ON THE ROAD

ON THE ROAD

The Bronco comes with only the absolute essentials, making it ripe for customer personalisation by a full line of factory-backed accessories. But then it still has all that make a Bronco a Bronco – standard 4x4, easy to remove doors and roof, optional 35-inch tyres in the Sasquatch Package.

The all-new Bronco Sport is your wilderness guide with four unique series engineered to match the way you experience the outdoors. Each, expertly equipped to get you out there — To the mountain ranges, the woodland trails, and the scenic shores. Your adventure begins in a Bronco Sport, and it never ends.

The Bronco breed was born in 1966, and soon it became a winner, thumping wild hearts everywhere and setting the mould for the modern SUVs.

VOLKSWAGEN PUSHES UP EV RANGE

Volkswagen is on full steam ahead pushing ups its EV range. Reports say the VW Group is planning to spend £64 billion on electric, hybrid and digital technology developments in the next five years. The company is coming up with VD ID.4 and also a variant – the VD ID-5, fully electric crossover family drive. The ID-5 coupe will be available only in Europe, at least for now. VW ID series have been quite a name in the EV market. The ID-3, recently launched in China, is already highly talked about.

The ID-4 US production is soon to start and will soon be followed by UK launch. The new ID 4 GTX is due to reach the UK in the middle of next year.

The ID-5 is basically the revamped version of the 4, with a slanting roof unlike the conventionally designed body of the global model, reports say. The ID 5 range is expected to include single-motor rear drive and dual-motor four-wheel drive, including the top-of-the-line 302bhp performance set-up used in the headlining ID 5 GTX model.

TRAILBLAZER 2021: BOLD AND HI-TECH

The All-New 2021 Trailblazer is bold, spacious and has the technology and capability to help you get up and get out there. And with multiple trims to choose from, your style options are as open as the road ahead.

Its sculpted design and bold proportions give it a fresh, modern feel. And the standard two-tone roof on ACTIV and RS sets you apart from other cars on the road.

The surprisingly spacious interior features a versatile centre console that keeps items within easy reach. Your passengers stay comfortable with best-in-class rear-seat leg room and plenty of spots to store their things.

The 40/60 rear seats fold down to allow for 54.4 cu. ft.† of cargo volume, giving you plenty of space for whatever you want to load up. And for your biggest items, the available front passenger seat folds flat to offer room for objects up to eight and a half feet long.

CADILLAC ESCALADE: CURVED OLED DISPLAY

The 2021 Escalade offers available Super Cruise, the first truly hands-free driver-assistance feature for compatible highways. Super Cruise on Escalade offers several new enhancements, including Lane-Change-on-Demand functionality. Late availability starting early 2021.

The new Escalade has the industry’s first curved OLED display with twice the pixel density of a 4K TV. This leading-edge technology enables bold imagery, perfect blacks and the largest colour range available in the automotive arena.

Bold style is more than expressive–it’s expansive. Cadillac has extended Escalade 8 inches and lowered the floor, resulting in an additional 10.1 inches of third-row leg room.

The front Daytime Running Lamps pulsate twice, the rear LED Light Blades illuminate from bottom to top twice and the Cadillac Crest illuminates on the back of the Curved OLED Display. Additionally, an available puddle lamp with the Cadillac Crest appears in anticipation of your arrival.

The standard hands-free liftgate can be opened with a push on the Cadillac Crest or with a simple kicking gesture. Alternatively, it can also be opened by using your key fob or by pressing the overhead button within the vehicle.

NISSAN ROGUE 2021: A FAMILY AFFAIR

The 2021 Nissan Rogue is very much a crossover, 5-capacity family affair. The upgraded technologies go with the new cool factor with better aerodynamics and higher fuel efficiency. The 2021 Rogue comes in S, SV, and SL trim levels. The 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine, a continuously variable transmission, and front-wheel or all-wheel drive make the upgrade worth the efforts. The compact SUV is 1.2 inches shorter clearance is 0.2 inches lower compared to the earlier edition.

With Nissan’s V-Motion grille design, the front is sleeker. new Rogue features a stacked LED running light and LED headlight arrangement for a sleeker. Nissan calls the Rogue’s cabin a “Family Hub” that provides comfort and utility for all.

Nissan says the 2021 Rogue has a direct-injected version of the SUV’s familiar 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine making 181 horsepower and 181 lb.-ft. of torque. Those figures represent increases of 11 hp and 6 lb.-ft. compared to the previous Rogue.

The Rogue is equipped with standard Nissan Safety Shield 360 advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS), and featuring 10 standard airbags along with what the automaker is describing as “extended crumple zones,” the new 2021 Rogue should prove safe.

Nissan installs a larger 9-inch touchscreen infotainment system in the new Rogue. It sits high on the dashboard where it is easy to reference and use, and Nissan supplies power/volume and tuning knobs for the stereo as well as a row of main menu shortcut buttons for faster access to system features.

