Fiat Italy (Model) : 2012-17

Fiat is a mainstream brand fighting in an area where competition is high and profits are a challenge, especially in Europe. In its home market, Fiat takes slightly more than 20% share. That's a good result although whether that is achieved with reasonable margins I don't know.

The tiny Panda is the big volume model, then comes the 500 variants and the compact Tipo. The Punto is on the way out and the rest are small in volume. Fiat specialise in small models and a larger car would be a welcome edition to the range, although in Italy it wouldn't be a big seller. Perhaps a collaboration such as the 124 Spider could be useful.

The figures below include the Abarth range.

Model/Year	2017	2016	2015	2014	2013	2012
Panda/Seiciento	146,062	147,360	127,460	105,255	101,681	117,772
500	58,564	49,329	44,179	45,676	42,322	43,012
Tipo/Bravo/a/Stilo	56,060	31,612	839	1,917	6,203	10,983
500L	46,461	54,748	51,837	52,729	38,229	6,159
500X	45,795	46,240	32,587	97
Punto	37,265	45,239	58,295	59,266	64,200	80,035
Qubo	10,047	8,984	6,978	6,873	8,957	10,781
Doblò	3,592	3,823	4,014	2,645	3,383	3,617
124 Spider	2,022	965
Freemont/Ulysse		1,436	5,703	8,494	10,681	14,417
Sedici			29	1,377	3,097	4,850
Idea					16	2,878
Other	11	13	3	9	21	8
Total	405,879	389,749	331,924	284,338	278,790	294,512
% of total	20.4%	21.1%	20.9%	20.7%	21.2%	20.8%

Human Nature & Driving

When a human is driving a car, they have their hands on the steering wheel, feeling the car react as the wheel is used. The pedals on the floor also cause fluctuations in velocity. The human is then connected to the job at hand and is fully involved. Of course distractions, over confidence and other factors can intervene, which can lead to accidents. However, a driver feeling the car respond to inputs they make keeps the person engaged.

We are seeing cars being released to the public with Autopilot. They work well on aeroplanes although used for the boring flying parts. I've seen videos showing a pilot asleep while the plane is in autopilot. So how do car drivers react to autopilot? I'm a human so I know.

Once the hands and feet disengage from the controls, the driver immediately starts to disengage from driving. It is impossible for a human to sit in a car, passively allowing the car to be driven for them and remain fully alert. They will not be able to react to a situation anywhere near as quickly and efficiently than they would if they were driving. Even the most alert passive driver will be affected, and the longer they are passive, the harder it will get.

Then there are those who won't remain passively alert at all. They will find other things to do. Read, text, snooze, turn to talk to other passengers, try to find something in their glove box, look at what's going on around them.

Amazingly, some people don't get this, or don't want to get it. They are the people behind making the car self driving. I've discussed some of the problems associated with that at other times (see under label "Safety') but this is focusing on Autopilot. Here is a recent case:

Reports state that a Tesla Model S that went through a red light and crashed into a stationary fire truck at high speed was in Autopilot mode. The driver told police she was looking at her phone prior to the collision and estimated her speed at 60 mph.

The company that makes the car warns drivers using this mode to remain alert and active and to be prepared to take action at any time. You couldn't make this up. No understanding of human nature with that instruction. How can you remain active while the car drives for you? Personally I wouldn't use Autopilot if my car had that feature. It doesn't work with a human driver. There are also too many variables with motoring. I like to keep control because I want to remain actively alert. I cannot do that while the car drives for me.

BMW Group Plant Production : 2016-17

Production for the BMW Group was up 6% in 2017. Just under half of the total volume was in Germany's four facilities. It was over 50% until 2015 and over 60% in 2010. China is still just 16% but growing. There are plans to make the MINI in China too.

There are also plants that make components and the like but this list is for car making facilities. The operations in China are in co-operation with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings. The 'Other Plants' at the bottom of the chart are located in Egypt, Indonesia, Malaysia and Russia.

Nation / Plant	2017	%	+/-		2016	%	+/-
BMW Group Plants
Germany	1,157,337	46.2%	1%		1,149,379	48.7%	3%
Dingolfing	376,580				339,769
Regensburg	338,259				346,291
Leipzig	246,043				246,550
Munich	196,455				216,769
China	396,749	15.8%	30%		305,726	13.0%	6%
Tiexi	269,309				161,901
Dadong	127,440				143,825
USA	371,316	14.8%	-10%		411,171	17.4%	3%
Spartanburg	371,316				411,171
UK	227,125	9.1%	6%		215,150	9.1%	5%
Oxford	223,817				210,971
Goodwood	3,308				4,179
RSA	53,105	2.1%	-16%		63,117	2.7%	-12%
Rosslyn	53,105				63,117
Thailand	21,084	0.8%	18%		17,844	0.8%	100%
Rayong	21,084				17,844
Brazil	12,768	0.5%	-17%		15,408	0.7%	55%
Araquari	12,768				15,408
India	8,952	0.4%	4%		8,568	0.4%	11%
Chennai	8,952				8,568
Partner Plants
Netherlands	168,969	6.7%	93%		87,609	3.7%	54%
Born	168,969				87,609
Austria	50,272	2.0%	-6%		53,528	2.3%	-35%
Graz	50,272				53,528
Other Plants	38,064	1.5	18%		32,256	1.4%	19%
Various	38,064				32,256
Total	2,505,741		6%		2,359,756		4%

Data source: BMW Group

Lynk & Co vs Lincoln

My wife doesn't have much interest in cars, unless it's a nice colour. So I decided to tell her about the new Lynk & Co brand and how it sounds similar to Lincoln. Because Lincoln isn't a brand sold in NZ, I was going to have to give an explanation to make it clear.

