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Small cars

Dacia Hipster: Compact Electric Car Concept for City Living

by Priya Shah – Business Editor October 6, 2025

written by Priya Shah – Business Editor

Dacia ⁤Unveils ‍Hipster Concept: A 3-Meter Microcar Challenging Conventional Automotive Trends

Dacia has revealed the Hipster concept, a⁤ radically minimalist electric ⁢vehicle measuring just three meters in length – roughly the size of a Smart car or‍ a washing machine. ⁢The vehicle ⁢prioritizes affordability and⁣ sustainability, utilizing modular ⁢design and smartphone integration, signaling a potential shift in urban mobility.

The Hipster arrives as new car prices ⁣have surged 77% in⁣ the last 14 years,⁣ impacting consumer purchasing power, particularly as demand for⁢ low-emission vehicles rises. Dacia’s concept addresses this by ⁢focusing on ⁣essential functionality, catering to the reality that most drivers travel less than 40 kilometers daily at‍ an average speed of 56 kilometers per hour, frequently enough alone.The⁣ vehicle’s future⁣ remains uncertain as ⁢designers explore regulatory ⁣hurdles, but it foreshadows a potential direction for‍ the‌ brand beyond ⁣the current Spring model.

The Hipster features ‌a‌ highly ⁣adaptable interior with a “Youclip” accessory system – already used in the‌ Duster and Bigster – allowing for customizable additions like spotlights, fans, or speakers. Instead of a traditional infotainment system,the car relies on ‍smartphone integration for navigation,unlocking,and starting. Its design ⁣echoes the Citroën Ami,⁢ but‌ Dacia‍ emphasizes a significantly lower price⁢ point is ⁢a key goal.

Dacia plans to shift production of ⁣the next-generation ⁢Spring, intended to be a small crossover,‍ from China to Europe, likely⁣ Turkey. The Hipster concept, while not a direct preview of the new Spring, demonstrates ‍Dacia’s commitment to exploring⁤ affordable and enduring mobility ‍solutions.

October 6, 2025 0 comments

Business

Small Cars: New Rules for Your Wallet

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com May 7, 2025

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

European Automakers Push for Relaxed Regulations on Small Cars

European automotive giants Stellantis and Renault are advocating for adjusted, less stringent regulations on small cars, a move they say could substantially reduce prices and safeguard the future of compact vehicle production in Europe. This push could benefit not only these major players but also popular models like the Skoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo.

The Regulatory Landscape

Currently, European emission standards apply uniformly to all passenger cars, irrespective of size or level of electrification. This one-size-fits-all approach, covering both pollutant emissions and CO₂ levels, disproportionately impacts smaller, more affordable vehicles. While all new car prices are rising due to these regulations, the effect varies. Larger cars face penalties for exceeding fleet emission limits, while smaller cars require expensive exhaust cleaning technologies to comply.

Did you know? the cost of complying with emissions regulations can add thousands of euros to the price of a new car, making smaller, budget-pleasant models less attractive to consumers.

The Call for Change

Renault Group and Stellantis Group, as reported by the French newspaper Le Figaro, argue that regulations should differentiate between small and large cars.They propose that the European Union should offer regulatory advantages to small cars, as the declining profitability in this segment threatens production and could lead to factory closures.

What we want are different regulations for small cars. Too rules are developed for larger and more expensive cars,which means we can’t build smaller cars with acceptable profitability.
Lucu de Mea, head of the Renault group

Geopolitical Implications

The effort to change these regulations is expected to be spearheaded by Italy, France, and Spain, where small car sales are most prevalent. Renault and Stellantis, holding a combined 30% of the market share, heavily invest in the progress, production, and sale of small cars to European customers. In contrast, German brands often prioritize exports.

Criticism of Current Regulations

The current regulatory framework has faced criticism for favoring larger, export-oriented manufacturers. According to industry leaders, these rules have made European cars more complex, heavier, and expensive, pricing many consumers out of the market.

Europe is vital to them, but their priority is export. Over the past 20 years it has been their logic that dictated regulation. As a result, European rules make our cars more complex, heavier and more expensive, and most people cannot afford them.
de Meo

The Stakes

John Elkann, temporary boss of Stellantis, described European new car sales as being at disastrous levels and emphasized the strategic importance of specific regulations for small cars. He warned of potential unpleasant decisions within the next three years if the current trajectory remains unchanged.

Pro Tip: Keep an eye on upcoming EU policy changes. These adjustments could significantly impact the availability and affordability of small cars in the European market.

Wider Impact

The Renault Group, which includes Dacia, specializes in producing affordable vehicles. Stellantis also boasts strong brands in this segment, such as Peugeot, Citroën, lancia, and Fiat. reducing the sale price of small cars would benefit not only these brands but also models like the Czech Škoda Fabia and Volkswagen Polo.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are automakers pushing for different regulations for small cars?

Current regulations make small cars less profitable and more expensive to produce, threatening their future availability.

Who would benefit from these changes?

Automakers like Stellantis and Renault, and also consumers looking for affordable vehicles.

what could happen if the regulations don’t change?

Production of small cars may decrease, leading to factory closures and fewer affordable options for consumers.

May 7, 2025 0 comments

Business

The Legendary Škoda Fabia: Choosing the Right One After 20 Years on the Market

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 7, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

After more than twenty years on the market, we can talk about the Škoda Fabia as a legend. There are bazaars full of them, but which one is the right one?