Alessio Iacovelli Named Deputy Director Replacement Sales West Europe At Linglong Tire

Alessio Iacovelli Named Deputy Director Replacement Sales West Europe At Linglong Tire

Linglong Tire has announced the promotion of Alessio Iacovelli to Deputy Director of Replacement Sales for Western Europe, effective 1 September 2025. In this elevated role, Iacovelli will take on leadership of the regional sales team with a mandate to accelerate business development. His key objectives will include forging strategic alliances and implementing programmes to strengthen customer loyalty. Iacovelli will report directly to Lisa Zhao, the Director of Replacement Sales for Western Europe, and will collaborate with her to manage key markets, including Germany, the UK, Italy and Spain.

Iacovelli, who began his career with Goodyear and Nexen, first joined Linglong Tire at the end of 2022 as a Sales Manager. In that capacity, he demonstrated significant success in developing the Southern European aftermarket, where he expanded the brand's footprint, defined effective growth strategies and secured robust partnerships with distributors. This strategic appointment and the restructuring of the sales leadership underscore Linglong Tire's intensified focus on achieving its ambitious growth targets across the European continent.

Iacovelli said, "I am very pleased to have been promoted to Deputy Director Replacement Sales West Europe at Linglong Tire. We have fantastic products such as the Sport Master 4S and the Sport Master Winter, both successfully tested in the recently published tyre tests. We have a state-of-the-art development centre in Germany and a new tyre plant in Europe and are successful in original equipment – ideal conditions for achieving our ambitious goals together with my team and the colleagues in Hannover and continuing to grow, especially in Europe."

ARLANXEO To Close French Plant As Chemicals Sector Struggles

ARLANXEO To Close French Plant As Chemicals Sector Struggles

German synthetic rubber maker ARLANXEO has launched consultations with worker representatives over the potential closure of its Port Jerome facility in France, citing persistent weak demand and declining competitiveness in the European chemicals industry.

The company, which is majority-owned by Saudi Aramco, had begun an information and consultation period with the Works Council at the site, located in northern France. A final decision on the closure will be taken after the mandatory consultation process concludes and approval is obtained from the French labour authorities, DREETS.

“The European chemical industry continues to face persistent weak demand and declining competitiveness driven by rising costs, unbalanced global markets, and increased regulatory pressure,” said Stephan van Santbrink, ARLANXEO chief executive.

“These conditions have generated a significant burden on the sector across the regional value chain. ARLANXEO has not been an exception to these challenges. The Port Jerome site has remained in a structurally loss-making position. Despite numerous improvement efforts, we do not foresee a viable path to a sustained structural improvement.”

The company did not disclose how many jobs would be affected by a potential closure, nor did it provide details on the facility’s production capacity or annual output.

Van Santbrink acknowledged the impact on workers, saying: “We recognise the impact a potential closure may have on our employees, and we regret the need to consider these steps. We will continue to treat all employees with respect. If we decide to cease operations at the site, we will do our utmost to assist in finding alternative solutions for all impacted employees. In addition, we intend to provide impacted employees with a social plan which reflects their valued contribution to ARLANXEO.”

The announcement adds to a growing list of European chemical producers struggling with high energy costs, sluggish demand and competition from lower-cost producers in Asia and the United States.

ARLANXEO said it would work closely with all affected internal and external stakeholders to minimise the impact of the intended closure.

Continental Appoints Managers For Global Purchasing And Original Equipment Business

Continental Appoints Managers For Global Purchasing And Original Equipment Business

Continental's Tires group sector has strengthened its leadership team with two key internal appointments, effective 1 September 2025. Jana Striezel has been named the new head of global purchasing for Continental Tires, while Dennis Bellmund has assumed leadership of the global original equipment business for both passenger and commercial vehicles. Both executives will report directly to Christian Kötz, the member of Continental AG's Executive Board who leads the Tires group sector.

In her new capacity, Striezel will oversee worldwide strategic and operational purchasing. She brings extensive experience from the automotive industry, having previously held several procurement management roles at Renault, where she led purchasing for the Renault brand and its alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi in Europe. Her career began at Volkswagen in 2014.

Bellmund, who has a 25-year tenure with Continental, steps into his role following the departure of his predecessor, Manja Greimeier, to the ContiTech sector. His extensive background within the company includes recent responsibility for Continental’s tyre retail operations, alongside prior leadership roles in EMEA supply chain management and sales direction for the European replacement tyre business. These appointments signal a strategic reinforcement of Continental's tyre division leadership.

Kötz said, “We’re delighted to welcome Jana Striezel, a highly skilled manager, to our team. She brings extensive expertise in international procurement and will focus on driving forward our purchasing strategy. In Dennis Bellmund, our global original equipment business has gained a highly experienced leader. Thanks to his many years at Continental, he is familiar with our company and our customers’ needs from many different angles. On behalf of the entire management team, I wish both of them every success in their new roles and look forward to working together.”

“On behalf of the entire team, I would like to thank Manja Greimeier for her successful leadership of our original equipment business and wish her all the best and continued success,” added Kötz.

LD Carbon Restructures CEO

LD Carbon Restructures CEO

In a significant leadership update, LD Carbon (LDC) has announced a restructuring of the chief executive office at the company. The company confirmed that Seong-Moon Baek will now serve as the sole CEO. This move follows the departure of former co-CEO Yong-Kyung Hwang from the executive position.

The change is effective immediately as the company continues to advance its initiatives in the sustainable materials sector. Chief Commercial Officer Bumseek Kim (BK) formally communicated the development in a statement, saying, “Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at any time.”