In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, we hear why a Land Rover Defender pick-up is "technically possible" for Land Rover, Kia scales back its Kia Stinger sales targets, Volvo explains the thinking behind its year's worth of free electricity offer and more.
Land Rover's pick-up possibility
Land Rover says a pick-up version of the Defender is “technically possible” on its D7x platform but that such a model isn’t on its radar. The commercial pick-up truck market is very different to where the latest Defender is pitched and, unless such a vehicle were produced in much larger quantities and at lower prices than Land Rover plans, it could prove a distraction from the new Defender’s market.
Kia Stinger to be "absolute halo model"
Kia will reduce sales of its Stinger fastback to 500 this year, down by half from 2019. Due to its 3.3-litre petrol V6 (now the sole engine offered), this is necessary to negate the EU’s strict new emissions rules. Kia UK boss Paul Philpott said: “The Stinger will be an absolute halo model for us.”
Volvo's electric lesson
Volvo's offer to give away a year’s worth of free electricity to drivers of its plug-in hybrids is designed to show people how to get the best out of electrified cars, according to Olivier Loedel, the firm’s business manager of electrification. “We’re trying to encourage customers to drive more on electric power,” Loedel said. “We can demonstrate they can do a daily commute on pure electric, for example.”
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Gap in the market
There is a sales opportunity for a high quality double cab pick- up. Especially as VW are stopping production of the current Amarok and will not have a replacement for a couple of years. The Mercedes X Class failed because it was a thinly disguised Nissan. The Defender appears to have an extremely well sorted chassis and off road capability, so no reason for it not to succeed, if it can be produced at an obtainable price? Put a Truckman canopy on the back, and every country gent and farmer would want one!
Mercedes
A land rover pickup wouldnt be bought a lot as it is not what the defender has much of a history in and they would have to adapt the defender a lot, or even make a totally new model to compete with athestics and the high quality of the ranger, hilux, navara etc
Mercedes