Currently reading: Autocar confidential: BMW's 911 rival, Mazda's upmarket ambition 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 chat hydrogen with Volvo, talk EQ design goals with Mercedes, get the lowdown on Mazda's upmarket aspirations and more.

Too early for hydrogen for Volvo

Volvo boss Hakan Samuelsson has said the firm is studying hydrogen fuel cell technology but it is “not something we believe in today”, focusing instead on battery-electric vehicles. “We need to prioritise,” he said. “And if you look at solar, wind and water energy [as electric power sources], the efficiency is much higher with battery EVs than fuel cell.”

BMW's 911 rival...?

BMW Group design boss Adrian van Hooydonk likes the rumours that the firm may design a sports car to compete with the Porsche 911, using the 6 Series moniker. “It’s a nice idea. Maybe we should work on that!” he told Autocar. But such a statement is a long way from a confirmation…

1 Porsche 911 2019 rt hero front 0

Mercedes' EQ redo

Mercedes must create new design forms for its electric EQ models because most buyers will be new to the brand, according to design director Gorden Wagener. “The key for EQ cars is to develop cleanliness for a technical, digital look,” he said. “It is quite free-form but still very sexy. The majority of buyers will not be Mercedes-Benz S-Class customers making the switch but people who are entirely new to the brand. They have different expectations.”

Merceqs

Back to top

Mazda's premium ambition

Mazda intends to further improve the quality of its models as it bids to become a more premium car maker. Brand boss Ikuo Maeda said: “The quality of the vehicle, including drivability, needs to be pushed. Premium does not mean creating expensive, extravagant cars, but rather high-quality vehicles. And it means developing a car that only Mazda can build.”

Con mazda badge 0

READ MORE

Mercedes downplays 75% AMG range restriction claims

Mazda RX-9 hopes boosted by new rotary-engine technology

Mazda ponders MX-5's future

Join the debate

Comments
4
Add a comment…
WallMeerkat 21 January 2020

Mazda make some great looking

Mazda make some great looking understated classy saloon cars (3 and 6)

 

Sometimes think of them as the Japanese Alfa Romeo (a shame the Italian MX5 became a short lived Fiat)

rmcondo 21 January 2020

They might even rename Mazda,

They might even rename Mazda, Xedos

si73 21 January 2020

I used to like the xedos 6, a

I used to like the xedos 6, a great looking car, I thought.
Pietro Cavolonero 23 January 2020

IIRC

Read somewhere that they where cast-offs from Jaguar design studies, a mate had a 6, nice car.

Mazda's tilt at Lexus, Acura & Infiniti