CONFIDENTIAL

GOSSIP | RUMOURS | TRENDS

A SMALLER RANGE of models for Volvo, a socalled 20 series, is not on the agenda, said boss Håkan Samuelsson, despite rumours to the contrary. He said: “With 40, 60 and 90 [series], we cover all the segments we want to be in. It could change in the future but small cars are not on the radar right now.”

THE INTERIORS OF Land Rover models could be made even more high-tech than the Range Rover Velar’s but will not feature “tech for tech’s sake”, according to design boss Gerry Mcgovern. “For some, we look at a more mechanical feel,” he said. However, the Velar interior does provide the blueprint for the next generation of Range Rovers. GROUPE RENAULT design chief Laurens van den Acker has admitted he is surprised by customer demand for higher-end options on the Dacia Duster. He said: “Most people buy the vehicle and think ‘wow, that’s cheap, I can spoil myself a bit’. This was a surprise for us that we needed a leather steering wheel option. I’m convinced on the new Duster we haven’t pushed far enough in terms of options.”

MAZDA WILL showcase the latest version of its Kodo design language with a concept car at the Tokyo motor show. Mazda board member Kiyoshi Fujiwara said the Kodo 2 styling, which will be rolled out across Mazda models as they are developed in the coming years, wouldn’t be a major change from the current styling, but “it’s more mature and very much refined”.