The good oil: McLaren dealer

McLaren's MP4-12C supercar. Photo / Supplied

Sydney's Trivett car group is the new Downunder dealer for McLaren's MP4-12C supercar. The prestige outfit is one of 35 dealers in 19 countries charged with selling the $350,000 carbon-fibre bodied flyer. Trivett expects to sell 50 examples across the ditch next year. No word of deposits on the car from this side of the Tasman yet. McLaren Automotive boss Ron Dennis announced the appointment of Trivett this week. The two-seat MP4-12C is powered by a 414kW 3.8-litre V8 and made its debut at Britain's Goodwood Festival of Speed earlier this year. McLaren will fly an MP4-12C to Sydney for the launch in February.

Red light runners

This column's piece on two cyclists running a red light at about 40km/h in Mission Bay attracted many emails. Here's two. Writes Richard: "Unfortunately there are bad cyclists just as there are bad motorists. I recently sat by the same traffic lights for 30 minutes. Each time the lights changed a motorist went through a red light. In the interests of unbiased reporting I do hope that you will state this in your next column." Writes Paul: "Are you going to mention all the vehicles you see going through red lights? Vehicles that endanger lives? No, I didn't think so, so why put the comment about the cyclists?" Ed: This column began in September 1997. For many years it appeared twice weekly. A search shows 37 references to drivers who ran red lights and 11 to cyclists.

Green jeans

Buyers of the new Ford Focus can expect to get a couple of pairs of old blue jeans with the car. But the denims won't be wearable - they'll be in bits and pieces and used as sound-deadening material and carpet backing in the car, on sale in the US and Europe early next year and in New Zealand in 2012. The old clothes are part of Ford's plan to recycle things to divert waste from landfills and reduce use of virgin material.

Toys for Christmas

Germany's three big carmakers are gearing up for Christmas with a range of luxury toys that target the next generation of drivers. The rivalry between BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi has expanded to include a holiday season battle for playground prestige. Audi has a pedal-powered version of the 1930s Auto Union Type C racer, designed for kids up to 1.35m tall. Price is around NZ$17,000. BMW is firing back with branded snow sleds for NZ$140 apiece, and Mercedes-Benz has joined in with a pedal-power version of the gullwing SLS supercar for toddlers at around NZ$160. But British marque Aston Martin still holds the high ground in kids' Christmas toys. It sold mini motorised replicas of the V8 Vantage in the late 1980s and early'90s to customers including Prince Charles. The junior models cost around NZ$30,000, had a small petrol engine, radio, and a top speed of more than 50km/h. Collectors are paying up to NZ$50,000 for them these days.

We are the world

Tommy Riser had a few drinks under his belt when his wife arrived at the bar in the state of Washington and suggested he get his butt on home. He got into his pick-up truck, she followed in her car. Riser crashed into a power pole, got out of the truck and in behind the wheel of his wife's car. He crashed that into a guard rail near a bridge, then flagged down a lift to pick up another family vehicle, a tow truck. He was trying to tow both damaged vehicles at once when a deputy sheriff happened on by. Result: three DUI charges.