Competitive coupe

The Chrysler Crossfire sports coupe is expected to go on sale in New Zealand early next year. The first left-hand-drive examples will be available in America in January/February and right-hand-drive markets should get their cars soon after. The carmaker promises the Crossfire will be competitively priced with rival coupes such as the Audi TT. The Chrysler will be powered by a 3.2-litre V6, mated to either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic gearbox.

Stupid manoeuvre

The Good Oil got on the Southern Motorway at Newmarket the other day and watched a truck and trailer laden with logs come right up behind to the point where the truck's grille filled the car's rear-vision mirror. The truck driver then swung the rig over into the centre lane and charged past at about 100 km/h. As passing manoeuvres go, it was dumber than dumb. In some countries, it would be dangerous driving.

Sport utes popular

A study of 5870 visitors to the Detroit motor show revealed that many were shopping for a sport utility vehicle (SUV). According to the survey, 27 per cent of the respondents said they wanted an SUV as their next vehicle. This compares with 15 per cent who were eyeing a mid-size car, 15 per cent who preferred a sports car, 11 per cent who wanted a luxury car, 11 per cent who would choose a pick-up truck, and 7 per cent who were most likely to buy a small car.

Audi scores century

Audi sold 102 cars in New Zealand last month, a record for the carmaker. Included in the total were 50 deliveries of the new A4, helped by arrivals of the 2.4-litre V6 multitronic and 3-litre V6 quattro versions. "After a record sales year in 2001 this was the best possible start we could have had towards reaching another milestone in 2002," said Glynn Tulloch, Audi division manager for European Motor Distributors Ltd. Audi's previous best month was February last year, when it sold 76 cars.

Ford at fault

A California jury ruled last week that Ford Motor Co's Explorer sport utility vehicle is "defective by design", in what was thought to be the first time Ford had been found liable for manufacturing and shipping a faulty Explorer model. The Barstow jury ruled 10 to two in favour of Agop and Catherine Gozukara, whose four-door 1994 Ford Explorer rolled over on a California highway three months after they bought it in 1997. Agop Gozukara suffered severe leg injuries in the accident and his wife was paralysed for life. "This is the first time in history that a jury has found this vehicle to be defective in design, in that it has a propensity to roll over," said Garo Mardirossian, lawyer for the plaintiffs. "The floodgates have now opened up," he said. "It's not a Firestone tyre problem. It's a car problem."

Holden record

The current VX model range of Holden Special Vehicles is the most successful in the niche carmaker's history. HSV sold a record 3310 cars in Australia last year, a 24 per cent increase over sales in 2000. Sales in New Zealand last year were up 40 per cent, from 304 in 2000 to 427. Since its New Zealand launch in 1989, 2392 HSV vehicles - about 7.5 per cent of the 33,000 or so built so far - have been sold in New Zealand.

We are the world

* Model-maker Matchbox celebrates its golden jubilee this year. Its founder, Jack Odell, started the firm when he made a tiny model road-roller for his daughter - and put it in a matchbox to keep it safe.