Coronavirus accelerates car industry restructuring

The car industry is going to undergo massive restructuring, with Renault shedding 15,000 jobs.

This is the result of the coronavirus, but also a tacit admission that the nature of the sector is changing, with the company planning to focus on the most profitable models. This is also likely to mean a shift towards small vans and electric cars.

Another day, another bailout: this time, the French government is seeking to help car manufacturers, and encourage them to become the leading manufacturer of clean vehicles in Europe.

This comes in addition to a separate bailout package for Renault, and is seen by many as trying to reposition the sector, not least in the wake of Brexit.