A total of 149,099 conventional used passenger cars have been sold in Catalonia during the first six months of the year, according to data from Ganvam and Faconauto. The province of Lleida leads the growth in used vehicle sales this 2026, with an 8.1% increase compared to the same period in 2025, followed by the province of Barcelona, with 6.4%, Girona with a 3.6% growth, and Tarragona, with a small 0.1% growth compared to used vehicle sales in 2025.Historically, the month of June concentrates a good part of the growth of the second-hand vehicle market, as the arrival of good weather, the prospect of new trips during the holiday period, and the summer bonus coincide, factors that facilitate the decision to buy a second-hand vehicle. Used car sales figures far exceed new vehicle sales. According to Ganvam data, in 2025 in Spain, more than 2.2 million used cars were sold, representing a ratio of between 1.9 and 2.2 used vehicles sold for each new vehicle registered in Spain. Diesel and over ten years old

Practically half of the second-hand vehicles sold during the year 2025 were diesel, with 48.3% of the total, according to data from Faconauto, while the average age of the Spanish car fleet rose to 14.5 years, a figure that seems to continue growing without stopping. In fact, more than half of the second-hand cars sold during the year 2025 were more than ten years old, a reality that is consolidating during the first six months of 2026.The growth of the second-hand market and the aging of the automotive fleet is explained by the high price of new cars (which are on average around 30,000 euros) and the low purchasing power of workers. In fact, the demand for second-hand vehicles is so great that several companies have had to import second-hand vehicles from markets such as Germany, the Netherlands, or Switzerland, where there is a surplus of second-hand vehicles and a demand for these vehicles much lower than in Spain, to satisfy the needs of the second-hand market in Catalonia and the rest of the State.Within the second-hand market, a significant increase in interest has been detected in electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles aged between 3 and 5 years, many of them coming from rental and leasing company fleets, with a sale price, however, above the average for this type of transaction, which stands at around 18,500 euros in Catalonia and 17,500 euros in the rest of Spain. Nevertheless, the supply of second-hand electrified vehicles is still insufficient, and the scarce available supply drives up the final price of these zero-emission or eco-labeled vehicles.

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The Goodwood Festival is one of the most important events in the automotive world. This year, the MG brand – of British origin, but controlled by the Chinese giant SAIC – wanted to present its new electric urban vehicle prototype, named GO!, which is set to be a commercial reality circulating on European roads from next year.

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The C segment, corresponding to compact cars like the Golf, the León, the Astra or the 308, among others, has historically been the one that has accumulated the most sales in Europe. Until now, it has been a market segment reserved for the major European manufacturers, but the advance of electrification and new vehicles from China are challenging European hegemony in this segment.Leapmotor is a Chinese manufacturer that has a strategic alliance with the Stellantis group, the parent company of many French, Italian, and North American brands. In fact, the Stellantis group and Leapmotor signed an agreement in 2023 for joint venture to form a company with 51% of the capital reserved for Stellantis and the remaining 49% for Leapmotor to manufacture and sell models of the Chinese brand outside the Asian giant's market. This has allowed some historic factories of the Stellantis group, such as the one in Figueruelas in Zaragoza, to be remodeled to manufacture vehicles from the Chinese brand. The roadmap agreed by Leapmotor and Stellantis at the Aragonese plant involves manufacturing an urban electric SUV called B-10 and a C-segment SUV under the Opel brand that will take advantage of the Chinese brand's platform and technology, and which would be added to the current Lancia Ypsilon and Peugeot 208.Leapmotor B05, an electric car with many arguments

The new B05 is a vehicle that on paper should fit perfectly with the habits, customs, and preferences of European buyers. This Chinese electric car will have a starting price of 26,100 euros, which with institutional aid and current promotional discounts would allow the final price of the product to be below 20,000 euros, a very attractive psychological barrier for buyers on the Old Continent.

