The Good Oil: Saab's alphabet soup

Saab hosted a handful of New Zealand motoring writers in Melbourne the other day for the launch of the Aero models (see main story). The carmaker talked about a lot of things but remained tight-lipped about a new engine it will unveil at next month's Geneva Motor Show. All we know is that the whizz-bang technology is called "Vepsilon," and uses variable compression to improve economy and specific power output. Dollars to doughnuts the engine has five of something - because "V" is the Latin letter five, and the Good Oil's dictionary says "epsilon" is the fifth letter of the Greek alphabet.


Audi takes to water


Audi is about to launch a spectacular advertisement on television in Europe featuring an A6 Quattro V8 towing a wakeboarder through the sea - at Bethell's Beach. That's right, on Auckland's west coast. Audi shipped three identical high-spec A6 Quattros here from Germany late last year and hired New Zealand champion wakeboarder Gavin Broadbent to hang on to the rope. The aim was to show how V8 power and the Quattro's all-wheel-drive traction can cope with the worst conditions. Each of the cars received a soaking, of course, often powering through wheel-high salt water during filming. But Audi technicians kept them ticking over, massaging the electrics for just one more shot. When filming was finished the three cars were shipped back to Germany, where they were put into a crusher. The story of the filming has interested British and European publishing houses. One company, TopMedia, is searching for a top-quality photo of Bethell's Beach. Its managing editor John Allen's e-mail is allenjr@compuserve.com


Pocket rocket news


Renault is about to muscle in on the New Zealand lifestyle market with its four-wheel-drive Scenic. The pictures and prices of the aggressive-looking town-and-around model will appear in Automotive News in the Herald next Wednesday. Also arriving soon from the French carmaker is the Clio Sport, a 240 km/h pocket rocket. Automotive News will explain why new GTi models will help Volkswagen to become the top European marque in New Zealand, what Nissan is going to do with the fabulous GTR Skyline, and why BMW is making a four-wheel-drive 3-Series.


Toyota leads the race

Toyota is off to a flying start in the 2000 new-car sales race. Its Echo, the "Pied Piper" in the television advertisement, topped the small-car market for January. The Corolla, Camry 220, new Celica, Land Cruiser and Hilux also led their segments. Toyota sold 1025 new vehicles for 18.3 per cent of the market, followed by Ford with 857 (15.3 per cent) and Holden with 647 (11.5). Mitsubishi finished with 517 (9.2), Nissan, 458 (8.2), Hyundai, 255 (4.6), Mazda, 240 (4.3) and Honda, 188 (3.4). Overall, January sales were up 13 per cent on the same month last year.


We are the world


* The jokes are already doing the rounds in America. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is using female dummies for the first time in crash tests.

* Meanwhile, the same body is warning America's carmakers not to put Internet access into vehicles. It says it will distract drivers.