Holden NZ signals stock going fast

With Level Two allowing a return to car dealerships, how long have you got to buy a new Holden and what’s left?

commodore has taken a public pounding - yet stocks are low now

 RESUMING the business of getting out of … well, the business … marks Holden New Zealand out from all other car distributors that today resumed some semblance of trading normality.

Transition today into Level Two of the Government’s coronavirus crisis restrictions regime has allowed General Motors’ Australian maker to join most other major marques in welcoming the public back into showrooms.

Where Holden stands out is that it is a brand with no future, owner General Motors having announced its demise in February, so that buying time is limited.

For all that, Holden NZ is still guarded in detailing how much longer it has to go and exactly how much stock there remains to be moved.

Trax (above) and Acadia have also been a popular runout product

The Auckland distributor is only prepared to identify that its inventory is declining quickly.

It also cites that only the Colorado utility remains in reasonable availability, whereas crossovers and sports utilities were shifting faster and just a modest count of Astra and Commodore cars remain.

“We have a reasonable supply of new Colorado, both 4x2 and 4x4, as we head into the annual Fieldays sales campaign which usually takes place in June,” said corporate affairs manager Edward Finn.  

“There are some Commodore and Astra variants remaining, but for those customers who would like a new Holden SUV, Trax is almost sold out, a small selection of Equinox remain and there are limited numbers of Acadia.” 

Actual counts in respect to specific models and any thoughts about how long before these will be gone for good is not being shared, however.

When GM announced on February 17 that Holden was a goner, the inference was that full wind-down would still take until 2021.

However, it could be a quicker death. For instance, just a handful of Holden New Zealand’s staff at the East Mangere, Auckland, office will escape a mass redundancy that hits at the end of June. Those staying beyond then are involved in parts distribution and warranty care. Holden has to maintain parts supply and support for years yet.

colorado stockpile was built up for the now-abandoned fieldays

Conceivably, it might not be too much longer before Holden dealerships start either mothballing showroom space or finding other brands to fill it. A sobering situation in a market condition that, thanks to the virus, is predicted to drop 40-45 percent on the 2019 volume.

It is probable all shipments of Holden product to New Zealand have finished. So, what’s here now and still unregistered is all there will be.

The Covid-19 lockdown that virtually stopped all car sales for the month of Level Four and still had restrictive impact during the fortnight of Level Three that followed had cruel impact on Holden.

The brand had just begun the major run-out programme to clear its inventory when coronavirus struck. 

Obviously, few new cars were moved in April, when the shutdown allowed just three trading days: The April tally was 90 percent down on the same period of 2019. To give an idea of what that means, bear in mind that Colorado achieved as the second strongest selling ute for April … on the back of 38 registrations.

So what’s left and how long have prospective buyers got? Finn was apologetic:

“The best advice is for people who are considering the purchase of a new Holden is to contact their nearest authorised dealer and find out exactly what is on offer.”

Special Kei provided an enduring taste

Mazda’s first car was a cheeky little coupe. It’s never broken the two-door hardtop habit.

the enduringly awesome cosmo

MORE reminder of Mazda’s determination to never bend to car design and engineering conformity has come with reminder of how many two-door cars it has knocked out over the years.

The tenor of an in-house history of the company’s coupes, released as part of this being the brand’s 100th year, is a fascinating insight into its enduring commitment to this design style. 

Whereas many other Japanese makes committed more deeply to mainstream sedan shapes that were far more likely to win greater volume returns (that’s how Toyota, Mitsubishi and Nissan did it), Mazda always played beyond conservative tastes.

 That a conviction formed right at the start about how coupes best reflecting core brand philosophies remains adhered to now is a tribute to the make’s independent spirit. It hasn’t been a smooth road, but what a trip!

Agreed, that first offer, the R360 microcar designed for the domestic ‘kei’ category, is an utterly humble thing in comparison with the far more sporting products that have ultimately followed, but it nonetheless speaks clearly to Mazda’s intent to make cars that were attractive and visionary.

Of course, there was more. Mazda also identified that the best coupes around when it kicked into car-making in 1960 (having been involved in other industry, and starting out as cork supplier in the 1930s) were those that delivered performance-enhancing structures like rigidity, aerodynamics and weight reduction. These have also remained central elements of the brands product philosophy, wrapped up in the ‘fun to drive’ ethos that even the R360 was able to cheekily demonstrate, albeit less by virtue of its outright performance than the happy fact of it being the lightest in class.

Anyway, that made it an immediate bestseller, capturing 65 percent of Japan’s burgeoning microcar segment and 15 percent of the domestic market in 1960, the year of its launch.

Here’s the how the history unfolded from thereon, in the maker’s own words:

“The Mazda Carol P360 coupe, which had a longer wheelbase and a four-cylinder engine, joined the line-up in 1962 with comparable success.

Mazda’s first performance car was also a coupe, unveiled at the 1964 Tokyo Motor Show, the Mazda Cosmo Sport 110S would arrive on the market in 1967 as the world’s first production model with a twin-rotor engine. With space-age looks matched by the powertrain’s turbine-like sound, it was the beginning of an illustrious age of unconventional rotary sports coupes at Mazda. The Cosmo Sport also launched the brand’s international motorsport career.

However, the big international sales breakthrough would come with the Familia/R100 and Capella/616/RX-2 series – the respective forerunners to the Mazda3 and Mazda6 – along with the Grand Familia/818/RX-3. Mazda took its rotary engine global with these models starting in 1968, and their Italo-design inspired looks electrified buyers, quickly driving overseas unit sales into six-figures.

Even more stunning was the Mazda Luce R130 coupe introduced in 1969. Designed at Bertone by Giorgetto Giugiaro (who had also styled the first Familia), it was Mazda’s only front wheel-driven rotary model and is now a sought-after collector’s item. Slotted above the RX-2 and RX-3, the Luce R130 would make way in 1972 for the Mazda RX-4. Marketed as luxurious and sporty, the hardtop coupe version was available with an “AP” (anti-pollution) rotary that improved emissions and fuel economy. The engine would also see service on the RX-3 and Mazda Cosmo/RX-5 launched in 1975 in coupe and fastback format. Performance of the 110-135PS rotary RX coupes, with kerb weights in the 900-1,100kg range, was very respectable for the time.

The Hiroshima carmaker took this recipe for driving fun up a level in 1978 with the Mazda RX-7, whose unique wedge-shaped design featured a wraparound glass rear window. Under the bonnet of Mazda’s first truly mass-market sports car was a completely redesigned rotary engine. Propelling a lightweight structure with near-perfect weight distribution, it was exceptional to drive. Successful on the racetrack and rally stage, the RX-7 developed over three model generations into a high-performance twin-turbocharged super-coupé on par with the best the competition had to offer. With some 811,000 produced, the RX-7 remains the most popular rotary powered car in history.

Less well known is the Eunos Cosmo, a Japan-only luxury sports coupe built from 1990 until 1995. It was the only production model with a three-rotor engine; the 300PS twin-turbo “20B-REW” was also the largest-ever production rotary. The Cosmo introduced many new cutting-edge technologies, like the first built-in GPS navigation system and a touchscreen display.