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For several years now, the Dacia Sandero has been the best-selling car in Spain, and one of the best-selling passenger cars in Europe, thanks to its commitment and balance between price, features, and capabilities. Until now, however, the Sandero did not have any electrified version, and customers opting for the Eco-labeled version had to settle for the Eco-G variant, which uses a combustion engine capable of running on conventional gasoline or LPG.The Sandero takes a big leap forward with the self-charging conventional hybrid or HEV version already used by the Dacia Jogger and Duster, and which now makes it the cheapest conventional hybrid technology vehicle on the market, with a base price of 19,890 euros for the Expression variant and 20,890 for the better-equipped Journey variant. These versions would rise to 21,290 and 22,690 euros if opting for the Sandero Stepway version, with the aesthetics of an all-terrain or crossover model.A simple and effective mechanic

The new Sandero hybrid uses the proven mechanics of Renault group models like the Clio or Captur to offer a combined 155 HP thanks to the sum of a 1.8 four-cylinder combustion engine with 109 HP and two small electric motors powered by a 1.4 kWh lithium battery. The first electric motor has the function of providing power to the assembly (the equivalent of about 50 HP) and the second small motor acts as a generator to handle the starting and ignition system or electronic tasks such as the lighting system, air conditioning, or radio, among others.

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The latest study from the Coyote Radar Observatory in Spain carried out by the company Coyote based on data from the DGT during the months of May 2025 and 2026 shows how Catalonia, despite representing just over 6% of the entire Spanish territory and 16% of the State's total population, is, by far, the autonomous community with the most speed cameras installed and in operation, with a total of 936 cameras out of the 3,621 in operation across Spain, which represents 25.8% of the total. The 936 speed cameras in operation in Catalonia far exceed the 273 cameras currently in service in the Community of Madrid, accounting for 7.53% of the total speed cameras installed in Spain. In fact, the province of Barcelona alone, with 632 speed cameras, more than doubles all the speed cameras installed in the Community of Madrid. The comparison is even more striking if we compare the total number of Catalan cameras (with special incidence in Barcelona and its surroundings) with the 462 cameras installed in Andalusia (a territory that triples the surface area of Catalonia), the 236 cameras in operation in the Valencian Community, or the 257 existing in the Basque Country, among others. A notable increase in the last five years

The study also concludes that the growth rate of new speed cameras has increased by 37% in the last five years, and that in Spanish territory there are currently more than 1,000 new speed cameras compared to 2021. The decision to install speed radars or other types depends on different administrations. The DGT (or the Catalan Traffic Service in the Catalan case) is the one that decides to implement radars on interurban roads and motorways, but it is still relevant that 44% of the radars and traffic light cameras in operation on the Spanish road network are located in urban areas, under the competence and decision of town councils and local entities, with the Barcelona City Council leading the implementation of new radars and traffic cameras in the Catalan capital. In this regard, the study indicates that 70.39% of the new radars have been installed by local administrations.Finally, the study by the Observatory of Speed Cameras in Spain warns about the rapid growth of section control speed cameras, which have increased by 86% in the last five years, and of traffic light cameras and urban traffic cameras, which have increased by 53% between 2021 and May 2026.

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If the council of ministers convened for Monday, June 29, does not decide to extend the exceptional fiscal measures regarding VAT and fuel taxes, filling the tank from July 1 will be significantly more expensive for Spanish consumers. The war in Iran and the tension of the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz sent the price of a Brent barrel soaring in mid-March, causing the Spanish government to react through a royal decree-law that, among other measures, reduced the VAT rate from 21% to 10%, a move that generated some criticism from the European Commission, which has never approved this decision.The reduction in VAT and the tax on hydrocarbons allowed for a reduction in the price of diesel and gasoline, which at the peak of the crisis had reached over two euros per liter, down to the current average of 1.42 euros per liter for gasoline and 1.47 euros per liter for diesel. This move also helped to somewhat control the inflationary trend in the Spanish economy and stabilize it around 3%.An increase of up to 30 cents

