The good oil: Sales milk Fieldays' impact

A buoyant Fieldays has been credited with helping boost June new-car sales by 25 per cent over May and 34 per cent over June last year. Annual sales to mid-year are 17 per cent ahead of 2009. "The surge in June probably surprised most people," said Motor Trade Association spokesperson Ian Stronach. "Fieldays inevitably provides a boost, more so nowadays as many distributors start their promotional programmes early and extend coverage to a wide range of vehicles. While it has a farm orientation, the stimulus affects all sectors." June's 5786 units were the highest for 21 months. Toyota remains market leader in the first half, ahead of Holden and Ford.

No gridlock in Oz, either
Things are also buzzing in the Lucky Country where new-vehicle sales set a record in June with 108,722 passenger cars, SUVs and commercial vehicles. In the first half, 531,168 vehicles were sold, up 16.7 per cent compared to 2009. Australia's SUV segment was the strongest performer. As in New Zealand, the pecking order is Toyota, Holden and Ford.

Mini and a flat white, please
The latest fashion shop on Ponsonby Rd is ... a car dealership. The doors opened earlier in the week to the Mini Garage, which includes a cafe, an event space and interactive kiosks. Boss Mark Gilbert says: "The time is right for Mini to break out of the confines of the traditional car dealership and explore new ways of connecting with customers."

Range Rover's designer diesThe "father" of the Range Rover, Charles Spencer King, has died in England, aged 85, as the result of complications from a bicycle accident. He led the team that developed the Range Rover and was said to have watched in dismay as his creation gradually became an international symbol of conspicuous consumption.

TVR pulls up with new ride
Britain's high-performance sports car company TVR, sold to a Russian millionaire, will be back in production from September with a new car. Based on the Sagaris platform, and featuring a modified version of the Tuscan bodyshell, the car will use Corvette V8 engines. German specialist firm Gullwing, which makes the official AC Cobra and a replica Mercedes 300SL, is taking a minority interest in the company.

Alvis is back in the building
Alvis, one of Britain's top brands of the 1930s, is set to return. The company stopped making cars in 1968 but Red Triangle, the company responsible for providing parts, maintenance and restoration for the last 40 years, has formed the Alvis Car Company to reintroduce selected original models. Many famous people have owned Alvis cars including such famous aviators as Lord Brabazon and the WWII fighter ace Douglas Bader.

Hyundai sizes up German rival
Hyundai's new Veloster coupe has been spotted in Europe undergoing back-to-back testing with its German rival, the Volkswagen Scirocco, prior to its introduction next year. A feature of the 2+2 Korean sportster is asymmetrical doors. The driver's side has a single opening, but there will be two doors on the opposite side. Power will be from a new 1.6-litre direct-injection petrol engine with a turbocharged version arriving later. The turbo may use Hyundai's first dual-clutch transmission. Diesel power hasn't been ruled out, either. Phil Hanson