The price war in China's auto industry appears to be declining, as Chinese carmakers reduced price cuts. According to reports from Citic Securities, major carmakers in China have stopped reducing prices to fight each other, as it resulted in a 46% increase in deliveries for the first week of May. These levelled prices could bring hope for price recovery. However, economists say that it is unlikely that a car market turnaround will happen soon.
China’s Geely Automobile has raised its shareholding in the UK luxury sports car brand Aston Martin by 6.6% to 17%, making it the third-largest shareholder. Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll remains the largest shareholder with 25%, alongside Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund with a 14.99% stake. Geely previously increased its shareholding to 14.99% in October last year. Financial details of the most recent deal remain undisclosed, but Geely bought Lawrence Stroll’s shares and newly-issued ones for a reported £234m ($318m). Geely is looking not to take total control but to drive Aston Martin’s expansion in China, the world’s largest car market. Eric Li, chairman of Geely said: “Our decision to increase our shareholding in Aston Martin reflects our confidence in the company's growth prospects, its technologies and its management team.”
Freddie Flintoff reportedly had to wait in “agony” for 45 minutes following his car crash on the set of Top Gear. After the crash, a health and safety investigation was conducted by the BBC. The investigation has since concluded, but the broadcaster has not yet released the full findings. It is also claimed that medical staff were initially unable to find a stretcher for the presenter. A source close to production alleged that crew members felt that “insufficient checks” had been put in place before the stunt began filming.
European car manufacturers have supported calls from Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak for the EU to delay the implementation of a tariff scheduled to be imposed from January on post-Brexit car parts for electric vehicles. The UK would be affected by a ruling applying a tariff when less than 45% of the value of an EV and under 60% of its battery is made within the EU. Stellantis, which owns Citroen, Fiat, Peugeot and Vauxhall, said the changes could lead to it quitting the UK. Sunak said battery-making potential was inadequate in both the UK and the EU.
A Co-op supervisor has been given a restraining order after being found guilty at Chester Magistrates' Court of stalking involving serious alarm or distress. Laura Dolman had hired a private detective to place a tracker on store manager Marc Klaver's car after he spurned her advances and asked for a transfer from the Haslington, Cheshire branch. After the manager moved to a new job, Dolman sent hundreds of messages, some explicit, some including graphic pornographic images and others that claimed she was involved in life-threatening incidents. She was found to have sent love letters to Klaver and messaged his ex-wife.
Volkswagen has launched its latest electric vehicle (EV), the ID.5 - a battery-powered coupé version of the ID.4 SUV. The ID.5 offers an official range of 324 miles on a single charge, powered by the same two rear-wheel drive motors seen in the ID.3 hatchback, which can produce up to 296bhp. The ID.5 is larger and roomier than its sibling, but like the ID.4, doesn't impress critics with its "lumpen ride quality" and "cheap-feeling interior plastics". The ID.5 retails at around £54,000, making it more expensive than rival similar EVs offered by Tesla, Kia and Hyundai, but according to the Telegraph, the monthly repayments are on a par with the competition.
Police in Coquitlam, British Columbia are appealing for help from the public to identify a woman who they say damaged around 400 vehicles parked at a local dealership. The damage was allegedly caused by a woman scratching the paintwork of vehicles with a sharp object, causing an estimated CAD 500,000 ($409,310) worth of damage. Video footage of the suspect, described as a white woman between 40 and 50 years old, with shoulder-length blond hair and a “heavy build,” was released by authorities. They have also appealed for information from witnesses or anyone who may recognise the woman or her vehicle, said to be a Ford Escape.
Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle were pursued by a large number of photographers in Manhattan after attending an event on Tuesday night. The security team employed to shepherd the couple away from the venue reportedly egged on the paparazzi who blocked roads and ran red lights in a pursuit that lasted over an hour, according to the couple's spokesperson. The security detail claims that the photographers behind them caused panic and a near collision. The issue of media intrusion and the pressure it places on the Royal Family was a concern of Princess Diana, the Prince's mother, who died while being chased by paparazzi in Paris in 1997. Responding to the event, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department defended the actions of their team, saying: “The threats involved never materialised into any actual danger.”
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pledged to protect the country's green spaces by empowering local communities to make their own decisions on development, moving away from top-down housing targets. The commitment follows the Labour Party's announcement of new housing plans which would allow limited cases of green field development, drawing criticism from some quarters. Speaking during a trip to Japan, Sunak said, "At the same time, we have empowered local communities with local plans," adding that "it's not necessarily an opposition to housing itself, it’s how and where exactly [it] is done and the infrastructure that comes alongside it.”
NASCAR champion Kyle Larson has started preparing for the Indianapolis 500 race, which he will compete in as part of a two-year deal with Arrow McLaren Racing and Hendrick Motorsports. NASCAR Hall of Famer Jeff Gordon, the winningest driver on Indy’s 2.5-mile oval, helped broker the deal, which coincides with his own interest in the Greatest Spectacle in Racing after standing at the fence as a child and admiring his racing heroes. Larson will attempt "The Double" by competing in NASCAR’s Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway the same night as the race.
