A dot-com millionaire in Finland has copped a $100,000 fine for driving his Ferrari 360 Modena dangerously. Police say Jaakko Rytsola, aged 27, switched lanes too often and endangered other traffic in downtown Helsinki. The fine is believed to be the world's highest, topping the $95,000 penalty handed to Finnish hockey star Teemu Selanne in June for reckless driving. There is no limit on traffic fines in Finland - they are linked to the offender's income.
Caught napping
Holden Australia has been caught on the hop with details of the engine upgrades in the upcoming Commodore VX. The V6 and V8 engines in the new model are slightly more powerful than those in the present VT. But the first of the official owner's manuals in the VX contains the old power and torque outputs of the VT. Meanwhile, the VT is New Zealand's most popular car so far this year, extending its lead last month over the rival Ford Falcon by 472 units. Holden sold 800 new cars in New Zealand in August, the carmaker's best month since October 1995.
Will it or won't it?
While we are on Holden, will it follow Chevrolet's example in the United States and use a cylinder cut-off for its 5.7-litre V8 engine to boost fuel economy? Chevrolet will have the system in its new Corvette, due in 2003. Holden and its performance arm, Holden Special Vehicles, uses pretty much the same 5.7-litre engine in its top Commodore models. The system deactivates four of the eight cylinders when cruising. Mercedes-Benz uses it in its V8 S-Class saloons.
Speed limits ignored
Two-thirds of drivers ignore 50 km/h signs, more than half go faster than the motorway limit and more than one in five exceeds 130 km/h. Motorcyclists are most likely to speed on secondary roads, while virtually every second truck breaks the limit on urban roads. A New Zealand finding? No, a British survey which found that most drivers ignore speed limits on clear roads. The limit on motorways in Britain is 113 km/h (70 mph).
Rs keep on rolling
Remember the Mitsubishi Starion sports car of the 1980s? It was said that the Starion was so named because Japanese engineers struggled with the pronunciation of Stallion. Might be something in that, judging by the reported story in a Japanese publication about the new Subaru Impreza WRX and a section devoted to the "handring" of the car. Sales yo-yos
New-car sales in New Zealand over the past 20 years: 1979 - 70,346. 1980 - 75,666. 1981 - 89,453. 1982 - 83,657. 1983 - 74,077. 1984 - 96,398. 1985 - 81,516. 1986 - 76,076. 1987 - 77,499. 1988 - 71, 212. 1989 - 83,862. 1990 - 74,236. 1991 - 55,614. 1992 - 52,963. 1993 - 53,145. 1994 - 60,675. 1995 - 63,872. 1996 - 60,845. 1997 - 53,368. 1998 - 48,831. 1999 - 51,048. (Lifestyle four-wheel-drive vehicles are not included from 1993 on.)
Safe and easy
Fiat is planning to launch a range of models catering for the elderly and disabled, in light of estimates that 40 per cent of Europe's population will be aged over 65 by 2020. From next year, each new Fiat will include a safe and easy version, says Detroit newspaper Automotive News. The package is likely to include front seats that swivel towards the door and hand controls for the pedals.
We are the world
* A British insurance company is under fire after it admitted loading the car premiums of divorced women. Royal and Sun Insurance told a divorcee that she would have to pay an extra $200 because "divorced women are more likely to go off the rails."
* Formula One driver Jacques Villeneuve sides with critics who say regulations such as mandatory grooved tyres have slowed cars and reduced races to chess games. "Nobody wants to see someone die or really get hurt. But, you know, seeing a good crash brings a lot of excitement so long as nobody gets hurt."
Hit in the pocket
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