December 19, 2024
According to Japan’s Nikkei business newspaper, Honda Motor Co. and Nissan Motor Co. are preparing to start negotiations on a possible merger, which could ultimately be expanded to include Mitsubishi Motors Co. The talks have been encouraged because the Taiwanese electronics giant Foxconn has also shown some interest in becoming Nissan’s main shareholder. Such a […]
December 03, 2024
On Sunday, the multinational automotive group Stellantis said that its chief executive officer, Carlos Tavares, has resigned, forcing the company to expedite its leadership transition amid a turbulent market environment. Stellantis Group, like other European players, is severely suffering from the dire market conditions in the automotive industry. Not so long ago, CEO Carlos Tavares […]
June 18, 2024
The writing on the wall said that a miracle was needed to save Danish designer Henrik Fisker’s American-based electric car start-up. According to Reuters, talks on new investments with a non-disclosed ‘major car manufacturer’ finally failed, and Fisker Group officially filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in Delaware on June 17. Things had been looking bleak […]
June 06, 2024
Ford’s European top executive, Martin Sander, is moving back to the Volkswagen Group, his former employer. The German car manufacturer announced that he will now oversee sales, marketing, and aftersales for the Volkswagen brand. Sander (57) moved from Audi to Ford in June 2022 as head of the US company’s Model E passenger car division […]
May 30, 2024
Febiac, the federation for the Automobile and Two-wheeler sector in the Belux, has announced that the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) will again take place next year. The show will not occur in January, as usual, but from Friday 14 till Sunday 23 February. After a year of absence, the board of Febiac, regrouping most automakers […]
April 11, 2024
On Wednesday evening, two days after Van Hool had been declared bankrupt by the Court in Mechelen, the curators finally chose the initial bids of VDL (for the bus section) and Schmitz Cargobull (for the trailer section). The curators thoroughly investigated the bids of the Dutch VDL Group and the South African GRW company (a […]
March 18, 2024
In a few days, BMW will show the concept of its first SUV variant of the ‘Neue Klasse’, called Vision Neue Klasse X. Rumors have it that this iX3 successor will be the first car of BMW’s new EV class range to appear on the market by the end of next year, before the sedan […]
February 26, 2024
The new Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric has been proclaimed the Car of the Year 2024 in a ceremony that took place at the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS). The Renault Scenic E-Tech has achieved first place thanks to 329 points from 58 journalists and COTY members. For 22 jurors, this SUV was the best of […]
November 10, 2023
The Rimac Nevera never stops breaking barriers and world records. After beating 24 records, the electric supercar has become the fastest car to drive…in reverse. On a test track in Germany, it went at 275,74 km/hour backward, thus breaking the official Guinness World Record. Rimac isn’t like any other carmaker. Not only did it manage […]
October 30, 2023
The Innoptus Solar Team of the Belgian University of Louvain has won the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge for the second time. On top of that, the team also won the innovation award for the rotating fin on the top of the solar vehicle. The ‘Infinite’ three-wheeler accomplished the race from Darwin to Adelaide in Australia […]
June 14, 2023
402 Automotive, a Dutch organizer of car shows and events, seems to want to fill the gap the cancellation of the Brussels Motor Show 2024 organized by sector federation Febiac has left. The Dutch event specialist wants to replace the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) with an ‘innovative car show’ with a lot of attention to […]
May 30, 2023
In a short press release, Febiac, the car and two-wheeler importers federation for Belgium and Luxembourg, and the Brussels Motor Show (BMS) organizer, states that its board has decided to cancel the January 2024 edition of the show. “The aim of Febiac is always to deliver a qualitative and representative experience to visitors,” says the […]
June 09, 2022
Dr. Alexander W. Wehr is moving to Belgium to become President and CEO of BMW Group Belux. He will succeed Eddy Haesendonck, who decided to leave the BMW Group. Stefan Reiff succeeds Wehr as Vice President of Customer, Brand, and Sales at BMW Motorrad. “Due to his extensive international sales expertise, Alexander Wehr is ideally […]
March 28, 2022
South Korean carmaker SsangYong Motor, still in survival mode, is ditching fellow-countryman Edison, that was prepared to take over the company but didn’t manage to find the money needed by March 25th. SsangYong believes it’s now in a far stronger position than when the take-over by Edison was decided and is looking for a new […]
March 22, 2022
On Tuesday, Tesla’s brand-new German gigafactory officially opened in Grünheide in the rural state of Brandenburg, near Berlin. Something Elon Musk didn’t want to miss, as he was welcoming Chancellor Olaf Scholz at the site, along with Economy Minister Robert Habeck and Brandenburg state Premier Dietmar Woidke. Musk himself handed over the first thirty Germany-produced […]
January 06, 2022
Two of Europe’s biggest leasing companies have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for ALD to acquire Dutch Leaseplan for €4,2 billion by the end of 2022. Both parties have been talking with each other since October. Combining both fleets, the companies that will operate under the name of ‘NewALD’ will manage 3,42 million leased […]
December 24, 2021
On Thursday morning, it showed out the Belgian federal government bit the bullet: all seven nuclear reactors are closing down in 2025, including the two youngest, Doel 4 and Tihange 3. But depending on how you read the ‘agreement’, there is still a tiny chance the latter will be needed nevertheless. A new study by […]
December 09, 2021