Another domestic market model, the Autozam AZ-1, was remarkable in its own way. Weighing only 720kg, the exciting mid-engined kei coupe developed under Toshihiko Hira, MX-5 programme manager, had gullwing doors and a 9,000rpm redline – in a segment personified by utilitarian “boxes on wheels”.

This was typical Mazda, always seeking new ways of making its coupes look and feel special. The Mazda 929 coupe (1982-86), with its lowerable opera windows in the B-pillar, is yet another example. The stylish Mazda MX-6 (1987-97), meanwhile, had optional four-wheel steering. And the compact Mazda MX-3 (1992-98) was available with the 1.8-litre K8 engine, the world’s smallest mass-production V6.

Even back in those days, Mazda dabbled in crossover designs, widely considered a 21st-century phenomena. The Mazda 323F (1989-98) made a family friendly five-seater out of a wedge-shaped sports coupe with pop-up headlights, while the Mazda Xedos 6 (1992-99) walked the line between luxury coupe and mid-sized saloon. And the Mazda RX-8 (2003-12), a two-row “quad coupé” with freestyle doors yet, again demonstrated the company’s sophistication when it came to refreshing coupe design.

Today Mazda continues to push design convention with models like the Mazda MX-5 RF (“Retractable Fastback”). As with the previous generation MX-5 Roadster Coupe, the RF’s one-of-a-kind power hardtop gives the world’s most popular roadster the comfort of an enclosed cabin, while concept cars like the Mazda RX-Vision and Vision Coupe demonstrate how stunning coupe design influences the Kodo: Soul of Motion design philosophy that delivers the award-winning styling you find across the whole Mazda range, something demonstrated by the 2020 World Car Design of the Year winning Mazda3.”

Skoda shows off big Greenie

The electric Skoda destined for New Zealand has been unleashed in an appropriately green land.

THE covers - well, camo - are still on, but a lot of details have nonetheless come out about Skoda’s first electric vehicle for international markets, the Enyaq iV.

Even though the car is still under disguise, a media preview effort that involved taking it to Ireland - because, in addition to the ‘E’ also referencing ‘electric’ and the ‘q’ conforming to an in-house naming practice, Enyaq derives from the Gaelic girl’s name Enya (which means ‘fire’ and ‘kernel’), plus green is Skoda’s colour and Ireland is the Emerald Isle – to release video, images and a ton of spec information – there’s been little holding back on detail.

For instance, Skoda has confirmed a car earmarked for sale here within two years will come with the options of three battery sizes, five power variants and a driving range of up to 500 kilometres. It also provisions in rear-drive in entry form and four-wheel-drive further up the range and a performance all-paw RS edition with 225kW is on the cards.

The car, of course, bases off the common underpinnings and drive units developed by Volkswagen for the ID.3 hatch and ID.4 crossover and also heading to SEAT, for the el-Born: Also already cited as a local starter.

Where it prices is anyone’s guess, but in size Skoda’s EV slots between the Karoq and the Kodiaq, being 4648mm long, 1877mm wide and 1618mm tall, on a 2765mm wheelbase.  

It is also classed as an SUV, though realistically that’s just a convenience. The message from commentators who got to see and drive it is that, because of the massive battery pack within the floor, there isn't a great deal of ground clearance so don't expect to go very far off-road in it.

However, it is designed to tow (if only up to 1200kg) and will is as roomy as the Kodiaq, with a big cabin – made all the more spacious by the lack of a transmission tunnel – and a 585-litre boot. Unlike some other electric SUVs, there isn't a storage area under the bonnet.

If Skoda NZ entertains taking the full range, then conceivably Enyaq would provision in more variants than virtually any model it presently sells here.

The line starts with the 109kW Enyaq iV 50, driven by a rear-mounted electric motor (so, rear-wheel drive) with a 55kWh battery pack and a maximum driving range of 340 kilometres.

Above this is the Enyaq iV 60, also rear-wheel drive but with a 62kWh battery and a 390km driving range, then the Enyaq iV 80, the highest choice in the rear-motored set. It has an 82kWh battery offering 150kW and up to 500 kilometres’ range.

Beyond this are dual-motor all-wheel-drive 80X and RS variants, also with the 82kWh battery pack, but with a second electric motor driving the front wheels. In this form the 80X has 195kW and the RS another 30kW more. The extra grunt comes at expense of range, but not greatly, with 460km claimed. The RS is the only variant that Skoda has announced a 0-100kmh time for; claiming it’ll smash that in 6.2 seconds. That’s 0.8s better than the fastest current Kodiaq, the RS. 

Fast charging is also promised with an 80 percent 'fill' possible from 40 minutes at a 125kW DC-powered station … provoding, that is, you’re talking about the 82kWh models. The onboard 11kW charging unit will enable users with a suitable domestic wallbox to replenish the battery charge in six to nine hours, depending on battery size.

Skoda wouldn’t allow photos of the interior, but media noted it doesn’t have the usual Skoda instrument displays, but instead takes a small digital display ahead of a two-spoke steering wheel plus an augmented head-up display that projects onto the windscreen, as in the Volkswagen ID.3. A centrally mounted freestanding touchscreen sits atop the dashboard, and this will come in two sizes, 10- or 13-inch, depending on model.

Skoda’s bent for practicality reveals with decent interior storage, including a generous console between the front seats. It gets a large wireless charging pad that can charge two phones simultaneously. Oh yes, and it has the trad umbrella. 

Skoda has a wide variety of specification grades, starting with Studio, available in the Enyaq 50 alone. Additional Loft, Lodge, Suite and Eco Suite trim levels will be available on the 60 and 80 models, and Eco Suite features more sustainably sourced materials. The 60 and 80 versions will gain the largest touchscreen display, a 13-incher. 

The car taken to Ireland was an Enyaq 80 and even with four adults on board, it was determined to have plenty of performance to offer with the typical instantaneous pick-up that is associated with electric motors.

What stood out for invitees was the smoothness of the ride over secondary road surfaces. Said one Irish publication: “It impressively soaked up larger bumps and the damping effect was equally polished, despite the lack of air suspension. How much that will differ in cars fitted with the largest 21-inch wheels remains to be seen, but running on 19-inch rims (also wearing winter tyres), it left a positive impression.”

GS ‘top fan’ sad to see it go

The Lexus GS medium sedan is low key but will be missed.

 DETERMINATION by Lexus to axe the GS sedan is bittersweet for the brand’s top man here.

Neeraj Lala has no trouble understanding the logic behind the move – the national SUV obsessions has rendered luxury sedans of all sizes increasingly irrelevant. 

Here Toyota’s premier marque has primarily become a sports utility operation, with the extra spin of a brand-unique hybrid push with its controversial ‘self-charging’ tag line.

Even though the sales progress of the four-strong GS line is modest in New Zealand, it has a fanbase.

Lala’s in that support group. He reckons his own drive car, the range-topping F-designated V8 that, at $169,900 costs $60k more than the entry variant, that sees far more red than Green, won’t be easy to relinquish. Mind you, he has the best sub-variant, the limited-count F10 anniversary model. 