Generation I (1999–2008): … and suddenly rup!

We have written many times that the first generation Skoda Fabia is one of the best quality cars ever made. On the other hand, it is already so old today that surprising and often dangerous defects occur.

As Czechs, we have experienced falling wheels with cars on a mass scale three times. For the first time with the 742 series, popularly known as the 120s from 1976 to 1990. The economical design of the rear axle, where the drive shaft (half axle) also directly held the wheel by a combination of friction (cone) and shaped (wedge) connection, was difficult for mechanics to understand and maintain. And so when these cars came of age, their rear wheels fell off massively.

And now the front

The second time was when, after the coup, the most successful of us from the West imported used Mercedes W 201 and 124. While the design of the 1920s was quite adequate for the fatal flaw, here it was not only neglected, but simply completely lacking in maintenance. The Czech car mechanic was not yet well acquainted with the issue of encapsulated ball studs (cars in the RVHP used to be vertical) and certainly not with the specific design of the Mercedes axle, where the spring is outside the shock absorber and acts directly on the arm, so that when the wheel is lightened, the stud is strained by tension. He wouldn’t really need to know anything at all if once a year he went through the undercarriage with a spudger and revealed the play that was there long before the wheel finally fell off.

For twenty years she gnawed…

For the third time, cars with a tilted wheel propped up in the wheel arch began to appear on Czech roads five years ago. These are the first generations of Fabias (from 1999) and Octavias (from 1996), considered indestructible until now. Again, no ancient design failure is to blame, but simply age and lack of care. Paradoxically, the manufacturer’s efforts for low repair costs, where the ball joint and the silent blocks are separate parts, have paid off. When play occurs in them due to operation, the entire arm does not change, but only the affected parts. The sheet metal part remains. No manufacturer “sharpens” the anti-corrosion protection of these parts by relying on the strength of the material. The auto mechanic is so used to it that they are always sharp. And he has trouble knowing which rust is still superficial and which will really weaken the supporting part. The result is broken wheels on cars that otherwise look nice from the outside and drove flawlessly until the last moment.

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2023-07-07 16:56:14
#Škoda #Fabia #phenomenon #Detailed #bazaar #generations #wrong #tips

July 7, 2023 0 comments

Business

Peugeot 208: Updated Design, Improved Interior, and New Hybrid Units

by Chief editor of world-today-news.com July 6, 2023

written by Chief editor of world-today-news.com

The French Peugeot continues to modernize its models and presents an updated “two hundred and eight” with a fresher design, an improved interior and new hybrid units under the hood.

The best selling car in Europe in 2022 and 2021 it is newly introduced with a more stylish facelift. The popular Peugeot 208 follows the recent modernization of its larger sibling 2008 and comes to the world with an innovative design, more modern technologies, improved equipment and new 48-volt mild-hybridwhich replaces the previous top-of-the-range pure combustion engine in the menu.

You can easily recognize the modernized Peugeot 208 on our roads at first sight, because the former “lion’s teeth” are now replaced by “lion’s claws”. The characteristic vertical LED daytime running lights, one of the most significant signature elements of the brand’s latest models, have three instead of one light strip. Also new is the improved radiator grille, which optically forms a single unit with the bumper.

In Peugeot, they also worked on the rear part with a new light signature with three horizontal claws. The latest Peugeot 208 will be sold in a total of seven shades, with the facelifted automaker introducing two new colors – the extravagant yellow Agueda and the more elegant, more modest gray Selenium. Along with them, customers will be able to choose from new wheels, and the design innovations are rounded off by Peugeot lettering with a new typography.

A more modern interior is presented with new elegant fabrics, but the more important news is that all “208s” will equipped with a large 10” central touch screen as standard. Even before the facelift, there was only a smaller 7″ in the two lowest trim levels. Depending on the selected level of equipment, you will then control the most modern generation of Peugeot i-Connect or Peugeot i-Connect Advanced infotainment systems on the screen.

Other new technological equipment also improves everyday practicality. In the Allure and GT versions, the newer Peugeot 208 will be equipped as standard with three USB-C sockets (two at the front and one at the back) and one USB-A socket (at the rear). A more powerful 15 W wireless induction charger is now available for users of the most modern smartphones. It is standard in the top-of-the-range GT model, and an extra charge in the lower Allure.

The new Peugeot 208 will be sold in the Czech Republic with two pure petrol, two hybrid and one electric engines. Basically, it will be equipped with a three-cylinder twelve-hundred engine with 55 kW (75 hp), which is complemented by a more powerful unit with 74 kW (100 hp). A significant innovation is the introduction of a new mild-hybrid with a new six-speed dual-clutch transmission in power specifications by 74 kW (100 hp) and 100 kW (136 hp). It replaces the previous most powerful 1.2 PureTech unit with 96 kW (130 hp).

The e-208 electric car with the most modern evolution of the electric drive is already standard. With the previously innovated electric motor, it has a power of 115 kW (156 hp) and draws electrical energy from a battery with a capacity of 51 kWh. The electric range is 400 kilometersallows the highest charging power of 100 kW and is charged from 20 to 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes on the “fast charger”.

The new Peugeot 208 will be launched to the European market in November 2023 and will be available to order in three trims – Allure, Active a GT. The current generation was already launched in 2019 and has sold almost a million units since then.

2023-07-06 16:01:34
#Peugeot #facelift #modern #improved #equipment #hybrid #market #November

July 6, 2023 0 comments