The provisional calm in the Middle East and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz have allowed the price of a barrel of Brent to be positioned around 78 dollars per barrel, far from the peaks of 120 dollars per barrel of crude that were paid at the height of the crisis. This more favorable international scenario and community pressure to recover the tax rates on hydrocarbons prior to the Iran war would be two decisive conditions for not extending the extraordinary measures for individuals approved in May. For instance, Germany has taken clear leadership at the European level and has already announced that it will not extend the temporary fiscal measures on hydrocarbons.However, this reduction in the price of the Brent barrel has not been very noticeable at petrol stations, which warn of the dire consequences for the Spanish economy if these temporary measures are eliminated. The Spanish Confederation of Employers of Service Stations (CEEES) has calculated that the return to VAT at 21% and the end of the reduction in hydrocarbon taxes will have a combined effect that could increase prices by up to 29 cents per litre for petrol and 22 cents per litre for diesel. This would place the average price per litre of petrol at around 1.74 or 1.75 euros per litre for petrol and diesel, respectively. In practical terms, this would mean that filling the tank of a vehicle with a capacity of 60 litres would go from the current 85.2 euros to 105 euros, an increase of more than 23 euros that would have a direct effect on inflation on the eve of summer, the time of year that, by far, registers the most private mobility.Experts point out that the price of fuel will take several more months to regularize and to notice the drop in the price of the Brent barrel due to the depletion of strategic reserves that countries have used as an emergency measure to guarantee fuel supply. Finally, it is worth remembering that the different administrations do not look favorably on subsidizing a polluting fuel and that the advice of the European Union must be followed, which advocates concentrating aid and tax incentives on zero-emission electric vehicles.

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As every year, the month of June marks the start of the hottest weeks, and vehicle air conditioning systems become indispensable elements when traveling by car, especially during the central hours of the day. Curiously, however, the air conditioning system is one of the great unknowns for most car owners in our country, as are the basic functionalities needed to optimize its performance.

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The Servei Català de Trànsit (SCT) has activated the emergency indicators: a total of 21 motorcyclists have died in traffic accidents on Catalan roads between January 1 and May 31, 2026. The worst records achieved in 2019 and 2025 have been matched. Furthermore, the Servei Català de Trànsit warns that between June and September, coinciding with the arrival of heat and good weather, the figures for fatal accidents in Catalonia traditionally increase even further. In fact, the figures confirm this trend, as 7 of the 21 motorcyclists killed suffered accidents during the month of May.Although motorcyclists are not the most numerous group on Catalan roads, this year they already account for 40% of traffic fatalities during the first five months of the year, which has led the administration to design a special prevention and road safety training plan within the framework of the campaign "To avoid accidents, anticipate yourself". This campaign will place special emphasis on raising awareness and responsibility among motorcyclists, but it will also be accompanied by increased surveillance on roads with aerial means (drones and helicopters) and the new undercover motorcycles of the Mossos d’Esquadra. This is because police forces point out that reckless driving (overtaking in prohibited areas, zigzagging, changing direction…) is the main cause of mortality and accidents on Catalan roads.The X-ray of motorcycle accidents

The SCT data also show some interesting points, such as the fact that the majority of fatal accidents occur on motorways and dual carriageways (with the AP-7 as the main affected route), and that most accidents are of the single-rider fall type (falls or leaving the road). Furthermore, most accidents occur in the afternoon and evening, and by age and sex, the profile of the motorcyclist involved in an accident is a man over 45 years old. Although there is no single factor that explains solo falls or leaving the track by motorcyclists, it is significant that the majority of motorcycle accidents take place in an area considered safer than mountain road sections, which can be partly explained by the lack of respect and attention from drivers of four or more wheeled vehicles (cars, vans or trucks) towards motorcyclists when changing lanes or performing maneuvers that can cause falls or departures from the asphalt in an attempt to avoid a collision.Finally, the SCT has also launched a campaign to signpost the route of dangerous curves on the N-260 at Collada de Toses and on the B-124 between Sant Llorenç Savall and Calders, two of the black spots for road accidents in Catalonia traditionally associated with motorcyclist routes in our territory.