Car rushes Vatican gate, is fired on by gendarmes; driver apprehended after reaching courtyard
The Toronto Star
23-05-18 20:53
A car being driven by a person with "psycho-physical" problems breached Vatican security last night, driving fast past Swiss Guards before being stopped in a courtyard within the compound. Vatican gendarmes reportedly fired at the tyres of the car which managed to continue on to reach the courtyard. Once there, the driver was apprehended. It is unclear whether Pope Francis was present at the time of the incident, however, it is known he lives on the far side of The Vatican compound at the time. This is the second security breach at the location this year.
Paris Paradise Morton's trial has been delayed again for a later date after she rejected a plea bargain. Morton, who has been in custody in state psychiatric facilities for over seven years, intentionally plowed a car into pedestrians on the Las Vegas Strip in 2015, killing one woman and injuring dozens of others. Morton has requested a different court-appointed attorney to represent her on murder and 70 other felony charges, and a hearing has been scheduled with Morton for next Wednesday to determine if she will get a new lawyer. No new trial date has been set.
Aston Martin has raised £500m ($687m) in capital from a new partnership with Chinese carmaker Geely, taking the value of the beleaguered luxury car manufacturer to £2.17bn. The proceeds will be used to support the firm’s push into electric vehicles, as well as infrastructure and brand expansion. It is the fifth fundraise since billionaire Lawrence Stroll took control of the company in 2020 and will also help pay off a portion of the firm’s £870m debt.
Hyundai and Kia have agreed to pay a more than $200m settlement over rampant car thefts of their vehicles. The settlement covers around nine million US owners and includes up to $145m for out-of-pocket losses for consumers who had cars stolen.
A multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 5 in Oregon has killed at least seven people. The accident, which involved two semi-trucks and a car, took place in Marion County, south of Portland. The cause of the crash is under investigation. The names of the victims have not been released. Oregon has seen several deadly accidents in recent years, including a crash in Harney County in 2018 that killed eight people. Fatal car crashes are a major problem in the US, with tens of thousands of people dying each year.
Man arrested after ramming car through Vatican gates
CNN
23-05-18 23:40
A man has been arrested by Vatican police after driving through a gateway and crashing into a courtyard. According to Vatican News, the man approached the Vatican Palace in his vehicle on 6 December, but was refused entry. He then left, before returning at high speed and ramming through gates. The car was fired at by a security guard and driven into the Courtyard of San Damaso. The 40-year-old man was found to be “experiencing a serious state of psychophysical alteration,” according to a doctor’s assessment, and is being held by Vatican gendarmerie.
A man drove his car into the Vatican city-state on 10 February, breaching Vatican security at high speed through a gate before reaching a central courtyard of the Apostolic Palace. The 40-year-old driver, whose motive is yet to be ascertained, was described as being in an “unstable state of mind.” A Vatican police officer fired a gun, hitting the car. However, the man did not get near to the guest house where Pope Francis lives on the other side of Vatican City.
A Vatican gendarme fired a shot at the tyres of a car driven by a man displaying signs of psychiatric problems on Thursday evening after the vehicle rushed a Vatican gate before later being stopped by Vatican gendarmes in a courtyard near the Apostolic Palace. Once the driver dismounted, he was arrested. It is not thought that Pope Francis was in the vicinity of the incident.
The Corran car ferry in the Scottish Highlands has been out of commission for six weeks, causing problems for local communities, who rely on the five-minute crossing to travel between Ardgour and Corran Ferry. The ferry services Sunart, Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Morar, Morvern and the Isle of Mull. Businesses, especially those involved in tourism, have suffered due to longer journeys and reputational damage to the area, including a 50-60% drop in trade for The Inn at Ardgour. Debate continues over long-term solutions, including electric ferries and a possible bridge across the narrows of Loch Linnhe.
Backgrid, a California-based photo agency, has been criticised after it refused to hand over photographs taken of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle who were travelling in New York City last week. The couple had described the behaviour of paparazzi during a “near catastrophic” car chase as “aggressive and determined” but Backgrid’s legal team told the couple’s lawyers that the California legal system does not recognise royal prerogative. Backgrid had been sent a demand by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex for copies of all photos and video taken by the paparazzi. The legal communication from Backgrid was widely condemned as an insult to the couple and the journalists who died in the Paris car crash in August 1997 that cost Princess Diana her life.
The incident involving Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has highlighted issues surrounding the safety of celebrities and other notables travelling in public places. New York Police Department has warned Paparazzi over their behaviour and Mayor, Eric Adams has even called for new aggressive driving laws to be introduced. A lack of specific legal protection means that in the US, there is no specific legislation enforcement agencies can use to deal with the issue. In the UK, celebrity “stalking laws” do exist and cover paparazzi activity, but images of public figures can still be legally obtained while they go about their daily lives in public spaces.
