Thought this may be interesting

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Steveo
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Thought this may be interesting

Post by Steveo »

Morning all
Just thought this may be interesting to members

https://driventowrite.com/2020/07/03/19 ... e-profile/
Regards
Steve
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citroC5
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Re: Thought this may be interesting

Post by citroC5 »

You're right, it is interesting.

It's also fascinating how history repeats itself. When Citroen first showed what would become the C4 Cactus to focus groups, they concluded they had to ditch the wind-up windows for the front passengers and a simplified instrument cluster (à la Citroen C1) because it seemed people wanted more elaborate things. Even today, the Dacia Sandero or the Citroen C-Elysee (I don't believe it's available in the UK, but it's a smash hit over here in Southern Europe) can only go so far when the offer basic value-for-money cars. No-one would even dare think of buying a car without creature comforts like central locking, electric windows or electrically adjustable wing mirrors. People have gotten used to many amenities, just like apparently had in 1950's Europe, which was probably still recovering from WWII.

Thanks for the share, it was a great read!
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bobins
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Re: Thought this may be interesting

Post by bobins »

It'd be interesting to know which models PSA have considered a success and which left them with l'oeuf sur le visage. Which models they consider they could have done better with a few tweaks, and which they completely got wrong. Why exactly don't PSA sell the Citroen C-Elysee over here ? Because it'd dilute the market ? No call for it ?
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Re: Thought this may be interesting

Post by NewcastleFalcon »

Good find Steveo, and probably a good job I am not the head of a major car manufacturer. Don't think anyone would buy one of my cars, because we have all become accustomed to the various add-ons which seem to be essentials. Even I would have to insist on electric windows!

EV's should have paved the way to cheaper manufacturing, a straightforward, four/five basic component electric vehicle (motor/motor controller/battery pack/battery management and charging system) has like its ICE counterpart been changed into a computer, or smart phone on wheels with an unbelievable exponential rise in the "lines of Code" required to make them function as such.

I dont even need a smartphone without wheels! The most irritating aspect of my Nissan Leaf was spending a couple of days trying to get the Nissan Connect app to work, and abandoning it.

What is going to be the key factor in the longevity of cars being produced in the 2020's.......rust, battery life.......or hardware/software?

Never mind your "main dealer's servicing arms" making money from taking oily rusty mechanical things apart and replacing them. Should the modern crop of cars troop in when something goes wrong.....yes nice clean software upgrade or 2 or 3 or 4 for a nice price. Car hits over 10 years old and the costs could well scrap a car.

More software code by a margin in a modern car than in a modern jet airliner. Doesn't really have to be like that...especially with the electric car which is inherently simple in its construction, as generations of childrens toy remote control cars testify.

But would the new generations of buyers buy an unconnected car? I've got news...they don't have a choice.

regards Neil
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bobins
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Re: Thought this may be interesting

Post by bobins »

The average age of a car on the roads in the UK is just over 8 years old. That'll suit the car manufacturer's just fine, so they need a way of helping to maintain that statistic. The motoring public won't accept rust and corrosion as a legitimate reason to scrap a sub-decade old car, and there's substantially les whirry, oily things to fail on a BEV, so the car manufacturer's have to have a way to make their cars 'uneconomical to repair' in due course or they'll go out of business. Simple economics. Built in obsolescence.
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citroC5
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Re: Thought this may be interesting

Post by citroC5 »

If it were a less imperfect world, manufacturers in the future would switch their attention to refurbishing older EVs. Everyone would be happy. We would be able to hold onto cars for longer, manufacturers would replace their servicing model with refurbishing cars, but their margins would probably be a lot thinner, and the bean counters won't be having that.
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