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The Smart brand was born in 1994, as an urban, elegant and chic subsidiary of the Daimler group, the parent company of Mercedes-Benz. At that time, the idea of manufacturing an urban vehicle with the Mercedes star seemed little less than a pipe dream, and the subsidiary's objective was to compete with a distinctive and aspirational product in the urban vehicle segment. In 1998, Smart began its commercial expansion with a convertible model called the Smart Roadster and the small four-door urban car Smart Forfour, although without achieving the commercial objectives set by Daimler. In fact, the group lost a lot of money with the commercial launch of Smart, to the point of gradually numbing the brand until 2019, when Daimler announced an agreement with the Chinese manufacturer Geely to establish a joint venture and a co-ownership system of Smart between the two industrial groups. Geely paid around 850 million euros for 50% of Smart's shares, in addition to the possibility of establishing production centers in China and turning the brand into an electric vehicle manufacturer, taking advantage of Geely's platform and mechanics.Since then, Smart has begun to market fully electric models such as the Smart #1 and Smart #3, and plug-in hybrids or PHEVs Smart #5 and Smart #6, which are launching on the market this year. An urban revolution

Smart has presented the prototype of the new Smart #2, a model that – this time yes – must be decisive in the brand's future and must serve to increase electric car sales also in Europe. In fact, you don't need to be a genius to see that the new #2 is the spiritual heir of the Fortwo, a small city car that sold more than two million units worldwide between 2007 and 2019, just before the purchase of half of the brand by the Chinese automotive giant Geely.

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Ebro's factory in the Zona Franca continues to move forward and this autumn a new production line will come into operation that will allow vehicle production to be increased to 250 units per day. The qualitative leap of the Zona Franca factory will be accompanied by new painting and welding workshops that will allow the brand to develop more production processes in Barcelona, going beyond the current assembly process of parts coming from China.Ebro will invest 150 million euros in the implementation process of this new production line, named M1. This work line, which was already operational when the plant was owned by Nissan, has a length of 700 meters and 97 workstations, where male and female workers will be accompanied by more than 200 robots participating in the different industrial processes. The opening of this new production line should facilitate the assembly of the S400, S700, S800, and S900, in addition to Ebro's future electric car, which is set to enter production in 2027.The new production line must enable Ebro to manufacture more than 50,000 units annually, at a rate of one hour and a quarter for the assembly of a finished vehicle. The final production figure for the Ebro plant will also depend on the workloads that the Chery group assigns to the Zona Franca in the form of Omoda and Jaecoo models.A strategy designed to avoid tariffs

Chery's roadmap with its different brands involves increasing the local production part, with a greater weight of local suppliers and production processes, such as the possibilities offered by the commissioning of the welding and painting workshops. Until now, Ebro vehicles arrived disassembled in various containers from China and the industrial process in the Zona Franca was limited to assembling the different pre-manufactured parts.The entry into force of this new production line will allow Ebro (also Omoda and Jaecoo) to implement more parts of the production process in Barcelona, taking advantage of the network of local suppliers that already works for Seat and Cupra, among others. Having a higher percentage of the production process located in Europe should allow Chery to avoid the significant tariffs that significantly increase the final product's cost when it reaches the market. Chery's strategy is not very different from that of BYD (with a factory in Hungary), Leapmotor (which will use the Opel plant in Figueruelas, Zaragoza) or MG, with a project to create a new factory in Ferrol, Galicia. 

