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Stellantis: the French at the heart of the new game of musical chairs. Fiat welcomes Arnaud Belloni, formerly of Renault, to relaunch its momentum in Europe. DS, now under the leadership of Xavier Chardon, sees its autonomy reduced, a sign of a strategic repositioning. Published on August 31, 2026 at 5:55 p.m. Premium reserved for our Premium subscribers At Stellantis, Antonio Filosa is endlessly reshaping his leadership team. The Franco-Italian-American manufacturer announced this Monday a new series of appointments, in particular new developments for Fiat and DS. The most notable change concerns Olivier François, one of the group's prominent figures, who was already one of the pillars of Fiat Chrysler Automotive (FCA) before the merger with PSA in 2021. At 64, the executive, who had been running Fiat since 2011 as well as the Abarth and Lancia brands, also had responsibility for global marketing. This content is reserved for Premium and Premium Business subscribers. Don't stop where the analysis begins.

Launch X431 IMMO & ECU update (august 2026): one-click key programming and Simos18.1 boot-mode cloning. by Roberto Vargas on Aug 30, 2026 What the august 2026 IMMO & ECU update covers. The release is split across two software lines. The first, IMMO programming software V10.61/V10.70, targets the X431 devices authorized for IMMO work and the dedicated X431 IMMO series tools (IMMO ELITE, IMMO PLUS and IMMO PRO). The second, IMMO PROG V10.26, runs on the XPROG5 and adds the boot-mode and chip-level functions that separate a key programmer from a full ECU tool. On the IMMO side, Renault V10.61 brings one-click key programming across all supported models and adds an online gateway-unlock function for the Captur II smart-card key and fifteen other models from 2020 onward. That gateway unlock is the headline: modern Renault platforms require the security gateway to be released before a key can be programmed, and doing that online removes a manual step that previously pushed many of these jobs to the dealer. The same update adds OBD all-keys-lost for the Captur II and the Kwid (2022 onward) plus thirteen further models, so a locksmith can generate a working key from an empty slot without pulling modules. Mercedes-Benz V10.70 adds one-click key programming for all models up to 2014, folding a large block of older FBS-generation cars into a single automated routine. The XPROG5 side is where the release gets more interesting for bench work, and it is covered in more detail below. Why one-click and all-keys-lost programming matter for locksmiths. All-keys-lost jobs are the highest-stakes work a locksmith takes on. With no working key to read security data from, the technician depends on the tool's ability to talk to the immobilizer, release the gateway where fitted, and write a new key in the correct sequence. Every extra manual step is a chance to brick a module or burn an hour of billable time. Launch's move to one-click routines - combined with the Renault online gateway unlock - collapses those steps into a guided flow, which is the same trend the rest of the auto key programmer market has been chasing. The Volkswagen and Audi additions follow the same logic. IMMO PROG V10.26 adds VW and Audi MQB-platform 5C/5D immobilizer key programming for vehicles from 2018 onward (Audi 2019 onward), covering a generation of cars whose cluster and key data sit behind more aggressive security. For a shop that already runs an X431 tablet for diagnostics, adding key work on the same Launch X431 hardware means one platform instead of two subscriptions. ECU Boot-Mode Read/Write and Cloning on the XPROG5. The most technically significant item is Simos18.1 engine-ECU support. IMMO PROG V10.26 adds boot-mode read/write and cloning for the Simos18.1 ECM used across VW, Audi and Porsche engines above 1.8 litres from roughly 2014 to 2018, plus immobilizer-data decryption for the same range. Boot-mode access is the difference between reading a locked ECU and swapping it: it lets a tuner or workshop clone a known-good file into a donor unit, or extract data for repair without a dealer connection. The same V10.26 build extends chip-level capability to several body and transmission modules. It adds Fiat BCM chip read/write for the Fujitsu MB91F526 and NXP MC9S12XEG384 microcontrollers used in the Argo, Cronos, Toro and Pulse, and Mercedes-Benz VGS2-FDCT transmission-ECU EEPROM data repair for 2015-2017 units. Nissan and Renault HEM/UCH body-module bench reads (R7F7010193, R7F7010253, R7F7010563) now support