The only mainstream petrol-electric hybrid car available in New Zealand is the Toyota Prius. It's a Scrooge at the petrol pumps, capable of 80 mpg, or under three litres of fuel for every 100km. It's fun to drive, too. But public demand for it is something Toyota is wrestling with, especially with a price of more than $40,000. No trouble with demand in America, though, where it has just gone on sale and looks set to beat its target of 12,000 a year.
Tanked up on the net
An American company called Priceline.com allows motorists to bid for petrol and diesel on the internet. Its website has been so successful that it is expanding its service to Europe. Industry analysts in Britain say that ever-increasing internet use and anger over fuel prices mean the move poses a potent threat to fuel company profits.
Going straight
Ford is working on a device that warns drivers if they inadvertently start to cross into another lane. A video camera tracks lane markings and sounds a warning if the car deviates without an indicator being used.
Desperate for diesel
Fiat imported a handful of its Multipla people-movers to see how they would be accepted in New Zealand. Reaction has been good - even better for the 1.9-litre turbo-diesel model. "We can't get enough diesels," said Fiat's marketing manager, Richelle Ashman. Is this a sign that we will follow Europe, where diesel sales are expected to grow at twice the rate of petrol over the next few years? Volkswagen chairman Ferdinand Piech believes that by 2005, diesel will have overtaken petrol as the first choice for Europe's new-car buyers. At the moment, diesel has 25 per cent of new-car sales in Germany, 34 per cent in Italy, 45 per cent in France and 55 per cent in Austria.
Gangsta wheels
While we are on the Multipla, Auto, Motor and Sport compares it with the Chrysler PT Cruiser (the gangsta car) tonight. The Triangle Television show (8.30) asks which of the two models has the better overall concept. The Cruiser will be launched in Wellington next Wednesday. The show also looks at Audi's new 3.3-litre diesel engine, focuses on Citroen's futuristic Pluriel model, and checks out the convertible Ferrari 360 Spider, for which buyers must join a two-year waiting list.
Daring design
The Subaru SVX coupe of the early 1990s was a high-tech delight. But it didn't sell particularly well because, at $90,000, it was too expensive and it was also before its time - Subaru hadn't even unveiled its ground-breaking WRX back then. Now the Japanese carmaker is planning to cash in on its success and launch a coupe in 2003 as the spiritual successor to the SVX. It is expected to ride on a modified version of the new Impreza's platform and be a daring design - perhaps Japan's answer to the Audi TT. The new coupe, like the TT, is likely to come with a choice of front or four-wheel-drive and two engine options - the STi Impreza's rally-bred turbocharged 2-litre four, or the all-new 3.0-litre six.
We are the world
* A woman in France drove 37km against motorway traffic to get home to feed her cats. She told police: "I wondered why everyone was flashing their lights."
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