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The arrival of Chinese brands in Europe, with special incidence in Spain, has long been a reality. The latest example is the milestone of the Chinese manufacturer BYD, which has reached 50,000 registered units in Spain in just three years and three months since its landing in the Spanish market. It should also be said that the merit of the milestone achieved by BYD is twofold, since from its beginnings the Chinese manufacturer has only marketed electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and has set aside vehicles with internal combustion engines.BYD's exclusive commitment to electric or electrified vehicles has been well received in Spain, and in fact, the Chinese brand became the leader in the plug-in vehicle segment throughout 2025, with a total of 25,552 units registered, and continues to maintain leadership during the first five months of 2026, with 17,987 units registered between January 1 and May 31, 2026.

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A recent study of the dating app Ashley Madison placed three Catalan cities (Girona, Manresa, and Barcelona) as the most unfaithful in Spain. To this data, we must add the fact that Spain is one of the three most unfaithful countries in the world, accompanied by the United States and Brazil in the ranking of most unfaithful countries, and leading —with a certain distance— the European ranking, far ahead of Italy or Denmark.In an increasingly less monogamous context and open to discovering new personal experiences, car manufacturers have also realized that Spanish car buyers, and especially Catalans, no longer swear eternal love to a particular brand. Studies such as that of the consultancy JD Power reveal that a significant portion of buyers of certain luxury brands like Porsche or Mercedes-Benz do maintain a certain commitment and loyalty to the brand, and buy several models from the same manufacturer throughout their lives, but this feeling and emotional bond is practically nonexistent in Catalonia and the rest of Spain.Although it is not about making a treatise on sociology, it is enough to observe how the consumption habits of drivers in Catalonia have changed. While it is true that most of the population has a good memory of their parents' or grandparents' vehicles, and that there is a certain sense of pride regarding Seat (and now Cupra), the sentimental bond with a brand is not, by far, a decisive factor when buying a new car.In most European countries there is a buyer profile very linked to a specific brand. In France or Italy, for example, there are millions of people who always buy cars of a specific brand, such as Renault or Fiat, as they have a real emotional bond with the car manufacturer. This feeling or emotional bond explains the survival of brands like Vauxhall in the United Kingdom or the good sales figures for Opel in Germany, even though both brands are part of the Stellantis group, of Italian-American capital.An opportunity for the Chinese

When the major Chinese automotive groups have decided to take the step of manufacturing part of their vehicles in Europe, motivated by the European Union's tariff policy, they have looked for scenarios with a good communications network, efficient distribution, the existence of a network of experienced suppliers and qualified labor, but also an open market to buy different car brands without looking at their origin as long as the price and product fit well.The landing of the Chery group in Barcelona from the Zona Franca plant, where Ebro models are assembled and Omoda or Jaecoo models will soon be, is largely explained by the existence of a buyer profile that has no decisive emotional connection when changing cars, and who prioritizes the price and functionality of the car over the origin or roots of the manufacturer. In other words, the Chinese who have bet on Barcelona (and who want to bet on Almussafes, Zaragoza or other Spanish plants) do so, among other reasons, because of the real possibility of positioning their products without preconceptions or conditions regarding the origin of the vehicle, something that in France, the United Kingdom or Italy —countries with a strong sense of belonging and brand pride— does not seem possible at the moment.The profile of a Dacia Sandero buyer (the best-selling car in Spain in recent years) does not have a special interest or emotional attachment to Dacia. The Sandero buyer is looking for a reasonable car, at an affordable price and with features and possibilities that fit their needs, and it is precisely this buyer profile that has no problem buying a vehicle of Chinese origin (MG, Jaecoo, Omoda, Ebro...) as long as it has a competitive price and fits their daily needs.However, this automotive promiscuity can also become a double-edged sword. Not going any further, Catalans never felt a special affection for the Pulsar or the Patrol, to give two examples of models that Nissan manufactured for years and years in Barcelona before its departure and replacement by Ebro and the Chery group. In this regard, it is realistic to think that Catalan buyers will not feel any kind of sentimental attachment to products manufactured by Chery, despite Ebro's advertising efforts to strengthen its link and sense of belonging with local buyers, through the recovery of the Ebro trade name (or Santana in Andalusia) and by sponsoring events or even the Spanish national football team.The sustained relationship, key in the loyalty process

