Nissan named Top Gear's car of the year

The Nissan 350Z is Top Gear magazine's car of the year for 2004. Jeremy Clarkson, presenter of the British magazine's television show (Sunday night, Prime), handed over the award in a ceremony in London last night. Top Gear said of the two-door 350Z: "From the moment you sit in the driver's seat, the Z feels like something special. It has the right shape, the right noise, the right pace, the right poise. All at the right price." The 350Z went on sale in Britain last March. The year's allocation of 450 cars was sold in 58 minutes. The 350Z is the Herald's present car of the year.

Diesels dominate

The PSA Peugeot Citroen group has produced its five-millionth direct-injection diesel engine. Volume production of the HDi engines began in September 1998 at Tremery in eastern France. The plant began with two engines and now builds four: 1.4, 1.6, 2 and 2.2 litres. The star performer has been the 2-litre 67kW (90bhp), which has accounted for just over half the engines made. To the end of January, the number of HDi engines equipped with pollutant-catching particulate filters totalled 617,000, almost 13 per cent of total production. By next year the figure is expected to rise to one million. Last year, 53 per cent of new Peugeot and Citroen passenger cars registered in Europe were diesel-powered. In Britain, diesel took 27.3 per cent of new passenger car registrations last year, compared with 23.5 per cent in 2002. So far this year diesel registrations are running at 31 per cent.

Bidders battle

A couple of cars at opposite ends of the motoring spectrum attracted bidders at Turners Auctions the other day. A 1978 Ford Falcon XC Cobra with only 37,000km on the clock sold for $44,520, and a rare 1930 Austin Swallow fetched $6500. Both cars went to New Zealand buyers, unlike a 1951 Vauxhall Velox and a 1962 Singer Vogue. The Vauxhall is off to Britain, the Singer to Japan.

Satisfaction sated

A British man who has bought a new Range Rover every year for the past 26 years has taken delivery of No 27. And it's white, like the previous 26. The man, whom Land Rover refers to as "Mr Godfrey", does about 80,000km over 12 months in each model before trading it in. Phil Popham, managing director of Land Rover, said: "We are delighted when customers continue to come back to our showrooms to buy another Land Rover, but when someone buys 27 over the same amount of years, we know we have achieved customer satisfaction."

Shell shafted

Shell has been rapped over the knuckles for making claims about its Optimax petrol that experts say aren't true. The company said in leaflets that its product "gives you an extra burst of fuel when you need it". But the British Advertising Standards Agency ruled this would not apply to all cars.

Motorists muddled

In a bid to stop drivers getting lost, the Automobile Association in Britain is having an atlas amnesty. According to its research, 60 per cent of motorists find their way round with maps more than three years out of date - so they are wasting fuel by not using the most direct route. Drivers can go to an AA service centre and trade in their old map for a free 2004 version.

We are the world

* In Germany, a crook who stole a $3000 stereo from a car replaced it with a cheaper one. Police said they'd never heard of thieves doing trade-ins before.

* A bus company in New York has reprimanded 30 drivers for not smiling enough at passengers.

* And in Sweden, a Volkswagen Beetle owner has finally used the free service offer that came with his car - 37 years after he bought it. Auto Express said that Dag Hellsing, from Umea, explained that he hardly ever drives his Bug.