In an interview with media Automotive News, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson confirmed that the brand will be fully electric by 2030. However, the boss draws the line to Europe, as Peugeot’s line-up for international customers will still feature internal-combustion engines (ICE). The French brand will follow its Stellantis stablemates DS, Lancia, Alfa Romeo, and Opel […]
December 06, 2021
The new Mazda 2 Hybrid, on sale in Europe from spring 2022, brings self-charging, full hybrid powertrain technology to the Mazda model range for the first time. The manufacturer got a serious helping hand from big brother Toyota for this introduction. In fact, the drivetrain is the same as the one in the Toyota Yaris […]
November 25, 2021
Nissan Belgium is withdrawing from the Brussels Motor Show (BMS), scheduled from 14 till 23 January 2022. In a short statement on Wednesday, Nissan said it acknowledges the organizer Febiac’s efforts to limit the risks of Covid-19 during the show but decided nevertheless to cancel its participation to minimize the risk for its employees, suppliers, […]
November 02, 2021
In its frantic search to have something to show at the COP26 climate gathering in Glasgow, the Flemish government is thinking of an obligation to buy electric cars by 2027. Second-hand ICE cars would then be forbidden to be sold by 2030. Inside the Flemish government, there is an ongoing search to see what trophies […]
October 08, 2021
On Thursday, organizers of the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) have announced the ultimate cancelation of the 2022 edition after first trying to set up a limited edition. Difficulties in the European automotive sector, primarily the microchip shortage and the restrictions due to the pandemic, are quoted as the main reasons. After the pandemic and […]
September 17, 2021
The Brussels Motor Show (BMS) in January 2022 will take place. VW Group importer D’Ieteren is still dropping out, but the Stellantis group has decided to participate. Organizer Febiac hast just announced that there will be a 2022 edition. For a while now, motor shows have been having problems seeing everyone on their exhibit platforms. […]
August 31, 2021
The world is out of leaded gasoline at long last as Algeria emptied the last barrels a month ago. This is what reports the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP), which has been campaigning for the end of the deadly additive for nearly two decades. According to the agency, this major step will prevent more than […]
August 27, 2021
Joost Kaesemans, former Pubic Relations Director at automobile federation FEBIAC, is joining mobility organization Touring in the same role, starting on September 1st. According to the Touring press release, Kaesemans will take responsibility as Public Relations and Public Policy Director. Kaesemans will head the communication department of Touring, taking over the public policy tasks of […]
July 14, 2021
On Wednesday afternoon, the EU Commission presented the much anticipated – and feared – ‘Fit for 55’ package of 12 climate laws to make the target of 55% CO2 reduction by 2030 agreed by the member states a reality. So far, the world’s most ambitious plan will ultimately lead to carbon neutrality by 2050 if […]
June 23, 2021
The electric fever keeps rising at a steep curve. CEO of Daimler, Ola Källenius, is pressing his board room. According to several sources, he wants to make a stronger mark on the transition toward an electric fleet. Previous plans for turning the company all-electric by 2039 need to be outpaced, presumably by five to six […]
April 19, 2021
In Shanghai, Toyota has presented its bZ4X Concept, an unpronounceable name for the next generation of battery-electric cars, it wants to roll out up to 2025 with the ‘beyond zero’ (bZ) label. By then, Toyota plans to launch 15 battery-electric vehicles, of which seven of the ‘bZ family’. The bZ4X will be built on the […]
April 12, 2021
Today, French carmaker Citroën, a member of the Stellantis Group, presents its new flagship, the C5 X. It’s a crossover concept, combining elements of a sedan, a break, and an SUV. “With his innovative styling combining the elegance of a sedan, the dynamics of a break, and the robust look of an SUV, the C5 […]
April 09, 2021
Early this year, Belgian energy regulator VREG announced that energy suppliers would start offering dynamic electricity contracts. The first to jump on the bandwagon was Yosu, which offers the formula for small businesses. Engie is now following suit. Their Dynamic contract is also available for private individuals, but only in Flanders. Engie says the new […]
April 01, 2021
The marketing stunt of the German VW Group is turning against her. On Tuesday, Volkswagen of America leaked a marketing message: the company will rename itself into Voltswagen of America. It was fake news. Afterward, the message has been denied, qualified as an April Fool’s joke, and reconfirmed as a deliberate strategy. After Dieselgate, VW […]
March 31, 2021
Lexus shifts one gear higher in its strategy for electric cars. With the UX300e, the Japanese luxury brand already has one electric model up its sleeves, but the concept LFZ is a whole different animal. It’s a 4,88-meter-long cross-over, with a far-reaching styling that discerns itself from the UX since it has been built around […]
March 17, 2021
At the BMW Group’s annual conference, CEO Oliver Zipse started his keynote speech with his view from a long-term perspective, assembled in five beliefs. At the same time, the production version of the i4 has been revealed. “At BMW, our decisions are based on a long-term perspective,” said Zipse. “That makes anticipating how the world […]
March 15, 2021
On Monday, Kia disclosed its first fully electric car EV6’s design details, designed as such on the new E-GMP platform. It’s a milestone for the South Korean carmaker’s future models, featuring a new sleek design for the brand’s future. And one has to admit it’s quite appealing. Although technical details are yet to be unveiled […]
March 09, 2021
Korean car manufacturer Kia has released a teaser video, announcing the EV6, the first of the next generation of electric cars from the company. The EV6 will be built on the new dedicated Electric-Global Modular Platform (E-GMP) it shares with Hyundai’s Ioniq 5. The teaser images show a sleek 4-door crossover, incorporating the Imagin Concept’s […]