I started off by saying "There is a new brand out called Lynk & Co..." Before I could say anymore see said "Don't you mean Lincoln?" I didn't even know she knew the brand but see immediately she said that it was confusing to have them sound so similar.

Apparently Ford wasn't happy either. However, while making some noise about it a while back, I've heard nothing more and the brand name is still being bandied about by owner Geely. I know you would never get a Chinese court to ever rule in your favour over something like this but it is going to be used internationally. Perhaps it's not worth ruffling Chinese feathers over it.

The premium market is a tough market to crack if you haven't got an established and reputable name. Going in with a name that sounds similar may be seen as a way round that problem. However, taking sales off other brands that are already successful won't be easy. Because  it's being done without regard for an already established name, I'm hoping it will be the flop. In my opinion, it deserves nothing less.

Lotus Production By Model : 1966 - 2016

This is a new article on the subject with a wider coverage and greater accuracy (I hope). The previous article can be found by clicking here. I've kept the older one because it was so popular that Google searches will find it before this update.

I barely squeezed the data into the space width-wise but I managed. The new data goes back to 1966 and ends in 2016. A bit more research clarified some anomalies so hopefully it is as accurate as can be reasonably achieved. The green shading is for the biggest number for a particular year.

I've always been a fan of Lotus cars but have never even been in one, let alone driven one. However, I recall having a Europa model car years ago and loved the lines. I've always thought the cars were beautifully styled.

Yr	Evora	Elise	Exige	Europ	Esprit	340R	Elan	Excel	Eclat	Elite	7	Total
66	-	-	-	-	-	-	80	-	-	-	26	106
67	-	-	-	443	-	-	1378	-	-	-	164	1985
68	-	-	-	744	-	-	1914	-	-	-	390	3048
69	-	-	-	1619	-	-	2306	-	-	-	581	4506
70	-	-	-	1529	-	-	1703	-	-	-	141	3373
71	-	-	-	1315	-	-	1126	-	-	-	241	2682
72	-	-	-	1782	-	-	1116	-	-	-	98	2996
73	-	-	-	1776	-	-	916	-	-	6	130	2828
74	-	-	-	622	-	-	137	-	-	687	-	1446
75	-	-	-	57	-	-	-	-	20	459	-	536
76	-	-	-	-	134	-	-	-	341	451	-	926
77	-	-	-	-	580	-	-	-	280	210	-	1070
78	-	-	-	-	553	-	-		354	293	-	1200
79	-	-	-	-	474	-	-		281	276	-	1031
80	-	-	-	-	137	-	-	-	121	125	-	383
81	-	-	-	-	301	-	-	-	31	13	-	345
82	-	-	-	-	365	-	-	-	162	14	-	541
83	-	-	-	-	427	-	-	-	214	1	-	642
84	-	-	-	-	522	-	-	-	315	-	-	837
85	-	-	-	-	451	-	-	130	232	-	-	813
86	-	-	-	-	454	-	-	249	-	-	-	703
87	-	-	-	-	462	-	-	337	-	-	-	799
88	-	-	-	-	1056	-	-	244	-	-	-	1300
89	-	-	-	-	877	-	-	183	-	-	-	1060
90	-	-	-	-	779	-	1250	113	-	-	-	2142
91	-	-	-	-	99	-	2060	81	-	-	-	2240
92	-	-	-	-	181	-	495	15	-	-	-	691
93	-	-	-	-	320	-	-	-	-	-	-	320
94	-	-	-	-	368	-	342	-	-	-	-	710
95	-	-	-	-	385	-	458	-	-	-	-	843
96	-	425	-	-	319	-	-	-	-	-	-	744
97	-	2155	-	-	279	-	-	-	-	-	-	2434
98	-	3032	-	-	301	-	-	-	-	-	-	3333
99	-	3164	-	-	210	-	-	-	-	-	-	3374
00	-	1800	499	-	222	340	-	-	-	-	-	2861
01	-	1917	105	-	101	-	-	-	-	-	-	2123
02	-	2369	-	-	157	-	-	-	-	-	-	2526
03	-	1609	3	-	119	-	-	-	-	-	-	1731
04	-	2674	522	-	16	-	-	-	-	-	-	3212
05	-	4243	810	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	5053
06	-	1574	1291	197	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	3062
07	-	1357	1094	179	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2630
08	-	1439	619	48	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2106
09	378	802	410	28	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1618
10	1172	921	514	6	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	2613
11	713	592	153	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1458
12	480	516	47	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1043
13	475	417	477	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1369
14	251	617	624	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1492
15	404	537	724	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1665
16	475	409	378	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	1262
To	4348	32569	8270	10345	10649	340	15281	1352	2351	2535	1771	89811
Yr	Evora	Elise	Exige	Europ	Esprit	340R	Elan	Excel	Eclat	Elite	7	Total

Picture source: Netcarshow.