Autocar confidential: Ferrari, Nissan, Hyundai, Toyota

This week's gossip from the automotive industry has news of Ferrari's thoughts on a five metre long model, a high-performance electric Hyundai, next-gen Nissan Juke's inspiration and Toyota could be ditching the diesel engine.

Future Ferrari plans

Ferrari has no plans ever to build a model more than five metres long. No previous Ferrari has been that long and the firm has no desire to change that in the future.

Indeed, it actively wants to reduce the footprint of its models with clever packaging that will increase interior space without the need to make the outside bigger. 

Read more: Ferrari LaFerrari to take 'Aperta' name, Ferrari GTC4 Lusso review and video

Electric high-performance Hyundai models

Hyundai could use electric technology in its future high-performance models from the N division sub-brand.

“We’re open to all avenues,” said Hyundai UK’s product planning manager, Mark Baxter.

“There’s no reason why we couldn’t encompass that technology with the driving dynamics of N, but I haven’t seen anything to confirm that at this stage.”

Read more: Hyundai Tucson long-term test review, 2017 Hyundai i30 to make debut at Paris motor show

Upcoming Nissan SUVs

Nissan's Gripz concept car, revealed at the Frankfurt motor show last autumn, will be used to inspire the next-generation Nissan Juke crossover, as well as a fully fledged Z-badged SUV.

The next Juke is expected to be previewed by a bold concept car later this year.

Read more: Nissan Juke review, Next-gen Nissan Leaf aims for 340-mile range 

Toyota to ditch diesels?

Toyota is considering phasing out diesel engines, especially with much stricter pollution monitoring on the horizon.

Karl Schlicht, executive vice-president of Toyota Europe, said that with the Toyota Yaris diesel model “taking up less than 10%” of the sales mix, it could be dropped in time.

Talking more widely about the future of diesel engines, Schlicht said: “I think that anyone looking at investing in a new diesel plant, which might have a lifespan of 10 to 15 years, will have to look long and hard at whether they would get payback.”

Read more: Toyota C-HR interior revealed, Hyundai to take on Toyota for Uber partnership