“It’s a great car, hands down the best one I’ve had as a work car,” says the Toyota and Lexus New Zealand chief operating officer.

“I’m really enjoying having it. They did a great job with it.

“It’s a real shame to see ‘fun’ sedans like this being under threat. But demand for those cars unfortunately doesn’t allow them to continue on.”

The decision to axe GS was expected. “Switching it off has been on our plan for at least two years, it’s not a surprise.

“It is fairly well documented that the demand for those sedans is no longer there. SUVs and crossovers now deliver the same handling levels but also offer greater practicality and flexibility.

“It is a car we would love to keep but the brand is moving on. We have some exciting Lexus models coming next year and, honestly, I just see customers gravitating more toward those models that offer more flexible, dynamic solutions than a traditional rear-drive car.”

GS production for NZ ends in August. The LS flagship and smaller ES sedan will remain in the family, the latter now including an F-Sport

For New Zealand, the ‘F’ will be the final blast of a model line that has been part of Lexus for 27 years and spans four generations. 

An announced special edition of a current shape that came out in 2012 will not come to New Zealand, Lala says.

He believes the swansong ‘Eternal Touring’ special edition that will be last out of the factory will likely only avail in Japan and the United States.

The Eternal Touring adds a number of sporty design touches including the F Sport spindle grille, a rear spoiler, orange brake callipers, red-and-black leather interior trim, F Sport seats and carbon trim on the passenger-side dash.

With the removal of the GS F, Lexus NZ is left with only two models sporting the ferocious 351kW 5.0-litre aspirated V8 – the RC F and LC500 coupes. 

However, more performance models seem set to be on the way. In February, the brand released a statement about its racing ambitions in Europe, and included in the news was the announcement it will be testing a new twin-turbo V8 that will be implemented in a production model.

No word has been given on what models are set to receive the new force-fed bent eight, however the most likely candidate is the LC coupe, which is being used as the test car for Lexus’ racing programme. 

No current F grade exists for the flagship coupe, however a more potent version of the V8 could see it become a reality.

Given the current V8 outputs 351kW/540Nm in the LC500, the twin-turbo mill would likely have to push in excess of 400kW to earn the F badge, overseas’ media have conjected.  

The first generation of GS went on sale globally in 1993, with the second-gen version following in 1997.

In 2005 the Toyota Crown-based third generation arrived, replaced by the current model in 2012.

Goodbye HSV, hello GMSV?

Is HSV about to disappear? The famous performance make’s New Zealand boss is coy about rebranding talk.

 CONJECTURE about Holden Special Vehicles being set to soon morph into a new set-up involving General Motors has garnered a cool response from the New Zealand operation.

 Andrew Lamb, the specialist make’s New Zealand regional manager, was approached for comment on media speculation across the Tasman that a public announcement on a new branding and direction will be revealed very soon.

Talk about a re-emergence as General Motors’ Speciality Vehicles traces back to comment aired during GM’s announcement on February 17 that Holden was heading for the grave.

References were made to GMSV that day in a media release and during a subsequent trasntasman press conference.

Yesterday Australia’s top car mag, Wheels, ran a story on its website suggesting this scenario has progressed to a deal between GM and Walkinshaw Group, the powerhouse behind HSV, which dates back to 1988.

According to the Wheels report: “GMSV is expected to be a joint venture between Walkinshaw Group and GM and its task initially will be exactly what HSV does now; take North American-built, left-hand-drive GM product and convert it to right-hand drive in Melbourne.”

It also cited that those vehicles will then be distributed through a revised, slimmed-down dealer network. Currently, HSV has 56 dealers in Australia and eight in New Zealand, all but two in the North Island. 

The speculation is that GMSV’s focus will initially be on Chevrolet pick-ups, SUVs and performance vehicles. The new mid-engined C8 Chevrolet Corvette is expected to be part of the line-up. 

As for the Camaro? HSV last week acknowledged it has ceased remanufacturing of that vehicle into right-hand drive and has no plan to restart this.

Chris Polites, HSV’s executive director of sales and marketing, is reported by the CarAdvice website as saying: “There are no plans to bring back the Camaro. Once these cars are gone, they are gone.” 

Questions for Lamb included what was the status of HSV here presently and are HSV Camaros still available here and, if so, for how much longer?

He was asked if he wished to share any thoughts about emergent conjecture about the future of HSV and the likelihood of it becoming GMSV and if he had any messages for HSV customers and potential purchasers.

In response to this, he indicated no change to business. “We continue to sell vehicles through our specialist HSV and Chevrolet NZ dealer network and plan for this to continue for the foreseeable future.”

In respect to Camaro and its stock count and ongoing availability here, he offered: “HSV re-engineered RHD Camaro 2SS and ZL1 models are still available through HSV dealers in NZ.”

In respect to the potential for GMSV, he contended: “That is being discussed well above my pay grade and when finalised appropriate announcements will be made”

He said HSV owners and intending purchasers could be reassured that all HSV and HSV re-engineered Chevrolet vehicles in NZ “are fully backed by HSV with a three-year warranty and three-years’ roadside assist so owners can buy with confidence. 

Lamb also confirmed the Silverado 1500 pickup released in Australia several weeks ago has now been priced for New Zealand – it’s a $123,990 ask before options - and would soon be available.

“First vehicles are already built and should be with NZ dealers later next month.”

Just a single version, a feature-laden LTZ Premium Edition, is being converted by the Melbourne operation with the RAM 1500 cited as the primary rival.

The Chevrolet is slightly larger but gives away a little on payload capacity, 845kg vs 712kg.

Under the bonnet there is a naturally aspirated 6.2-litre V8 petrol engine producing 313kW and 624Nm, driving all four wheels via a 10-speed automatic transmission and resulting in a maximum braked towing capacity of 4500kg.

Drivers have four different driving modes at their disposal depending on the journey at hand, those being Touring for everyday driving, Sport for increased throttle response, Off-road for slippery conditions and Tow/Haul for towing duties.

Features include 10-way power adjustable, heated and ventilated leather front seats with memory function, heated leather steering wheel, leather rear seats (outboard seats also heated), dual-zone climate, keyless entry and start, powered sunroof, express front and rear windows, tyre pressure monitoring, 60:40 split-folding rear seats, auto-dimming rearview mirror and dual-zone climate control.

On the safety front, lane change alert with side blind zone alert and rear cross-traffic alert, forward collision alert, low speed forward automatic braking, front pedestrian braking, Intellibeam automatic headlamp control, following distance indicator, front and rear park assist, safety alert seats, six airbags, electronic stability control, trailer sway control and hill-start assist are all fitted as standard.

Covid-19: So you want to buy a car under Level Three? Here's how ...

Buying a new or used vehicle is again possible - but it’s hardly as easy as just sauntering onto a yard.

 CAR yards might from today become a front line in testing the limits of what constitutes ‘contactless’ under Covid-19 restrictions.

Today’s easing of rules of business under the coronavirus emergency allows new and used vehicle traders opportunity to resume selling, though with caveats and great care.

They might also expect to be under close official scrutiny to ensure Level Three boundaries are not crossed. Quite literally, in fact.

