Avoid cliches. It’s the hack’s mission at this time of year. If you must rake over old ground, do it in a new way.
Only this year the rule isn’t relevant. Everything that happened in 2015 raises questions about 2016. Will VW recover? Will diesels stay out of favour? What will that mean for CO2 levels? How long will it take the EU to agree decent emissions standards? Are SUVs about to rule the world? Will electric car demand continue? Will TVR fulfil its potential? There’s so much to look forward to, we’ve no time to look back.
Still, here’s a whiff of what I did in 2015.
Gordon Murray’s ‘baby supercar’ lurks beneath this Yamaha-commissioned shape, unveiled recently in Tokyo as the Sports Ride concept. It’s ready-engineered for production, says Murray.
Problem for car hacks: you don’t drive your own car. Noticed this on our Berlingo the other day. Not proud.
VW chief Martin Winterkorn walked the plank, but I’m sorry he’s gone.
I knew Justin Wilson quite well. Every time I think of him, I miss him again.
Lancias are rare but still alive. Spotted this fine Beta Coupé in a street near work.
Interviewing Neville Jackson, Ricardo’s technology chief, was the highlight of our work on the rule-breaking Low Carbon Vehicles supplement.
Frankfurt Range Rover driver steers vehicle from iPhone. The future, they say.
Brooklands uses these healthy old bangers to give kids rides in the holidays. Works a treat.
Can’t work out why Smart isn’t making more of the Fortwo. My mother-in-law swapped her old one for new and is utterly delighted. Tricky transmission quirks are gone for good.
Daft fun: raced the leccy Renault Zoe at Prescott with Barry ‘Whizzo’ Williams. He beat me.
These blokes staged James Bond’s car chases in Spectre, then told us how they did it. The fully dressed Defender seemed amazingly dent-free.
We ran this magnificent Ferrari FF for six months and 8000 miles, proving to our own satisfaction that Maranello’s machinery can work in all conditions. Superb V12 was the major highlight.
And finally... Heartfelt thanks from us for your enduring support. Much of the media looks shakey these days, but Autocar stays hale and hearty because of you. Have a wonderful Christmas and a fulfilling New Year.
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@289
No idea - never met the man but even if I had, my argument isn't about whether these individuals are wonderful fellows. It is about whether it would be appropriate for certain members of the press to openly fawn over such an individual whilst that individual presides over his company's biggest-ever scandal, particularly while the conclusion of the matter is nowhere in sight. Who knows who and how affable they might seem in person is neither here nor there. It matters not one jot, especially given the scale of trouble the company now faces. By all means let's extoll their virtues, some day, if that is appropriate. But right now, it simply is not.
@289
That is not actually a compliment and, no, I have not seen too many WW2 films.
This, too, is complete supposition but for the assertion that "VW is his life" which is sad but nevertheless highly plausible. However, it in no way mitigates anything - people who become subsumed by a corporate identity are of the very worst stripe.
This is pure speculation driven by paranoia driven by simple prejudice against the other manufacturers. In the highly-unlikely event that it were true it would not prove anything positive about VW, only that everyone else is as bad as VW.
Now, I agree with this bit. All of it. And nor do I think there is anything wrong with this kind of consumer behaviour. Consumers get what they are given by an over-intrusive legislature which seldom acts in their interests.
That isn't my point. In any case, this is not something anyone needs to worry about as Steve appears to be doing a Sterling job. An all-too thorough job, in fact. Even today, another article appears with Steve broadly grinning next to some CEO. No point in reading it as you know what it's about. It has become a joke. The insinuation which some might make is that Steve simply enjoys the company of industry hot-shots far too much. But I am too polite to make such a claim.
So Autocar exists solely to butter up mighty multinationals such that they might purchase advertising which in turn keeps Autocar going. This would mean Autocar, as a functioning journalistic entity, is dead. I'm not sure anybody on the staff would agree with this.
@ Norma Smellons
I know the man, have a deep respect for what he stands for...and in fact wish there were more like him in business today. This most definitely is a compliment.
I am deeply sorry that he is mired in this. But that's not to say that I am merely fighting VWG's corner.
Quote "people who become subsumed by a corporate identity are of the very worst stripe". I would wholly disagree with that, having met and worked with many individuals of this type....just to throw you an example and having met him several times, would you say this is a fair summary of Sir Jony Ive at Apple?
You are quite correct when you say that in event that it were true that other OEM's were also falsifying results it would not prove anything positive about VW, only that everyone else is as bad as VW.....my point exactly. No one is suggesting that VWG can ever erase this event in their history. You are quite wrong in suggesting that I am "driven by paranoia driven by simple prejudice against the other manufacturers"
With regard to your final point about Autocars reliance on advertising revenues indicating that they are no longer a functioning journalistic entity, is a bit naïve...... and out of date. I cant think of any publications... Automotive especially who could survive without advertising revenues from print and website. Autocar doesn't exist to butter up mighty multinationals, but it does have to pay due respect. After all, it wouldn't exist without the industry.