The major automotive manufacturers are aware of the particularity of the Spanish automotive market, and especially the Catalan one. The majority of Catalan buyers looking for a new vehicle do so from brands different from their current model, often motivated by after-sales service that has not generated synergies with their customers.That is why major European manufacturers, in a context of strong international competition, are looking for new systems to retain their customers, which involve a stable and sustained relationship with drivers through constant monitoring of buyers via the dealership network and official workshop inspections. This is because a good reputation in the interpersonal channel (the age-old word-of-mouth, you know) allows a brand to be commercially positioned in the collective imagination (like Toyota, for example) more than through communication campaigns in traditional media or through influencers on social networks.

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Although most European civilians do not quite like it, European administrations have been warning for years about the military risk derived from the international scenario and the need to reorient European industrial priorities towards the armament needs of EU states. In this rearmament framework, Renault has surprised everyone with the presentation of the 4 Troop prototype, a vehicle that uses the base of an SUV or crossover like the Rafale to turn it into a military vehicle prepared for the command and management of drones on the battlefield.And it is that the Ukrainian front in Donbas has shown the world the military possibilities of drone warfare, or unmanned combat aerial vehicles, and it is not surprising that the European Union has promoted its own drone development program called Eurodron, which in a first moment will supply the armed forces of France, Italy, Germany and Spain.A prototype of a tactical military vehicle

Drones require a launch and remote control infrastructure to be effective on the battlefield, and possibly a coupe SUV like the Rafale would be one of the last vehicles we would imagine in the middle of a military conflict. But Renault has surprised everyone with the new 4 Troop, a vehicle that is easy to build and relatively inexpensive and that can serve on the front lines of combat.In reality, this 4 Troop is a Rafale with special camouflage paint, protections and covers for the optical groups, and modifications to the roof and trunk that allow for drone management, as well as launching and landing them. This military prototype also features advanced sensors, encrypted secure tactical connectivity, data processing capabilities, and AI-assisted decision-making systems.

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Accidents involving animals are a real problem in Catalonia, with a particular impact in the province of Barcelona, according to a study by the Ponle Freno opinion studies center and the AXA Foundation Catalonia ranks second nationally for accidents caused by collisions with wild animals. In fact, three of the four Catalan provinces (Barcelona, Lleida, and Girona) are among the top ten provinces with the highest accident rates caused by animal collisions, with Barcelona leading the ranking after registering a 50% increase in animal accidents in the province throughout 2025. Lleida drops to fourth position in the ranking, with a 3.5% decrease compared to the previous year, but Girona records a 20.7% increase in animal accidents, which moves it up to eighth position in the ranking. The rest of the black spots for hunting-related accidents are mainly located in Galicia (Ourense, Pontevedra, and A Coruña) and other points in the northern Iberian Peninsula, such as Asturias, León, Burgos, and Huesca.Wild boars in autumn, the most critical moment of the year

67% of accidents involving a collision with an animal in Catalonia during 2025 were related to wild boars, far behind roe deer (13%) and other animals, such as unleashed dogs or deer, among others. The mortality rate in accidents recorded with wild animals is particularly worrying in Barcelona and Lleida, as 15% of the accidents recorded in the province of Barcelona and 11% of those in Lleida resulted in fatalities. The presence of wild boars has definitely become a real problem that not only affects epidemics and diseases like swine fever, but also causes a road safety problem and an unacceptable death toll for the different administrations.The study also concludes that the moments of highest incidence and risk of collision with wild animals in Catalonia are weekends – especially Sunday evenings and early Monday mornings – and the months of October and November. Prevention tips