A core requirement carrying over from Level Four is that businesses cannot offer services that involve face-to-face contact.

 Whether that even allows yards and showrooms to operate and to what extent has caused demarcation and seems sure to become controversial. 

All this in a climate of growing desperation to resume trading.

Allowance to keep supplying new products to essential services since lockdown hit on March 26 has hardly been any panacea for the new car industry. 

Franchises are braced for April being the worst month for vehicle registrations since data-gathering began in 1975.

It’s been little better for the used car sector that has spent almost a year grappling with a slow but steady decline in used import volumes. Over-saturation and a regulation demanding electronic stability control in all ex-Japan passenger fare imported from March 1 have hurt.

Level Three gives franchise outlets a lifeline in that they can reinstate serving and parts provision, but with clear proviso customers do not have direct involvement. 

The core business of selling vehicles now also seems possible to accomplish, but not easily. Car yards are the sole avenue as Trade Me has stopped sales of non-essential items, including vehicles, and auctions are also off.

Want a test drive? Some brands are trying out virtual tours by video, where a salesperson shows you around on screen.

But plenty of punters will prefer to drive. First, prospective vehicle buyers are being asked to communicate remotely (so by phone or email). There’s no direct handing over the keys. Cars will be left at a mutually agreed place for hand over and return. When you’re out driving, sales folk might want you to patch into the Bluetooth – a good way to chat about the features and how stuff works. Vehicles will have to be extensively sanitised before and after. Arranging any eventual sales will also be by phone or internet and could become completely paperless.

What has raised concern is intention by some new and used vehicle sellers to staff and open their yards to customer visits – either to the edge of the property or actually onto premises. 

From the tenor of their website announcements, some operators seem to believe they can allow the latter so long as a visit pre-arranged, social distancing is maintained and there are hygiene provisions. 

That potentially takes them into a danger zone that the The Motor Industry Association, which represents new vehicle distributors, believes is best approached with extreme caution.

The Government’s Unite against Covide-19 website also sides with that viewpoint and offers this might become a matter than might attract further investigation. 

It reminds no physical storefronts can be open. “They can do contactless delivery or click and collect … customers wanting to look at cars (on the sales site) would have to do so through video call and not in person.”

MIA Chief executive David Crawford understands a number of distributors have indicated their franchises will open, but not showrooms.

“If somebody wants to buy a vehicle it can be done, but it’s on-line and contacting the franchise dealer. Showrooms will not be open.”

As for allowing public access to premises? “Yeah, we’ve looked into this. I’d like to be able to say the rules are crystal clear. They’re not. But they are relatively clear.” 

The only possible solution had, or created, a drive-through corridor whose dimension and markings met requirement. “If they had that and were able to maintain a contactless exchange then it’s possible.”

However, it was complex and “the margins are going to be very fine.” 

Used car dealers contacted had varying viewpoints about how much care was required and more than one suggested it really came down “to how this is interpreted.” 

In his instance, the yard would be staffed, but the gates would be locked so no-one could simply wander in. Any customer interaction would be by invitation only. “We arrange a pick-up time and leave the car outside the gate for them to take away.”

If lines are crossed, should there be sympathy? Crawford says there’s no argument the industry is under pressure.

“It doesn’t matter if you’re a franchise dealer or not, whether you’re selling new or used. It’s about cash flow. Just getting those businesses to operate and generate even a bit of cash flow is important. 

“This is a capital-intensive sector and with lots of money tied up with servicing capital and there’s no incomes …. well, you can get crippled fairly quickly.” 

At same token, new vehicle distributors were wholly supportive of the Government’s action against coronavirus and felt it was crucial to maintain the letter and intent of their advice. 

“No doubt there will be some people out there who might try to push the barriers … but the last thing any of the franchise dealers and distributors want is to bring disrepute to the sector at this time.”

Skoda product stream still flowing

The Kamiq will launch soon and the Octavia is still maintaining inbound status for this year.

EXPECTATION of the new generation of Skoda’s international best-seller still reaching New Zealand this year remains high.

This local confidence about the Octavia comes in the wake of latest, more optimistic signals from the Skoda factory.

Having earlier indicated that the model’s international release might no longer be in June, as planned, the maker is now set to resume production next week.

While the restart is going to be gradual, there’s hope the production stream will be enough to keep local supply planning more or less intact.

Knowing all this, Skoda New Zealand general manager Rodney Gillard remains quietly hopeful he can get the car here before year end.

“We are still planning on launching this year and are working with the factory right now.”

It’ll take a couple of weeks before the factory can give absolute clarity about what this effort will deliver, insofar as the export markets are concerned. However, he says none of the talk from head office to date has raised cause for undue concern.

“There will be a delay, but at the moment it is only theoretical, not confirmed, so I still see it being available for us prior to the end of the year.” 

He also affirms another core model, the Kamiq small crossover, remains on track for local release – cars are here and they will likely become available to customers within a matter of weeks, with that process obviously made all the easier if lockdown relegates to Level Two.

In respect to that, he says the Covid-19 crisis will very likely influence the way cars are sold from now on, even if the country finally gets back to the same level of daily normality that existed before the virus was known about. 

However, he says the car industry has always shown fantastic flexibility when it comes to dealing with challenges. 

As one for instance, he reminds that the requirement for contactless interactions that will flavour the limited resumption of business under Level Three won’t seem that foreign, in that “dealers have been selling new and used cars on TradeMe for 20-odd years.”

“So I think we will just need to modify the way we do things, but we can still get on with it.”

Kamiq is key because rhe small crossover segment was the fastest-growing category prior to the Covid-19 crisis, and are expected to keep fostering interest even if new car sales fall as predicted.

Yet Skoda here also has faith the Octavia, which has been the brand’s biggest volume model internationally and was the car that re-introduced Kiwis to Skoda in its new-generation (meaning, VW-owned) format, will also be a hit. 

Some of that confidence is based on this fourth-generation line now presenting in hybrid and plug-in hybrid editions in addition to the ongoing fully fossil-fuelled variants provisioned until now.

Additional detail about the model line was revealed this week, with the covers being taken off the wagon – Combi in Skoda-speak – that will place alongside a liftback sister model that was unveiled several months ago.

The car is based on the MQB Evo platform that’s also used by the rest of VW Group’s latest compacts.

By ‘compact’ they mean in class category. Not in physical size, clearly. Being 19mm longer than its forebear ensures this Octavia accounts for a 4689mm space in a car park. The wheelbase has remained unchanged at 2686 mm. It’s also 15mm wider, at 1829mm. 

Skoda cites it having markedly more interior space than the current model, giving a cargo volume in either liftback or wagon format of 600 litres before the rear seats are lowered.

 The interior is also more advanced technologically, offering a choice of four infotainment systems from the latest-generation Modular Infotainment Matrix and a permanent online connection via an integrated eSIM.

The central touchscreen display measures 8.25 to 10 inches and supports gesture control for some functions. There’s also a Laura digital voice assistant and it has inductive smartphone charging and up to five USB-C ports on board. A 10.25-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel can be implemented as an alternate to an orthodox display.

