WLTP will shut down car production this summer apparently

[PSB1967]

I am considering buying an SUV. So today I went to Marshalls Jaguar / Land Rover dealership and separate VW dealership in Didcot Oxfordshire. During conversations at both buildings I was warned I needed to make a purchase sooner rather than later and definitely before August 2018.
I was told (twice) that the new WLTP emissions test will cause ALL car factories to stop production in the summer to enable them to adjust / update products to pass the new regulations.

R and D and new testing procedures costs will have to be paid for by the customer and that will dramatically increase the cost of new cars.

I was also told that as a result of the new 'more accurate test' there will be new Tax liabilities after 1st September 2018 on new cars, as cars registered after this time WILL be deemed more polluting than existing models.

Has anyone else heard this? My guess is it's spiel, but I thought I'd ask.

[WonkeyDonkey]

VW probably need a bit more time to figure out how to cheat this system.

To my knowledge there's no plans for Land Rover to stop production other than their standard summer shutdown.

Apparently Porsche are shutting down production over the summer for a short while to reconfigure their production lines.

Edited by WonkeyDonkey on Friday 1st June 18:11

[PSB1967]

WonkeyDonkey said:

VW probably need a bit more time to figure out how to cheat this system.

To my knowledge there's no plans for Land Rover to stop production other than their standard summer shutdown.

Apparently Porsche are shutting down production over the summer for a short while to reconfigure their production lines.

Edited by WonkeyDonkey on Friday 1st June 18:11

Thanks for the info

[WonkeyDonkey]

PSB1967 said:

Thanks for the info

Sorry I can't really help more.

Rumours are Jaguar might have some extended down time before or after the summer shutdown, although this is presumably to adjust the current infrastructure to support the production of the F-Pace as it's currently being built in Solihull.

None of this is anyway official though, just from what I've heard from other sources on the net and living close to both Solihull and Castle Brom production facilities.

Edited by WonkeyDonkey on Friday 1st June 21:04

[anonymous-user]

Volvo has done all its wltp testing apparently

https://www.am-online.com/news/car-manufacturer-ne...

Vw, Renault and bmw mentioned here re production issues

https://www.autovistagroup.com/news-and-insights/w...

Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 1st June 21:04

[Sheepshanks]

PSB1967 said:

I am considering buying an SUV. So today I went to Marshalls Jaguar / Land Rover dealership and separate VW dealership in Didcot Oxfordshire. During conversations at both buildings I was warned I needed to make a purchase sooner rather than later and definitely before August 2018.

Did they have much available to deliver before the end of August? I'd got the impression there wasn't much kicking about, and nothing else can be built now that isn't WLTP approved.

[PSB1967]

Sheepshanks said:

Did they have much available to deliver before the end of August? I'd got the impression there wasn't much kicking about, and nothing else can be built now that isn't WLTP approved.

Nothing really. The VW dealer tried to sell me a Tiguan R for £43K! The Jag dealer was too busy to talk to me as they didn't have enough staff (wtf?) and the Landie dealer said everything was built to order. But that was the same when I brought a Ford, so no news there.

[PSB1967]

JPJPJP said:

Volvo has done all its wltp testing apparently

https://www.am-online.com/news/car-manufacturer-ne...

Vw, Renault and bmw mentioned here re production issues

https://www.autovistagroup.com/news-and-insights/w...

Edited by JPJPJP on Friday 1st June 21:04

The second article seems to infer that BMW are stopping production for certain models. Also the new test is seriously over complicated if every model variant needs testing. There was even a mention of increased costs for consumers. Maybe there is a bit of truth in the spiel afterall....

[Sheepshanks]

PSB1967 said:

Also the new test is seriously over complicated if every model variant needs testing.

I’ve seen the same thing stated but it can’t possibly be true - apparently there are 2 million possible permutations of VW Golf! VW are going to drop the basic Golf GTi though and I read they’re going to offer only DSG for some models/trims.

What I can’t understand is why manufacturers haven’t pushed a few reference models though testing so at least they can build those. Maybe they have - they’re surely not going to all stand around doing nothing for the next few months?

There’s another round of emissions regulations coming in 2020 too.

[velocemitch]

There are a lot of these rumours going about. Stockpiles of cars to sell before they become unsaleable in September.
No new factory orders on certain brands, a way of guiding people into the cars already in stock.
Massive discounts on the ones they over built.

It’s certainly shaken things up.