It should be said that it is indeed complicated to avoid collisions with wild animals when they invade the road, but we remind you of some concrete and simple measures that can help you minimize the damage from these collisions, or even avoid them.First and foremost, anticipation is key to being able to foresee these accidents, paying attention to the sections signposted for the alert of animal presence, and generally when driving – especially at dusk and at night – on local or regional roads in rural areas, adapting speed and paying special attention to the presence of elements on the roadside. The most critical times are early evening and early morning, and if you spot a wild animal, it is advisable to honk the horn to scare it away and clear the road.Furthermore, it is absolutely necessary to maintain the vehicle's lighting system in good condition (cleaning of headlights and condition of bulbs) and the windshield to have optimal visibility during dark hours and to adjust speed to have more reaction time. Finally, it is important to avoid sudden steering movements; if we are driving, it may be preferable to brake sharply and hit an animal head-on than to go off the road or invade the oncoming lane and collide with another vehicle.If despite everything we have an accident, it is necessary to immediately call the emergency number 112 and signal the area to avoid new impacts with other vehicles, using the mandatory visibility systems. However, it is advisable not to get too close to a wild boar after a collision, especially if the animal is still alive and badly injured, as it can be dangerous for humans.

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With the arrival of the summer months comes the payment reminderof the new Catalan tax on CO₂ emissions, a tax that will affect more than one and a half million drivers in the country and which for now only applies in Catalonia. This tax, which is expected to raise more than 145 million this fiscal year, is added to a long list of direct and indirect taxes that drivers have to face to use their vehicle, expenses that must be added to the significant capital investment in the purchase process and subsequent vehicle maintenance, which we will analyze individually below.

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The automotive world is changing faster and faster, and novelties cease to be so in too short a time. In fact, the commercial life of a passenger car is approximately ten years, with various aesthetic updates or restyling that allow cars to maintain a fresh, young, and modern image.The process of replacing models with newer and more modern generations has accelerated in recent years due to the arrival of electrification and digitalization of automobiles, causing models with combustion or semi-hybrid engines to be somewhat sidelined in dealerships in the face of the arrival of more modern, digital, and plug-in models. On the contrary, there are models with years of production that have become practically perfect machines, as they have become cars tested and perfected practically to the extreme, in which the possible incidents and teething problems that a car can have in the initial phase of its production have been improved.It is worth mentioning that modern cars pass all relevant certifications and approvals, but with the passage of years and kilometers, some potential endemic problems or weak points may arise: from a faulty cooling system to electronic folding mirror systems that do not work. Manufacturers, the first to be interested in maintaining the delicate balance between brand reputation and the cost of warranty replacements and repairs, introduce improvements in their cars' production processes to make them increasingly perfected and reliable machines.A more competitive price for a product with guarantees

Let's take the case of the Seat Ibiza or the Seat Arona. Both are cars with more than six years on the market, and while it is true that aesthetically they do not represent any striking novelty, the various aesthetic updates they have received and the deep knowledge of the models in their production process have made them almost perfect machines, without any hidden vice, manufacturing defect or problem to discover. The brand – in this case, Seat – knows that it must adjust the price of the product to the maximum to make it competitive in a market full of novelties, something that, thanks to fully amortized design and pre-production costs, it can afford with relative ease.If we go a little further, it is possible to find cars in an even more attractive situation for the buyer, thanks to run out cars or those in the process of being replaced by a new generation of the model or a completely new model. All manufacturers know that the value of their cars depreciates rapidly when they officially present their successor, as buyers quickly lose interest in the discontinued model in favor of the new model. It is precisely at this point, prior to the presentation of the new generation or model of a particular vehicle, that manufacturers offer end-of-production versions packed with equipment, well tested and proven by thousands of cars in circulation, at a very attractive price. Without going any further, this would be the case of the current Alfa Romeo Giulia and Alfa Romeo Stelvio, two aspirational cars at the end of their commercial life that offer prices significantly below their BMW or Porsche rivals with equivalent power, but with equal or even superior equipment.Evidently, this type of vehicle, at the end of its commercial life, also presents some drawbacks. The first is that these outgoing or end-of-production models do not have the latest generation gadgets and applications, and this can be a problem for the more technological buyer profiles. The other major drawback that these cars at the end of their commercial life suffer from is their design, with an image that is no longer innovative or groundbreaking, which can also be a drawback for buyers who are more sensitive to this aspect.However, cars at the end of their commercial life or run out are a good option for buyers looking for a well-equipped vehicle, at a competitive price, and with the certainty of being a consolidated and proven model, and who want to avoid the possible teething problems that the first units manufactured by any major automotive company have.