The plug-in hybrid technology is just one Green alternate. It also provisions with a mild-hybrid setup and, in addition to petrol and diesel, European markets will also have opportunity for CNG engines.

With Skoda, the ultimate electric assisted option means alacrity in addition to efficiency. That version, called the Octavia iV, achieves a 150kW output from pairing a 1.4 TSI petrol engine with an electric motor and 13 kWh battery. All that, and an EV driving range of up to 60km in the WLTP cycle. If that’s not good enough, there’s also the new Octavia RS iV plug-in hybrid which offers 180kW and a similar EV driving range.

The new gen delivers big improvements is driving assistance technology. New systems include Collision Avoidance Assist, Turn Assist, Exit Warning and Local Traffic Warning, among other features.

CX-30 optimism remains though some orders lost

The CX-30 releases into a different market environment Mazda had forecast just a few weeks ago.

ACCEPTANCE this year’s new car market might crash and deliver just half the 2019 volume hasn’t destroyed Mazda NZ’s confidence, yet will steer sales expectation. 

In discussing hopes for the CX-30 compact crossover, which stands as the first new car to launch nationally since the Covd-19 lockdown enacted, the brand has admitted some would-be buyers have already u-turned and pulled out of deals.

The Mazda3-based five-seater priced from $41,490 to $50,990 will become available from next Tuesday, a timing that synchs in with a relaxation in national restrictions that allows resumption of car sales, though with caveat of this being contactless. So, no showroom visits and a continuation of social distancing which demands care when handing over new cars to customers.

The release is subsequent to a dismal forecast from the Motor Industry Association. The national body representing new vehicle distributors is predicting the new car and light commercial count this year could be 40 to 50 percent lower than last year’s count of 154,763 units 

The industry is also anticipating potential of hugely diminished fleet interest, mainly from the crucial rental sector, which appears to have skidded to a sudden halt as result of tourism freeze.

Nonetheless, Mazda NZ is putting on a brave face. It still sees some business sector opportunity for CX-30, moreso than comes with its other crossover contenders, notably from small to medium businesses.

Even so, it will be mainly reliant on private buyer interest in its new model which, as essentially an elevated version of the Mazda3 hatchback becomes the fifth crossover Hiroshima offers and places above the CX-3 and below the CX-5 that has been their best-selling model for some time.

In an online presentation today, Mazda NZ’s managing director, David Hodge, and his manager of product and sales planning, Tim Nalden, signalled that as much as CX-30 is ‘right’ for the market – aiming at the compact crossover category that was showing best growth prior to the coronavirus emergency - market conditions could not be more challenging.

The Auckland-domiciled operation has passed on sharing volume expectations for the car and admits that an original launch timing stymied by the lockdown has been so disrupted by the ensuing national situation that much pre-crisis forecasting has effectively been rendered useless.

Yet that wasn’t just his brand’s dilemma; Nalden hazards the entire car business is in the same situation.

“If you asked anyone (in the industry) what the forecast will be, I doubt anyone will be able to give an accurate reading.”

The market is all but impossible to read. “I suspect you will see that change, day by day, week by week, month by month as we work through this ... at the end of the day, who knows?”

The MIA’s sobering assessment of 2020 has come from canvassing opinion from all new vehicle distributors here and has since been supported by an Infometrics forecast, issued yesterday, Hodge says.

Nalden says Mazda NZ has lost orders for Mazda product, CX-30s included, since lockdown hit. He and expected more cancellations to come. This after such strong interest in CX-30 that 50 percent of the initial shipment had been spoken for during January and February.

“Yes, we have had some orders cancelled … and that is simply just potentially reflecting the state of the economy and anxiety around job security and also the propensity to be able to spend money.

“I would be surprised if 100 percent of all of the deposits currently on our vehicles are retained. 

“I think it’s just natural that we can’t expect everyone to stay there, nor should be expect to force people to have to follow through (on deals) if their financial position has changed.”

Hodge has reinforced that Mazda NZ will extend vehicle warranties if they expire during the period of the lockdown, and look after vehicles that have become overdue for their servicing.

As coronavirus continues to spread across the world, car makers are taking the extreme measure of plant closures, mainly in China, South Korea and Europe – though several there seem to be looking to restart soon – and in America, where makers have extended shutdown periods.

Japan’s car industry seems to have been spared the worst in that only factories outside of their home country have been hit. Domestic assembly lines, including those in Hiroshima that makes CX-30 and most other core passenger product for NZ, are still operating. The bigger question hangs over the supply of part from third-party providers. China is the primary provider of components for the world’s car makers; the epicentre of that industry is, ironically, the place where coronavirus was first identified, Wuhan. 

Nalden says supply to New Zealand remains good and the stock count here is healthy.

“We've had a month without any selling, so naturally stock is higher than usual.”

Added Hodge: “Mazda has good stocks of new vehicles that should last us at least three months. But going forward, it is obvious the vehicle supply pipeline will be disrupted.”

Longer term, Nalden anticipates the situation in respect to ‘indent’ models – the industry parlance for variants of such low volume they are secured through placing customer orders at the factory - and also for supply in the medium term could yet become less clear. 

“While our factories in Japan and Thailand are still operational, each factory is running less staff and reduced shifts (for social distancing) and consequently outputs are lower.

“Also, given each country around the world is at different stages with the pandemic, component supply is less assured than normal.”

On top of this, the shipping lines are altering schedules, as volumes have changed markedly for all automotive brands.

This report includes additional reporting by Rob Maetzig

Hotshot RS has gone but Focus ST will still burn

Ford NZ has reacted to news the fabulous Focus RS won’t continue with suggestion the ST is hot enough to fill in.

Will an underdog be accepted as king of the kennel?

More specifically, can a 206kW front-drive hot hatch fill the boots of a far more hyperactive four-wheel-drive big brother that, in the final tuning of its previous format presented to New Zealand, generated 257kW and smashed 0-100kmh in 4.7 seconds?

As hard as it might be for some revheads to accept the Focus ST incoming to New Zealand in June, price and final specification still undisclosed (and Covid-19 notwithstanding), having the cojones to satisfy RS-level expectations, that’s exactly what is going to happen, with news that the latter Focus has been killed off.

Ford New Zealand is pulling on its brave pants in responding to thought that, with the RS gone, it might lose a fanbase and struggle with ST to maintain the traction RS gained as an ultimate Euro-flavoured Blue Oval bad boy.

Corporate communications manager Tom Clancy believes the ST has enough flavour to win at least a look from the RS fanbase.

“The initial reviews from Europe of the … ST have been highly positive so we will see some RS customers and hot hatch enthusiasts in general checking out the new Focus ST.”

Ford has left those hardcore addicts no choice, with news that a famous badge with lineage going back to early Escorts now ends with $76,990 RS Limited Edition that came here in September of 2018.

The idea of developing a fourth generation RS hinged on it working with what’s turned out to be a developmental dead-end – a high-output hybrid turbo four-cylinder engine and an emissions-reducing 48V mild-hybrid system to meet tighter CO2 targets while retaining ballistic capability.

