2.3-litre twinscroll turbocharged Ecoboost four-cylinder and 5.0-litre ‘Coyote’ V8 petrol engines are carried…