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With the price of gasoline and diesel through the roof and an energy dependency crisis increasingly evident in Europe, electric cars have already become an increasingly realistic alternative when buying a new car. Modern zero-emission electric cars feature ever shorter charging times, and at this point, they far surpass combustion vehicles in any comparative analysis that includes short, urban trips.

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The Audi Nuvolari is a truly surprising car. The first big surprise is that the Ingolstadt brand has chosen the name Nuvolari to christen the spiritual successor of the famous R8, and that is because Tazio Nuvolari was a great Italian driver from the early 20th century who earned his stripes (and worldwide fame) at the wheel of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo vehicles, with which he achieved the impossible victory at Nürburgring and humiliated the propaganda and paraphernalia of the Third Reich. Tazio Nuvolari signed some of the most brilliant pages in the history of Italian automobiles, and it wasn't until 1938, after the accidental death of the German ace Bernd Rosemeyer, that a temporarily retired Nuvolari agreed to sign for Auto Union, the predecessor of the current Audi.Perhaps the decision to name this hypercar or supercar after the brilliant Italian driver is a statement of intent that has a lot to do with the centuries-old rivalry between German and Italian manufacturers. Surely seeing the name Nuvolari associated with a model from Ingolstadt has not generated any sympathy in Maranello and Balocco, the headquarters of Ferrari and Alfa Romeo respectively.The most powerful Audi in history

The Nuvolari is a splendid machine, and only 499 limited units will be manufactured at a price yet to be determined (and which will be really high). To begin with, this is the first Audi to surpass the psychological barrier of 1,000 HP of power, and that is capable of exceeding 350 km/h top speed. Commercially, it is destined to be the spiritual successor of the Audi R8, albeit in an even more powerful, disruptive, and exclusive format.On a technological and mechanical level, the most relevant aspect of the Nuvolari is its hybrid setup, which combines a V8 (or eight-cylinder V-engine) combustion engine with 800 CV of power with three auxiliary electric motors (two on the front axle and one on the rear) each providing an additional 148 CV, powered by 7.3 kWh capacity batteries, to achieve a total combined power of 1,001 CV. In fact, this propulsion scheme is exactly the same as that used by the Lamborghini Temerario. Unlike the Lamborghini, however, the German model maintains a latest-generation Quattro all-wheel-drive system, which allows for individualized monitoring and control of each wheel based on the grip and traction needed at any given moment.

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The future and the technification of road safety are advancing by leaps and bounds thanks to the technological possibilities offered by AI and the will of the different administrations, such as the Pamplona City Council, the first in the State to purchase four units of the new AI radar capable of detecting up to eight different infractions simultaneously.The super radar, which the Navarrese capital is premiering this June, has a high-quality color camera and a license plate identification and reading system that allows it to process and identify vehicles at different distances, traffic directions, and in various lanes. In fact, these new devices are more reminiscent of a traffic camera – in fact, they are – than a conventional speed radar.

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The commercial name of a new car is one of the elements that an automotive manufacturer takes the most care in, analyzes, designs, and evaluates. It is not easy to find a word that is easy to remember, has an attractive sound, and can be pronounced in most languages of the world, let alone make this word associated with the collective imagination of buyers. However, in recent years, several manufacturers have named some of their models with at least curious and fun names that will surely make you smile.

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