A company statement reads: “As a result of pan-European emissions standards, increased CO2 taxation and the high cost of developing an RS with some form of electrification for a relatively low volume of vehicles, we are not planning another RS version of the Focus.”

This doesn’t necessarily mean the RS will not re-emerge in the future – the statement is careful to apply specifically to this generation Focus – yet it does mean that for the time being the onus of being the ultimate family funster falls on a variant that, until now, has always been a stepping stone between the mainstream and the fully malevolent formats.

The new ST is certainly set to be a faster, more honed car than its predecessor. Notably, it comes equipped with a 206kW/420Nm 2.3-litre four-pot turbo – up by 22kW and 60Nm over the old model.

That means it is offering just 20Nm less than the last RS in its hottest factory format, though the power output is also 49kW shy.

It is also surely set to win a wider audience than the previous ST, or any RS, as they were manual gearbox models, whereas the next transfers to a seven-speed direct shift transmission.

Says Clancy: “The RS was more suited to enthusiasts as was the previous Focus ST.  

“Where we anticipate the largest customer interest/movement is from the fact that this is the first time we’ve offered a 7-speed automatic transmission with paddle shift in a Focus ST.

“We anticipate many new customers and customers coming from competitors who have had autos before the Focus ST.”

However, the ST is patently not on the same level as the last RS in respect to drivetrain tech, which stands to reason.

In production and on sale in its primary markets for almost a year, ST was developed at a time when Ford was committed to doing as it has previously done: Continuing it as a fun, but lower-tier, excitement than the RS which was – back then – was a definite starter. 

Which is why the RS alone had the full-out race-spec tech and aimed at utterly bonkers high-end specialist all-wheel-drive Euro fare – the likes of the Audi RS3 and Mercedes A35 and A45 - whereas the ST was designed more as a foil to front-drive hotties, most notably the Renault Megane RS and the VW Golf GTI.

The RS will certainly be remembered as a marvel of chassis technology and sheer aggression.

As other have noted, it’s been no stranger to variety. The first-generation car relied on turbocharged, 2.0-litre power sending drive to the front axle; the second also put power through the steering set and switched to a five-cylinder unit. The previous Focus RS returned to four-cylinder power, but adopted an all-wheel-drive system and lifted the game all the more. 

 Huge grunt from a 2.3-litre turbo engine (with 1.8bar or 26PSI of turbo boost) channelled via a six-speed manual gearbox and, in most-prized Limited form, a Quaife mechanical (meaning real, not a pretend electronic approximation) limited-slip differential at the front and it had a RS Performance Wheel Pack with 19-inch rims and Michelin Pilot Sport Cup rubber. All this, and a fun-tastic Drift Mode that unleashed it for impressively Hoonigan-style big skids (track use only, of course). 

That clever stuff showed in the price, of course. At $76,990, that last blast RS added $4000 to the sticker attached to the standard model and left it around $25k above the ST. 

So much for so little? As much as the RS sticker seemed to put it beyond the faint-hearted, it sold fast anyway.

And though, of course, the RS car park was always smaller than the ST’s, which in itself held something of a niche presence, it proved how strongly street cred can ‘sell’ a car, being utterly untroubled being noticed by those in the know.

Right gear, wrong car

The transmission that would definitely broaden the appeal of the best driver’s car Hyundai sells here has been unveiled.

HERE’S something to make you smile – a wet dual clutch transmission with a ‘grin’ feature.

No, for real. In releasing information about the two-pedal eight-speed box that will provision into its hard-out i30N hot hatch as an option to the six-speed manual that’s the sole choice now, Hyundai has identified one of the box’s three settings is called … ‘N Grin Shift’. Only in Korea, right?

Laugh along, because the joke will be on rivals who might dare to diss. The i30 N as is rates really well and this new transmission is simply going to broaden the appeal.

We likely won’t know by how much for a little while yet, unfortunately.

The make has decided the Veloster N coupe should be the first recipient of this tricky tech. Indications from the factory have long been that this car is only available in left-hand-drive and might only avail in two places, South Korea and the United States.

The brand claims that the DCT Veloster N will accelerate from 0-100kmh in just 5.6 seconds – exact-matching its six-speed manual counterpart.

Slotting into ‘N Grin Shift’ doesn’t make it any faster, yet promises a feistier more feral feel as that ups torque by seven percent to 378Nm thanks to a turbocharger overboost function for 20s.

An ‘N Power Shift’ feature is also included, which stays in the torque band when upshifting at more than 90 per cent throttle.

There’s also an N Track Sense Shift feature can pre-select gears depending on driving conditions, such as downhill or racetrack settings, for “optimal performance”, according to Hyundai.

The edition also retains functions such as rev matching and launch control, while also gain steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. Expect also see them on the two-pedal i30 N whenever it rolls out.

Covid-19: Additional VW models still on track for NZ

Golf Mk8 has been delayed a couple of months but we’ll have plenty of new diversions from VW NZ in the meantime.

FOUR high-profile Volkswagen products are still tracking true for New Zealand though volume count for several might hit speed bumps as the year unfolds.

This from the brand’s New Zealand boss, Greg Leet, who says while the Covid-19 pandemic and national lockdown certainly haven’t made life easy, neither has it completely thrown impending introductions of the T-Cross and T-Roc – crossovers with huge volume potential through giving VW solid standing in the sub-Tiguan compact sector -  the Golf GTi TCR and a new Touareg V8.

 Though new car sellers are bracing for 2020 to be a tough year, with stock supplies looming and growing likelihood that registrations could be down by at least 40 percent on the bumper 2019 tally, the Auckland distributor’s intents not only remain more or less on track but could yet be further emboldened by heartening by latest news from Germany.

Notwithstanding the huge hit the global car industry has taken from coronavirus – first with parts supply problems and then with complete production shutdowns – Volkswagen Group is already looking set to imminently re-open some plants in Europe, albeit with social distancing measures in place.

On top of this, prior to the virus’s impact, it was already re-establishing  models that had been delayed or briefly curtailed last year as result of the brand being challenged to  meet Europe’s WLTP emissions testing requirements.

Also, while the national sales network is closed to the public, the Auckland-centred head office has remained busy – albeit with staff working from home – in planning life beyond lockdown, including localised implementation of the latest, simplified VW logo, which became official today.

Additionally, products built and shipped out of plants, mainly in Europe, have already landed or are set to ship in soon, so will be available to the public as soon as is allowed.

The first big T-Cross shipment landed just days before the nation went to Level 4 on March 26, so just a handful of the Polo-based front-drive model made it into dealerships – but more are awaiting dispersal.

The car (above) initially represents in $34,240 Life and $38,490 Style formats, with a turbocharged three-cylinder petrol that produces 85kW of power and 200Nm of torque and mates to a dual-clutch automatic transmission, with these to be joined by an R-Line, taking a 110kW/250Nm 1.5-litre four-cylinder. VW NZ has also secured 42 examples of a launch special, in First Edition trim, this also with the smaller engine and a bespoke trim. This costs $39,990. 

Meantime, the T-Roc, which shares a Golf platform, is now tracking for local release in July – three months later than expected, because the first NZ-bound consignment missed a sailing through being held up at the Spanish border.

