Ex-pat Kiwi Neville Crichton’s company European Automotive Imports (EAI) relinguished the Lotus franchise in New Zealand and Australia because of a shift in focus by the carmaker’s Malaysian parent, Proton. An EAI spokesman told media in Australia: “Lotus has changed direction substantially since the original distributorship was granted and this meant that the scale of the … [Read more...] about Lotus: the next move after Kiwi ex-pat Crichton’s exit
Volkswagen's Piech
No bull! Subaru Levorg wagon can hoof it with the best
The new all-wheel-drive Subaru Levorg proved as sure-footed on part of the famous Nevis Rd in Central Otago as the Hereford bull that is eyeing it in the above picture. The big fella was halfway up a bank and among scrub when we stopped the car. He wandered down to check it out, looked back to see where we’d come from, then sauntered off to resume grazing. No big deal – … [Read more...] about No bull! Subaru Levorg wagon can hoof it with the best
Kia beats Porsche as No.1 for quality, says US survey
Kia has been named the leading car brand in an industry-wide quality survey in the United States, the first time a mainstream company has claimed the top spot since Toyota in 1989. The J D Power Initial Quality Study survey reported Kia had the fewest problems per 100 vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership, beating out second-place Porsche. Kia’s top spot among brands … [Read more...] about Kia beats Porsche as No.1 for quality, says US survey
Mercedes-AMG’s salute to ‘green hell’ section of the Nurburgring
The "AMG green hell magno" paintwork of the new Mercedes-AMG GT R is a tribute to its testing ground –"Green Hell" is the nickname for a tortuous section of the Nurburgring circuit. It’s where Mercedes-AMG sharpened the car’s dynamics and tested a high-tech aerodynamics aid almost invisible down low in front of the engine. The carbon component weighs about 2kg and … [Read more...] about Mercedes-AMG’s salute to ‘green hell’ section of the Nurburgring
Ssangyong XLV and the non-turbo, cut flowers caper
The middle-aged fellow in the sleeveless puffer jacket at the Ssangyong stand at Fieldays was checking out the South Korean brand’s new offering, the Tivoli XLV, a hatchback/crossover/SUV. The XLV stands for Extra Long Version. He said he was looking at it for his wife. She dealt in cut flowers. It ticked the right boxes, he said. He’d get it at the right Fieldays price, … [Read more...] about Ssangyong XLV and the non-turbo, cut flowers caper