FCA boss takes aim at motor finance lenders and claims firms Banking The boss of the City watchdog has taken a fresh swipe at the parties opposing the regulator’s motor finance redress scheme. Nikhil Rathi, chief executive of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), told the Treasury Committee that he was “concerned about the integrity of the claims management market” and took a shot at lenders for trying [...]
City watchdog suspends parts of £9bn motor finance scheme after industry backlash Banking The UK’s financial watchdog has suspended parts of its under-fire £9bn motor finance redress scheme amid fierce backlash from industry and consumer groups. In a statement on Thursday, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said the suspension will require firms to continue preparations for its scheme but avoid work that “may need to be repeated” if [...]
Volkswagen’s China crunch deepens as Europe’s biggest carmaker weighs 100,000 job cuts Transport & Infrastructure Volkswagen is weighing up to 100,000 job cuts as Europe’s biggest carmaker accelerates a sweeping overhaul after admitting the manufacturing model that underpinned decades of German industrial success can no longer compete in a market reshaped by Chinese rivals. The German automotive giant is reportedly considering almost doubling previously announced workforce reductions while shutting four [...]
VW Golf R 2026 long-term review: Final verdict on a classic hot hatch June 19, 2026 When I first enquired about running a Golf R, I expected this to be a swansong of sorts. The eighth-generation VW Golf was to be the last, we were told, as the electric ID.3 filled the family hatchback-sized hole in the Volkswagen range. Thankfully, reports of the Golf’s demise were a little premature. Volkswagen had [...]
Volkswagen Transporter Sportline 2026: The van that wants to be a VW Golf GTI June 18, 2026 Imagine an illicit liaison between a Volkswagen van and a Golf GTI. The result, nine months later, might look something like the Transporter Sportline. So, is this flagship ‘sports van’ a welcome addition to the family? If the idea of a sports van sounds like a contradiction in terms, tell that to the thousands of [...]
Volkswagen Golf R: RIP to the ultimate hot hatch? May 13, 2026 A decade ago, when its Mk7 predecessor roamed the roads, the Volkswagen Golf R faced a plethora of hot hatchback rivals. These included the Ford Focus ST and RS, Honda Civic Type R, Peugeot 308 GTI, Hyundai i30 N and Renaultsport Megane. All have since been quietly euthanised and not replaced. The venerable Audi RS3 [...]
European carmakers slam on the brakes after Trump tariff shock May 4, 2026 Volkswagen reveals €4bn hit even before Washington threats to tear up the Turnberry Deal’s pledge on car import tax Shares in European carmakers were stuck in reverse on Monday, after the sector became the latest to be caught up in threats into the weekend from US President Donald Trump. The White House announced fresh plans [...]
Mercedes Benz joins legal battle over £9bn motor finance scheme April 29, 2026 Mercedes Benz is confirmed to be among the four legal challenges lodged against the UK financial watchdog’s motor finance redress scheme. The financial services arm of the German car giant is set to challenge the scheme that puts the car finance industry on the hook for £9.1bn in compensation. The carmarker has thus far set [...]
Volkswagen Golf R 2026 long-term review: First report April 20, 2026 The Volkswagen Golf R ticks a lot of boxes on paper, but what is this 333hp hot hatchback like to live with? Tim Pitt finds out. If you could only own one car, what would it be? My initial impulse says a Ferrari F40 – the poster I had blu-tacked to my bedroom wall. However, [...]
Can Volkswagen really pivot to defence? April 17, 2026 Can Volkswagen really pivot into defence? Saskia Koopman examines whether one of Europe’s great industrial names can reinvent itself for an era of rearmament. For most of its eight-decade history, Volkswagen has stood as a symbol of Europe’s industrial might – churning cars out at scale and underpinning entire regional economies. But at the company’s [...]