Fancy That
Good to see that Martin Winterkorn can still rely on Autocar's full support. He'll need that, what with the incoming tsunami of litigation from a multitude of governments and irate TDI owners. Why oh why can't these people grasp - as Steve has - Herr Winterkorn's sheer loveliness? Or perhaps the real impact of the 2015 Emissions Scandal has passed Steve by? Whatever, there was a time when journalists would hold the mighty to account rather than act as their Apologist-In-Chief. This notion seems to have escaped Steve, too and there is not even a whiff of embarrassment over the ludicrous "awards" Autocar doled out to VW big-wigs, mere months before they were publicly disgraced. Everything is always rosy in Steve's world and, in fairness, this usually makes for a very pleasant read. But "real" journalism it is not.
@Norma Smellons
I too am very sorry to see Martin go...he was a gentleman, and I for one am quite sure he had no knowledge or responsibility for the emissions scandal. However, as a gentleman and head of the company, he felt that the buck stopped with him and tendered his resignation. A proper and mature attitude. Such a shame after surviving that excuse for a human being - 'Piech's' stab in the back. It's A pity some others don't have his morality ...MInisters in our government for example, who will twist and turn like an eel just to make sure that no shit sticks, or that they would have to give up their privileges.
Clearly you think Autocar should be able to see into the future too....re the Autocar awards!
I don't think anyone could have seen that coming, and the awards are still as relevant today as they were then....the cars are great, and Winterkorn is still an amazing industry heavyweight .
I could argue that just as you see Steves world as 'rosy'....yours could be seen as dark...very dark!
@289
@ Norma Smellons
However lets cover off some of your points.
If you would have ever met Martin Winterkorn, you would know that he is a very typical German gentleman 'of the old school'.
His life IS Volkswagen and he would be absolutely mortified to think that the company would have 'cheated' in this manner. The structure of VWG is such that he would never have known of this deception.
Volkswagen it can be said, is a very od fashioned 'rule by fear' type of organisation (Piech's doing), and in fairness arrogant with it (also Piech's doing). In VWG's bubble/world they are THE motor industry in Germany.
You are absolutely right that the EU CO2 rules are ludicrous, they are also unreachable within the time frame and available technology, and in the case of diesel...well you cant make a silk purse out of a sow's ear! Which is why I still believe that other Manufacturers are going to be implicated....it is noticeable that NOT ONE OEM has taken the opportunity to make capital out of VW's disgrace...nothing, complete silence! Why do you think that might be? 'There by the grace of good go we'? or 'people in glasshouses shouldn't throw stones'?
This hands off 'not putting the boot in while they are down reaction' is unheard of in the motor industry, normally all advertising would have been at the very least 'tongue in cheek' mocking of the brand within a couple of days of the shit hitting the fan.
I also disagree with your statement that Winterkorn delayed his departure. The issue hit the news on the 18th September (Friday). Winterkorn resigned on the 3rd working day after the event (23rd - Wednesday). If you understand the size of the company and the resulting speed of reaction....this is lightening fast. For what its worth I believe that Winterkorn would have been the best man to sort this out - if he could get rest back some control from the lawyers. Muller isn't the right man for this IMO.
Also remember that the first reaction would have been shock, followed by a paralysing of fear at the realisation of the potential ramifications of all this (potentially the end of VW and 650,000 jobs at risk?, followed by Lawyers putting a total shut down on any statements without clearance and re-wording by them, you will understand how this would slow down any reactions/statements of next steps from the group as each move/action would have to be thought through with an eye on potential legal ramifications like some bizarre game of chess.... inevitable in this litigious age in which we live.
I am sure that most 'indignant owners' are only 'indignant' because they scent the opportunity for some compensation! ( PPI anyone?). Very few buyers are really motivated by 'green' issues...only generally being interested in running costs. This is known by monitoring buyer behaviour on-line. Lets face it, no one in their right mind would buy a diesel to 'clean up our air quality', they only buy them because they get more precious miles out of greedy tax encrusted fuel costs per litre.
Finally, one has to remember where Autocar/Haymarket gets its revenues from...not from you and I arguing on this forum, that's for sure:), It comes from advertising mainly by the manufacturers....so you might forgive them 'fawning' as you put it over the movers and shakers of the industry....also hard as you might find this to believe Norma, some of these industry heavyweights actually deserve the attention and recognition. This is a tough business where a competitive edge is hard to find and should be lauded.
I would also opine that if VW make it through this calamity intact, Autocar may well be looking for some ad spend from VW Group, who will likely have a long memory of those who kicked them while they were down! To some this will smack of blackmail, to others its just business!