It will also provision in three levels of specification, topping with a continuation of the R-Line trim that briefly availed last year with the surprise introduction of cars originally built for the United Kingdom that were subsequently made available as a one-off taster for NZ.

The Life and Style models feature the same 1.5-litre as T-Cross, with identical outputs, while the R-Line keeps the 140kW/320Nm 2.0-litre already experienced in those 150 examples already here and also holds the same price: $51,990. The Life and Style models, meantime, sticker at $39,990 and $44,990. As with T-Cross, T-Roc runs with a dual clutch transmission. But it’s also going to have all-wheel-drive in the top spec.

The cars adopt similar stylings but in different sizes. T-Cross is a longer overall (by 54mm) and in wheelbase (by 13mm) than the Polo and is 112mm taller, but only fractionally wider (at 1750mm) than VW’s smallest hatch. T-Roc is around 250mm shorter than the Tiguan, and otherwise similar in stance to its donor.

A First Line special edition part of the Touareg V8’s introduction; this $149,990 edition packs delivers with the 48-volt active roll stabilisation system that is a $7500 cost-extra on the mainstream alternate, which will retail for $141,990. The First Line also has a Black Pack trim and a top-level Dynaudio sound system that, again, aren’t standard to the cheaper variant. 

Of course, the main attraction is the powerplant, a version of the mighty eight-cylinder turbodiesel that has until now restricted to richer fare, in the shape of Audi’s SQ7 and SQ8 and the Bentley Bentayga.

VW NZ anticipates keen interest in the twin-turbo 4.0-litre unit that stands as a new-era equivalent of the V10 turbodiesel that figured in the first generation Touareg and was developed at the behest of Ferdinand Piech to simultaneously elevate the diesel engine and the VW brand.

The incoming unit isn’t the premium version, in that it doesn’t take the electric supercharger that Bentley’s rig also achieves, but with 310kW and 900Nm nonetheless generates 87kW more power and 151Nm more torque than the old 10-cylinder, and of course utterly gazumps the current V6, which in strongest format makes 210kW and 600Nm.

Also set to satisfy sporting tastes is that Golf GTI TCR, probably landing in July and intended as a swansong not just to the current GTI but also to the Golf 7.5 range – though, in that respect, because of coronavirus the current line will now be around for the remainder of the year, rather than replaced in October by the Mk 8 form in October.

Leet’s new plan now is to introduce new generation in January. Hopefully. Meantime, VW Germany will keep making the 7.5 version for NZ - on the same line that is otherwise pumping out the next generation for many other markets – with an R Limited model also coming to keep up mainstream interest while the TCR targets hard-out enthusiasts.

 The latter should move through the showroom as quickly as it nails all the usual performance tests.

Named in recognition of a brand involvement in Touring Car Racing  that has since discontinued, the special dethrones the GTI 40 Years as the most powerful Golf GTI ever. In that it has a permanent peak power figure of 213kW from its 2.0-litre turbo-petrol four-pot engine – as opposed to the 40 Years, which could only reach the same power on overboost.

Peak torque comes in at 350Nm, the same as with a regular GTi. The grunt is delivered exclusively to the front wheels via a six-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission – so, not the seven-speed going to some other markets.

Dynamic deftness is enhanced with it using a limited-slip differential on the front axle, a firmer suspension set-up that rides 5mm lower than the GTI, a unique adaptive chassis control system and beefed-up front brakes.

It also announces with a unique engine note provided by the bespoke exhaust system. VW reckons on 0-100kmh in 5.7 seconds. That’s 0.6s quicker than the 40 Years and just 0.9s shy of the R.

Price? It’s still being finalised, but should be just over $65,000. And availability? Well, best be quick: Just 40 units are earmarked.

Visually, the TCR is distinguished by its honeycomb decals, 19-inch alloys wheels and black roof, plus three exterior paint colours – Pure White, Pure Grey and Tornado Red.

The interior treatment includes Alcantara accents on the gear lever and door trim inserts, black and red cloth upholstery, GTI steering wheel with perforated leather on the hand positions and a red 12 o’clock marker.

Other exclusive standard equipment includes LED headlights with dynamic cornering function and dynamic light assist.

These features build on a standard GTI provision which includes GTI body styling, electrically folding exterior mirrors, keyless entry and start, an 8.0-inch infotainment system with sat-nav, active info display, city autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian monitoring, adaptive cruise control with lane keep assist, traffic jam assist, emergency assist, blind spot monitor, rear cross-traffic alert and a rearview camera with park assist.

Speaking of kit. Even though the T-Cross will seem a bit pricier than some compact rivals, it also promises to perhaps have a longer features list than usual, with all high-level safety and driver assists standard, including pedestrian and cyclist monitoring. Adaptive cruise control, lane and side assist, a rear view camera, park assist and park distance is also standard.

Meantime, VW here is considering further additions to these families, but says the T-Roc convertible has already been decided against while performance-tuned R version is perhaps several years away.

Also unlikely to be seen for a while yet is the Touareg R Hybrid, revealed internationally in February and VW’s very first R model to have a plug-in hybrid powertrain, in this instance delivering ability to run solely on electric power at  up to 140kmh and for 30km range thanks to a lithium-ion battery pack mounted beneath the boot.

Covid-19: In sickness, consider your car’s health

The longer the lockdown, the more likely your four-wheeled-bubblemate might need some consideration.

Two weeks down. Just two weeks to go?

 Let’s not get too excited just yet. There’s no absolute certainty that the national Covid-19 lockdown will definitely lift on April 22. The Government has made it clear there’s still likelihood we might need to remain in our bubbles beyond that date.

Chin up, NZ. As unpalatable as this lockdown is, we all surely understand why it’s needed. It’s better to get this fully fixed in one action, right?

One way of coping with cabin fever is to give thought to how your vehicle is bearing up.

A short-term of enforced isolation is something any modern vehicle can see out without issue, but ultimately all that sitting around is no better for them than it will be for us.

Vehicles aren’t made to be inactive and, certainly, their core components don’t improve with sedentary age.

So maybe now’s a good a time as any to get into the habit on carrying out a few regular checks and precautions to make sure your vehicle is in good shape.

The ideas listed here aren’t by any means absolutely requisite and certainly aren’t new – any owner of a classic car, especially one that might only get seasonal use, will very likely be fully cognisant with at least the fundamentals.

Let’s start with thinking about the fuel it uses. It’s great not only that petrol stations are deemed essential services and that the price of fuel has dropped.

You might wonder if that makes any difference, given no-one should be taking anything more than short trips, and only then for good reason, but in fact there’s good reason to take this as an opportunity to fill your car up, especially if it runs on petrol.

Here’s the thing about petrol. It doesn’t last all that well; exactly how long it maintains optimal state depends on all sorts of conditions, but ultimately it will degrade. There’s no need to panic: A few weeks in the tank is fine; potentially even three to six months.

But there will be a point where it starts to change its state. It’s a refined product from crude oil and the issue is volatility. What that means in this context is that it evaporates easily. If petrol is left in your tank for months, the volatile compounds will evaporate; what remains reacts with the oxygen in the air around it and oxidises, forming gums and varnishes and things that will clog filters, injectors, and fuel lines.

