New Zealand businessman Allan Gibbs is expected to unveil another variant of the amphibious Aquada shown off in Auckland earlier this year. His British-based company, Gibbs Technologies, is developing the "Funster", a lightweight model for use in hotter climates. British motoring weekly AutoExpress says the new model is a cross
between a quad bike and a jetski. It is aimed at the US market, where more than 60 per cent of inquiries about the Aquada have come from.
URGENT NEED
There are 45 taxi companies in the Auckland district, running around 3600 vehicles. More than a third of the cabs are in the hands of Co-Operative (675), Corporate Cabs (240) and Alert (160). Many smaller cab companies have fleets of between 10 and 20 and work the streets only at weekends. The Fire Service has 68 stations between Mercer and Wellsford, with around 180 fire engines. St John Ambulance has 20 manned stations and 50 ambulances. No wonder it is asking the public to toss a few dollars its way.
VW BIRTHDAY PRESENT
European Motor Distributors is celebrating VW's 50th birthday in New Zealand with a hardback book and the announcement of an in-house finance company. Volkswagen Financial Services (NZ) Ltd will provide finance for VW, Audi, Skoda, Bentley, Lamborghini and Porsche buyers. A copy of the book - Volkswagen's 50 Years in New Zealand - will be given away with each car sold until the end of November. VW set up shop in New Zealand in October 1954, assembling Beetles at a plant in Otahuhu.
CLOCK WISE
Illegally changing the distance cars have travelled, or clocking, will be a thing of the past within two years, says the British motoring industry. The launch in Britain next month of a new computerised warrant of fitness test means that every vehicle's odometer reading will automatically be taken during the annual check-up and stored in a computer database. Anyone wanting to buy a car will then be able to phone a number to officially confirm that the odometer is correct. "This means any discrepancy will be obvious," said a spokesman for Britain's Ministry of Transport. "It will be a massive deterrent to people who falsify the mileage of cars." Every car more than three years old will be on the system by July 2006.
WE ARE THE WORLD
Bank robber Stephen Jackson, 35, was arrested at a car wash in Cleveland, Ohio, holding up his pants with one hand while feeding dye-stained dollar bills into a coin changer with the other. He had $US1800 ($2680) in coins in his pockets.
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