In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, Peugeot ponders the death of the coupé, Vietnam's car company Vinfast could rescue Holden, Volkswagen commits to manual gearboxes and more.
Geneva no longer a necessity for Bentley and Aston
Car company bosses have expressed that the 2021 Geneva motor show might not be needed to unveil new models, since makers held their own events after the cancellation of this year’s show. Bentley boss Adrian Hallmark said it could be “not absolutely necessary to attend” in future if feedback is positive and Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer has echoed that sentiment.
Why coupés are dying, according to Peugeot
Coupés and convertibles are dying off in mainstream brands’ line-ups because there simply isn’t the spare investment capital needed to develop them, according to Peugeot boss Jean-Philippe Imparato. Electric cars, 5G connectivity and autonomous cars are huge, sequential investments that will dominate resources for a decade or more. “I love these cars,” said Imparato, “but today there are three other topics first.”
Vinfast's Holden hold-on
Vietnam's only global car company, Vinfast, could rescue Holden workers and facilities after the Australian brand was killed by General Motors. Reports from the region claim Vinfast is setting up an engineering hub that is currently being staffed by a number of ex-Holden employees and is interested in Holden’s proving ground.
Add your comment