Nissan confronts Audi

Lawyers for Nissan are trying to stop Audi calling its new four-wheel-drive the Q7. The Japanese carmaker is claiming in court that Audi's use of the letter Q infringes on trademarks it has with the Q45 sedan and QX56 off-roader. It wants the court to prevent Audi from using the letter Q in its advertising or marketing campaigns.

MITSUBISHI PURSUES EXECS

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is seeking more than US$12 million ($17 million) from seven former executives who allegedly covered up recall and finance scandals, the Associated Press reports. The seven were at the helm when it was alleged that defects in some MMC cars and trucks had not been disclosed. The company's present management said that lawsuits were not being filed but that the money was being negotiated. The amount is roughly equal to the executives' retirement pay.

SHUFFLE AFTER KERFUFFLE

The BMW 3-Series to be launched in New Zealand next month will be the last of controversial designs that began with the 7-Series in 2002. Design chief Chris Bangle, the man responsible for the styling kerfuffle, says the four-year design revolution is over and the team is working on the next BMW look.

GOOD MONTH FOR HONDA

Honda New Zealand sold 731 new cars in March, the company's best month for nine years, bringing the first-quarter sales total to 1843 units, a 22 per cent increase on the same period last year. In the 2004-05 financial year, Honda sold 5865 vehicles, its best 12 months since local assembly ended in 1998. Honda attributes its success to its Price Promise strategy to hold up resale values. Managing director Graeme Seymour said: "It's very encouraging for us to be experiencing such impressive sales results without participating in fire-sale retailing."

JAG MAY BECOME AN EX

The Jaguar X-Type, the marque's mid-sized sedan built on a Ford Mondeo platform and introduced in 2001, might be phased out. Speculation in Europe is that Jaguar owners Ford see the X-Type as the most expendable of the range as it seeks ways to save Jaguar from leaking money. The X-Type lured new buyers but was never considered a "real" Jaguar.

WE ARE THE WORLD

New York's Department of Transportation splashed out US$3.3 million ($4.65 million) to build a "bronze garden" on an off-ramp at the Brooklyn-Queens underpass, which has been decorated with granite wall coverings inlaid with bronze flowers. The New York Sun says it was built because it is precisely at the point where the jurisdiction of three community boards meets and therefore was eligible for "special needs" joint-funding.