Autocar confidential: Volkswagen, Honda, Kia, AC

This week's gossip from the automotive industry has news of Kia's ready to roll attitude, Volkswagen's hopes for its ID concept, Honda's sales figures and future AC models.

Kia ready to 'adjust and react' to changing power sources

Kia is backing a wide range of alternative propulsions for its future models, because it doesn’t think a single power source will dominate. “There’s not one technology as a cure for all. Each has a part to play and we’re ready to react,” said Michael Cole, Kia Europe’s chief operating offi cer. “There needs to be an acceptability from the market as well, so all technologies are being worked on. We can adjust and react.”

Read more: Kia Carens facelift revealed, Kia Niro review

Volkswagen seeks public reaction for its ID concept

Volkswagen has revealed its electric ID model four years ahead of its showroom debut to “get feedback from around the world”, according to electric car project boss Christian Zenger. He said the brand would look at expectations of bodystyles in markets such as China and the US, which are tipped to account for 60% and 15% of electric car sales respectively.

Read more: British government could sue Volkswagen group, Is the Volkswagen ID a game-changer?

"Honda is Honda Civic"

Honda is on course to hit 160,000 sales in Europe this year, according to its Europe boss, Katsushi Inoue, with a longer-term target of 200,000 units, largely helped by the new Civic. “This is the car which will take us to 200,000 sales and beyond. For me, Honda is Civic,” he said.

Read more: Honda Civic Type R previewed at Paris motor show, 2017 Honda CR-V revealed in America

AC could build other models than the Cobra

AC boss Alan Lubinsky, who recently announced a ‘legacy series’ of nine Mk1 AC Cobras, believes the day may come when his company will build models other than Cobras. New US laws allowing small companies to put models launched more than 25 years ago back into production could open the way for ‘continuation’ AC Aceca and AC 428 models. 

Read more: Nine new AC Cobras to be built to exact 1962 specification