Top and flop: the good and bad car news of week 32 (2023) - AutoReview.nl

+ Top 1 - Fiat Panda Elettra returns

The new Fiat Panda will be an affordable electric car. Fiat CEO Olivier François said so. Without mentioning the model name 'Panda'. But of course it will be called that. With this, the Panda Elettra from the 1990s makes its comeback. The electric Panda had a range of 100 kilometers. The new electric Panda comes a lot further, at least 300 kilometers.

+ Top 2 - Let Nio slide

Of all the Chinese car brands that are popping up like mushrooms, we are Nio's fans the most. The cars drive well, we like the design and the battery exchange stations are the egg of Columbus. And now the Nio ET5 and Nio EL7 are also the first cars to meet the strictest Euro NCAP requirements to date. Euro NCAP is even talking about it 'exceptional performance'. The lidar camera on the roof plays an important role in this.

+ Top 3 - Huh? Is this an Opel?

It is that there really is an Opel logo on it, otherwise we could not have imagined that Opel's latest study model is actually an Opel. The Opel Experimental looks spectacular and beautiful at the same time. We will see the grille in combination with ultra-slim LED headlights on future models, says Opel. Now fingers crossed that the brand keeps its word.

- Flop 1 - EVs are a headache file

Electric cars have far fewer moving parts than traditional cars. And so much less can break. Would you think. Yet electric cars provide roadside assistance many headaches. EVs not only generate more requests for assistance, breakdowns also take longer.

- Flop 2 - Work to be done

Germany wants to drastically increase the number of charging points. However, the pace at which this is currently happening is way too low. As if you are driving at a snail's pace along the umpteenth roadworks on the Autobahn. To achieve the target, the pace must be at least quadrupled over the past year. So work on the shop.

- Flop 3 - AMG brings back the V8

Reportedly, Mercedes-AMG has succumbed to the criticism that the C63 and E63 are no longer available with a V8. So the V8 versions may come back. That's a top rather than a flop, but come on Mercedes, have a little backbone. Moreover: the plug-in four-cylinder of the current C63 squeezes out 680 hp (!) on its dead field. Who is still talking about a V8?