Toyota New Zealand has delayed the launch of its MR2 sportscar because it is waiting for a "special" specification. The factory has been building the model for some months, so why must New Zealand wait for a "special" variant? It seems the stock-standard MR2 was regarded as so boring that Toyota Japan hired its affiliate design company, Modelista, to restyle it, reworking everything but the windscreen. The result allows exterior panels to be swapped and is said to be more attractive and more practical. Is the Modelista model the "special" specification MR2 Toyota New Zealand is talking about?
Women on the run
Three months out from the BMW Auckland Marathon, women are taking up the challenge. Of the 2000 entries so far, 618 have come from females, a record number since the race began seven years ago. The race drew 2600 runners last year.
Not so fast
The new-vehicle market in New Zealand in July slowed somewhat compared with a buoyant June. But sales to the end of July were up nearly 6 per cent compared with the same period last year. So far this year, 41,863 new vehicles have been registered, of which Toyota has sold 17.6 per cent, Ford 15.2 per cent, Holden 12.7 per cent and Nissan 10.7 per cent.
Office racers ...
Just the thing for the wannabe race driver/company executive. British company TEK Sport has put a high-tech Recaro race seat on castors, like the wheelie thingamajigs on your office chair. The $3300 seat's luxury touches include an adjustable squab, integrated head-rest, and inflatable lumbar cushion.
Temporary red lights
Authorities in Hungary temporarily legalised prostitution for last weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix, won by Mika Hakkinen. The huge number of visitors to the small village near Mogyorod each year "have a demand for this basic service," said a local official. The police said they could monitor the situation only if it was restricted to a given area, so a temporary red light district was set up.
Precious teddy
Senior DaimlerChrysler executive Jurgen Hubbert collects toy animals, especially those made by prestigious German toymaker Steiff. Hubbert has 3000 of them. His love of the toys goes back to his childhood during the Second World War. When his home was bombed the only object he saved was his first Steiff teddy bear.
Break Escape
Ford has run into a second problem with its town-and-around four-wheel-drive, the Escape. About 1300 Escapes were recalled by the factory in America to replace a steering component that could crack and cause the steering wheel to come off in the driver's hands. The first hiccup concerned a minor component and happened before the Escape left the factory. The Escape is due in New Zealand next year. Jokesters in America are calling it the "Break Escape," a play on the movie The Great Escape.
Focus on the good
While we are on recalls and quality-control problems, Mitsubishi doesn't want people to dwell on where it went wrong at the factory in Japan. To divert attention away from bad news, it is leaking good news: upcoming models include an all-new Lancer sedan and light-duty four-wheel-drive to rival the Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V. Status quo
BMW has confirmed that its new baby car, the 2-Series, will be rear-wheel drive. There was much talk that the carmaker would switch to front-drive but it wants to be different in a segment full of cars like the Volkswagen Polo, Audi A2, A-Class Mercedes-Benz ... and so on. BMW says "with this decision we are emphasising one of the trademarks of BMW cars - unsurpassed agility."
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.
Latest from New Zealand
After spending $2m on pins for Covid-19 workers, department now cutting costs
Some 80,000 frontline pandemic workers were given the pins.