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Autocar confidential: Rolls-Royce's handling focus, Hyundai's Kona future and more
Our reporters empty their notebooks to round up a week in gossip from across the automotive industry
In this week's round-up of automotive gossip, we hear how the Rolls-Royce Ghost targets customers who value handling, why the future of the Hyundai Kona may be in jeopardy and more.
*Handling it *
Rolls-Royce’s new-generation Ghost embraces its role as a car favoured by customers who drive themselves by having more of a handling focus, according to boss Torsten Müller-Otvös. “The outgoing Ghost averaged worldwide 80% self-driving customers and 20% chauffeured. Our younger clients in particular enjoy driving. That’s the reason we have increased the focus even more on the new Ghost to say that car needs to handle in a different way [from the Phantom],” he said.
*Kona no more?*
As Hyundai adds new cars to its Ioniq EV sub-brand in the coming years, electric variants of current models, such as the Kona, may be no more. Hyundai global product boss Lorenz Glaab said: “That sort of direction is possible, but for the time being Kona EV will still be around and run in parallel [to the Ioniq sub-brand models].”
*Geneva a go?*
The Geneva motor show might have a future after all, Autocar understands. The owners of the Palexpo hall where it’s held have apparently been approaching manufacturers to see if they would attend a show next March. One premium brand Autocar spoke to has declined to part with £125,000 to display one car, though.
*Merc-Aston tie-up not ruled out*
Mercedes-Benz boss Ola Källenius hasn’t written off further investment in or involvement with Aston Martin, with which it has had a tie-up for seven years. “The partnership is robust. Will it lead to more? Nothing I can comment on today,” he said at the recent launch of the S-Class.
*READ MORE*
*Rolls-Royce: luxury will always take priority over technology *
*New Rolls-Royce Ghost is firm's most advanced model *
*Rolls-Royce Ghost 2020 review*