Some sanity remains

With one notable exception, I enjoyed your 1 December issue thoroughly.

The inference one draws from Matt Saunders’ conclusion (C-class versus rivals) that Mercedes-benz should be refocusing on old-school values over things like built-in music streaming and over-the-air updates was deeply refreshing. As was Jim Holder’s lamentation in Inside Information of the proliferation (and associated safety reduction) of touchscreens for controlling vital functions in-car.

They left me feeling that there’s still sanity and integrity among some of the influencers in an industry that appears to be moving lemming-like towards a cliff edge at the bottom of which a senior Toyota executive (Bob Carter) in 2019 predicted might be “electric vehicle Armageddon”.

Even a cursory consideration of literature and opinions on the subject leaves one feeling that governments haven’t properly considered the infrastructure needed if the universal embracing of EVS and the associated euthanising of ICE cars materialises.

You can imagine, then, my delight at reading about BMW’S new XM, powered by a V8, and the responses of BMW M’s Frank van Meel to your Ev-related questions. It’s enough to make me go out and buy an expensive BMW, just to show my support for them not allowing themselves to get caught up in this mass psychosis.

What of the notable exception? Well, Suzuki presented a new SX4 S-cross with analogue dials and plenty of physical buttons. Its refresh strategy presumably translates into a less chip-hungry new car, while the analogue dials are aesthetically pleasing and look a paragon of clarity, yet Illya Verpraet inanely dismissed them as old hat. Give me a break. Jon Tager

Singapore