CONFIDENTIAL

GOSSIP | RUMOURS | TRENDS

VOLKSWAGEN HAS ruled out GTI versions of its SUVS, according to UK managing director Alison Jones, but she said SUVS would fit in with the company’s R performance range. Jones noted that R-badged models “have always been four-wheeldrive and in essence that’s what SUVS are all about, so it makes more sense to lead with that one.” A VW T-roc R has been seen testing, although the firm has said nothing about it in public.

FORD WILL NOT make a performance-focused ST variant of its Ka+ supermini, according to sources at the manufacturer, despite the popularity of the Volkswagen Up GTI. The Ka+ line-up will not even get the sporty St-line trim available in other Ford models, such as the Fiesta and Ecosport.

TOYOTA WILL LAUNCH a hydrogen-fuel-cellpowered bus in Tokyo next year using an upscaled version of the powertrain in the Mirai. Around 100 hydrogen buses will be on the roads in Tokyo in time for the 2020 Olympics, each with capacity to carry 78 passengers and a 125-mile range. Toyota aims for all new buses in Japan to be hydrogen-powered by 2030.

SKODA’S HEAD OF product management, Guido Haak, reckons Tesla is the number-one risk taker in the industry – but the Model 3 is too expensive to be a car for everybody. Haak said an electric Skoda would have a less ‘vanilla’ list of attributes, including price, range, fun-to-drive characteristics and other desirable features.