Ford to close its British Bridgend plant
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Ford to close its British Bridgend plant
- Ford has confirmed the upcoming closure of its British engine plant in Bridgend, Wales. The site, which has been in operation for 40 years, will close at the beginning of 2020. Even if the context is impacted by the uncertainties related to Brexit, the manufacturer had already decided to reduce its exposure in Europe, and is experiencing a steady decline in activity at the Bridgend site. As sales of Ford vehicles have been falling steadily on the European continent over the past 20 years, the production of engines for Ford models has logically followed the same trend.
- While the Bridgend plant manufactured 420,000 engines in 2005, it manufactured only 265,000 in 2010, 240,000 in 2015 and 200,000 in 2018. The pace will slow further in 2019.
- Indeed, the production of a petrol engine for the Jaguar and Land Rover brands is due to stop at the end of 2018, as is the production of an older generation 1.5-litre Ford petrol engine.
- The Bridgend site was one of four Ford engine production plants still operating in Europe, along with those in Koln (Germany), Craiova (Romania) and Inonu (Turkey). The Koln site (Cologne) produces engines mainly for Fiesta and Focus, but also for models manufactured in Spain (Mondeo, Galaxy, S-Max, Kuga, Transit Connect), several of which will disappear in 2020. The Romanian plant produces engines mainly for Ecosport and the one located in Turkey for locally manufactured light commercial vehicles (Transit, Transit Courier, Transit Custom).
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New entrants into the B-segment SUV market
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New entrants into the B-segment SUV market
- The B-segment SUV market is expanding rapidly. There were 1.72 million units sold in Europe (29 countries) in 2018, compared to 1.30 million in 2017, 1.0 million in 2015 and only 200,000 in 2010. Inovev expects the B-segment SUV market to exceed the C-segment SUV market in Europe for the first time in 2020.
- This market, which is eating into that of both B-segment sedans and C-segment SUVs, will have a number of new entrants in the coming months. Some will be renewed models, others completely new models.
- First, among the renewed models, we can mention the 2008 Peugeot, Renault Captur, Opel Mokka and Nissan Juke, which will replace models that were the first to occupy this market segment in the early 2010s.
- Among the completely new B-segment SUVs that will be launched in the coming months are the Skoda Kamiq, Ford Puma and Toyota (the name is not yet known ) SUVs. We can also mention the DS 3 Crossback, which began selling a few weeks ago, and the VW T-Cross, which began selling a few months ago.
- It is also interesting to note that electrification is gradually spreading on these models, since the DS 3 Crossback, Peugeot 2008, Opel Mokka, Hyundai Kona are, or will be, available in a 100% electric version.
- However, in 2018, B-segment SUVs still sold 69% in gasoline and 29% in diesel versions. Only 2% were sold in electric version.
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 new Renault Zoé per year
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Inovev forecasts 50,000 new Renault Zoé per year
- At the same time as the PSA Group announced that at the end of this year it will have four new 100% electric (BEV) models - Citroën DS 3 Crossback E-Tense, Peugeot e-208, Peugeot e-2008, Opel e-Corsa - its competitor Renault unveiled the new generation of its only 100% electric sedan, the Zoé (segment B).
- This second generation of the Zoe is very similar to the first, but the front end and hood have been modified. It is therefore more a major restyling than a complete renewal. It is a pity that Renault has not completely renewed this model, which dates back to 2012. It is also regrettable that Renault, after having gained a considerable lead over its competitors in the early 2010's in terms of electric engines, did not take the opportunity to develop a range of BEVs, by launching, for example, two or three different models in the A, B and C segments. Today, Volkswagen has invested heavily in electric powertrains and is preparing to launch many different models (sedans and SUVs) in the A, B and C segments. It is true that until 2018, the Renault Zoé remained the best-selling 100% electric car in Europe, ahead of the Nissan Leaf, but the situation should change completely in the coming years.
- The new Renault Zoé is equipped with a more powerful electric motor that allows a maximum range of 390km according to the WLTP cycle, 90km more than the previous model. Zoé will continue to be manufactured at the Flins site in France, at a rate of 50,000 per year, according to Inovev.
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Inovev forecasts 200,000 new Peugeot 2008 per year
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Inovev forecasts 200,000 new Peugeot 2008 per year
- The PSA group, which recently unveiled its new generations of B-segment sedans, Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, has just presented the new generation of the 2008 Peugeot, which remains the SUV variant of the 208 but this time has bodywork clearly inspired by the second generation of the Peugeot 3008, so that the new 2008 has nothing to do with the old one. This style choice was encouraged by the success of the second generation 3008, with more than 250,000 units sold worldwide in 2018, while the first generation 3008 never exceeded 140,000 sales per year.
- The new 2008 Peugeot, which is built on the CMP platform of the recent Peugeot 208, Opel Corsa and DS 3 Crossback, is 15cm longer than the first generation, at 4.30m. It is equipped with the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa engines, namely the 3-cylinder 1.2 l petrol engine (100 hp, 130 hp and 155 hp), the 4-cylinder 1.5 l diesel engine (100 hp and 130 hp) and the 100 kW (136 hp) 100% electric engine. According to the manufacturer, the battery used allows a range of 310 km, measured on the WLTP cycle.
- The new 2008 Peugeot will be produced at the Vigo site in Spain, alongside the Citroën Berlingo, Peugeot Partner, Opel Combo and Toyota ProAce City, which use the same CMP platform, and no longer at the Mulhouse site in France. It will also be produced in Brazil, China and Iran. In total, the new 2008 should reach 200,000 sales per year. Its main rivals will be the Renault Captur, Citroën C3 Aircross, Opel Crossland, Ford Puma, Fiat 500X, VW T-Roc, Hyundai Kona and Kia Stonic.
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The VW Polo may no longer be in the European top 5
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The VW Polo may no longer be in the European top 5
- The Volkswagen group has indicated that it wishes to produce as many Polos as T-Cross at the Spanish site in Pamplona, which means that an average of 175,000 T-Cross and 175,000 Polos could be produced each year in a plant with a maximum production capacity of 350,000 vehicles per year.
- However, the VW Polo sold in Europe is only manufactured in Spain, at the Pamplona site. With a volume of 175,000 VW Polo produced each year in Spain and sold on the European market, this model would no longer appear in the European top 5, as it has done for about ten years now (the Polo was N°3 in 2016, 2017 and 2018).
- The diversification of models puts Volkswagen at risk: indeed , if we look at the Fiat Punto for instance , it was once among the best-selling cars in Europe, and it has gradually disappeared from the market.
- A quantity of 175,000 units sold per year would allow the Polo (and T-Cross) to be around 15th place at best, but rather around 18th place according to Inovev.
- It is true that SUVs account for more than a third of the European market overall, and tend to take customers from sedans, but setting an identical production quota for Polo and T-Cross at the Pamplona site seems a miscalculation. However, there is another possibility: that Volkswagen will find another production site for the Polo. Because it seems doubtful that Polo's sales will suddenly dip from 300,000 units to 175,000 per year.
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Read more... The VW Polo may no longer be in the European top 5
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