Currently reading: Autocar confidential: Onwards and (e-)upwards for VW EVs, Mercedes' green dream and more

Our reporters empty their notebooks to round up a week in gossip from across the automotive industry

In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, we talk EV sales targets with Volkswagen, chat next-gen redesigns with Volvo, get the lowdown on Mercedes' new sustainability focus and more.

(e-)up, up and away for VW EVs

Volkswagen's ambitious plan is to sell 100,000 EVs worldwide this year. “We want to leverage all facets of EV – Volkswagen e-up, Volkswagen e-Golf and ID 3,” said sales boss Jürgen Stackmann. As a result, he said, VW will avoid the industry fines for failing to meet the stricter emissions regulations due later this year. He said: “We will be compliant. The mission is to go beyond compliancy. We will not pay any fines. ”

Volvo's design realign

The next generation of Volvos will take on a more distinctive design than the new XC40 Recharge as the company moves to a fully electrified line-up, according to the firm’s design chief, Robin Page. “At the moment, the XC40 has to be combustion engined and electric so, like most brands, we’re in a transitional phase,” he said.

Image from ios 53

No RS treatment for Audi A1, says Audi Sport

Audi Sport won't make an RS1 version of the A1 supermini. Joint managing director Julius Seebach said the five-cylinder engine used in the current entry-level Audi Sport model, the Audi RS3, is “our heritage” and will remain the entry point into the brand, so it won’t develop four-cylinder-powered cars, as would be needed to make an RS1.

1 Audi a1 s line 2019 rt hero front 1

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Car review

The Volkswagen e-Up is a typically polished (if slightly uninspiring) effort, and kick-starts competition in the small electric car category

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Mercedes' green dream

Mercedes must demonstrate to customers that it is a sustainable modern luxury brand if it is to thrive, according to CEO Ola Källenius. “The concept of building beautiful machines is no longer enough,” he said. “They must be sustainable, not just in terms of emissions on the road but also in terms of their manufacturing.”

C class rt 2014q 1

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