PIN extraction and module replacement for all-keys-lost situations from 2020 onward. For a specialist doing ECU chip tuning or ECU replacement work, that is a meaningful expansion of what one bench tool can touch. Compatibility and how to update. The IMMO software is available to X431 diagnostic devices authorized for IMMO functions and to the X431 IMMO series tools. The ECU and bench functions require the XPROG5 (G5) running IMMO PROG software. As with every Launch release, access is tied to an active subscription: users renew through a subscription card or upgrade directly from the software mall built into the tool. If your renewal has lapsed, the new functions will not appear in the update list until the plan is current. Before updating, take the usual precautions: confirm the vehicle and module are on the supported list, back up any existing ECU data you can read, and keep the tablet powered and on a stable network during the download. Boot-mode and chip-level operations are not the place to skip a backup step. Should you update? If you do Renault, Mercedes, VW or Audi key work, this release is worth installing the day it reaches your device. The Renault gateway-unlock and all-keys-lost additions alone close jobs that previously went to the dealer, and the one-click Mercedes routine for pre-2014 cars is a genuine time-saver. If your business leans on bench-level ECU work, the Simos18.1 boot-mode and the new Fiat, Mercedes TCU and Nissan/Renault BCM coverage justify the update on their own. For everyone else, the update is a reminder that the modern car diagnostic tool is judged less by how many codes it reads and more by what it can actually fix - and that the gap between a scan tool and a programming platform keeps closing with every software release.

New Renault Triber Turbo CNG spied in Pune - ARAI homologation before launch? August 29, 2026 Renault Triber is set to receive a major powertrain upgrade in September 2026, with the compact MPV finally getting a turbo-petrol engine. Ahead of launch, a Triber Turbo CNG test vehicle has now been spotted in Pune, likely undergoing final testing and ARAI homologation. The test vehicle carries a clearly visible Turbo badge on the tailgate and a CNG sticker on the rear windscreen. This is the strongest indication yet that Renault is preparing a factory-fitted Turbo-CNG version of its seven-seat MPV. Renault Triber Turbo CNG. Triber currently uses a 1.0-litre three-cylinder naturally aspirated petrol engine producing around 72 hp and 96 Nm. Performance, particularly with seven occupants and luggage, has been one of its key limitations. The upcoming model is expected to use the 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine from Kiger and Nissan Magnite, where it develops around 100 hp and 160 Nm. The substantial increase in torque should improve overtaking, highway performance and drivability with a full load. A 5-speed manual gearbox is expected, while a CVT automatic could also be offered with the turbo-petrol engine. More interesting is the CNG setup. Renault will likely use a factory-fitted dual-cylinder system positioned underneath the boot floor. This should help preserve luggage space, an important consideration for a three-row vehicle like Triber. CNG-specific power and torque figures have not been revealed. Updated Platform enables turbo engine. Reports suggest Triber now uses a revised architecture referred to as Renault Group Entry Platform (RGEP). The earlier CMF-A architecture reportedly presented packaging and crash-safety constraints that prevented Renault from offering its turbo engine in Triber. The revised architecture is said to accommodate the turbo powertrain while also enabling underbody packaging for the CNG system. Visually, the test vehicle remains largely identical to the recently updated Triber, with the Turbo badge being the key differentiator. The familiar seven-seat cabin is also expected to continue with features such as an 8-inch touchscreen, automatic climate control and rain-sensing wipers. Safety equipment includes six airbags, ESC, TPMS, ABS and EBD. Launch next month likely. Renault Triber Turbo is likely to be launched in September 2026. Current Triber prices start at around Rs 5.81 lakh, ex-showroom, with the Turbo and CNG versions expected to command a premium. The Turbo-CNG combination could address two key requirements for Triber buyers - more performance when carrying a full load and lower running costs. With seven seats added to that equation, the upcoming Triber could offer a combination currently uncommon in the Indian market.