So, drain the tank? Actually, no. The opposite. Fill it up. The more fuel in there, the less oxygen. The less of that, the lower the potential for a problem.

Not just for your engine, but also fuel pumps, gaskets and lines. Some say that, once you have a full tank, it’s good to add some fuel stabiliser, which protects the fuel against evaporation and oxidisation for up to two years.

Diesel is a different story. It’s far friendlier, due to its comparatively low level of refinement. Opinion is that it’ll last for up to a year with no intervention. Again, though, it’s still prudent to fill up, as condensation can form inside half-empty fuel tanks. Diesel will oxidise, albeit more slowly than petrol.

Electric cars – and by that, we mean, anything that wholly relies on battery power (if it’s a hybrid or a PHEV, it still has an engine, so the guidelines above still prescribe) – are not exempt from consideration.

The good advice here is to keep your car fully charged. Second, leave it plugged in. Don’t worry. You won’t be constantly drawing charge. Onboard systems can manage the charge level and ensure the battery remains in top condition. One thing, when plugging in, only use the authorised cables. Extension cords are fire hazards at the best of times.

Maintaining good battery state is important for fossil-fuelled vehicles, too. Today’s vehicles have a plethora of sensors and computers that need battery power. They do a good job of not drawing too much current but you do not want to let them go flat: Resetting computer codes and what-not is a hugely complex task that’ll require professional help that isn’t easily accessed at this time.

That battery conditioner you got given for Christmas and sat on the shelve since? This is the time to use it. This attaches to the battery and the wall socket and uses an onboard processor to maintain the battery’s charge and condition (the better ones come with special reconditioning modes).

The other option is obvious. Just periodically fire up the engine – or, with an EV, simply go through the ignition process to the point where the car is good to start moving. You needn’t go anywhere; it’s just a way of keeping the engine lubricated and the battery in a better state. But please don’t do this is an enclosed space, for obvious reasons.

What else? On older cars, if you leave your handbrake on for a prolonged period, it can seize. So, if that vehicle isn’t going to be used for a while, and it’s a manual, release the parking brake and chock the wheels. And if it’s an automatic (or CVT), then set it in Park.

If a manual car is in a safe spot (like, your garage) and thus immune from being nudged, then it’s not a bad idea to also leave it in gear. Gearboxes are sealed and use good-quality, long-lasting protective lubricants.

Windscreen wipers, window and door seals can degrade after a while. Wiper blades will harden and lose effectiveness. A silicon lubricant, wiped along with a finger, can be enough to inhibit this. While talking about doors and windows, makes sure these are fully closed. Vehicles become warm and inviting places for nasty critters; the use of vegetable-based wiring plastics has exacerbated the issues: Seems rodents just love the taste! So make sure the car is closed up, check underneath for poop and perhaps even plug the exhaust with steel wool.

If you have the right gear and aptitude, now might be a good time to change the oil, changed. At the very least, check the status of your car’s other fluids: Radiator coolant, brake fluid, engine oil level. Brake fluid is hygroscopic – translation: It absorbs water – which will cause brake lines and parts to rust, but that’s a long-term issue.

If you think all of the above is too challenging, then still give thought to your tyres. These WILL lose air pressure over time and, if a car stands too long in one place, there’s risk the tyres will also lose their shape; it’s basically a kind of flat-spotting.

One precaution is to pump them up to the recommended pressure for a heavy load. You don’t know what this is? Generally, that information is on a sticker on the inside driver’s side door jamb. It might also be listed in the handbook. Maximum cold inflation pressures are also written on the sidewall of the tyre. Or you can ask a garage attendant to take care of this when your visit the servo to fill up. What you don’t want to do is guesstimate. A seriously over-inflated tyre is a seriously bad thing.

What else? Well, you might even go to the extreme of removing the wheels completely and storing the car on jack stands, ensuring of course that these are sited in manufacturer-approved lift points. But still inflate your tyres to road-going spec and store them on their side.

As said, these are largely if and when solutions if things get worse and our home detention is extended. But they’re all good practice and worth thinking about.

Covid-19: SsangYong NZ hopeful brand’s funding crisis can resolve

SsangYong’s New Zealand distributor believes a solution to keeping the SUV marque alive might rest with South Korea’s government.

QUIET confidence SsangYong can weather a financial storm and keep presence in New Zealand has been expressed by the maker’s local distributor.

Andrew Bayliss, general manager of SsangYong NZ, says information from the South Korean SUV and ute manufacturer in respect to an apparent funding crisis triggered by the coronavirus outbreak is continuing to roll out.

He and Rick and Deon Cooper, the father and son whose Great Lake Motors has held SsangYong distribution rights since 2010, are largely reliant on international media reports of an unfolding story.

The genesis is a decision, made public several days ago by marque owner, India-based Mahindra and Mahindra, to u-turn on plan to supply SsangYong with investment funding thought crucial to its ongoing survival. 

The good health SsangYong has been experiencing in New Zealand has not replicated for the brand’s overall standing – it has been hit by 12 consecutive quarters of losses.

The $NZ710 million Mahindra had promised in February was intended make SsangYong profitable by 2022.

It has been wholly withheld to prop up Mahindra, which made the decision to cut costs after experiencing an 88 percent drop in its own sales in March due to Covid-19 related market decline.

The Koreans have now been advised to seek “alternate sources of funding”.

Bayliss said he needs more clarity from SsangYong’s head office, but he has heard suggestion from there to date that Mahindra is working to force the Korean government to release some of its $NZ134 billion Covid-19 war chest set up to protect Korean businesses.

“The Korean Government basically has the cheque book open around businesses that are in trouble regarding the Covid-19 situation.

“Mahindra is unwilling to put any more funding in and they (the South Korean Government) have $US80 billion available.”

SsangYong NZ had begun the year strongly, launching a new Korando medium sports utility which has been well-received. 

“We came into 2020 very optimistic. We have new product just landed and, all things being equal and assuming there are still customers out there, we will come back after the market in a fairly strong position.”

Mahindra’s financial backing to date has brought the Korando into market and paid for new versions of its Rhino ute and Rexton large SUV.

The tap has not been completely turned off. Mahindra says it will consider an almost $NZ84 million lifeline to help SsangYong survive the next three months, with Mahindra’s board authorising the potential move. 

And it will also provide its own platforms for use in future SsangYong product without any capital expenditure, including the latest Mahindra W601 platform. 

Yet it is conjected the lack of funding will put the brand’s electrification plans on hold. SsangYong had planned to unveil a fully electric Korando variant with a 450km range at the Geneva motor show, which was ultimately cancelled over COVID-19 fears. 

Mahindra owns a 74.65 percent stake in SsangYong,

BMW's electric push knows no bounds

Availability of a plug-in hybrid edition of the X3 is just one step in an all out push to increasingly electrify Munich’s model line-up here.

PLUG-IN electric fare will continue to present in strength for BMW locally even after the next round of fully electric product starts rolling in, with a fuel cell alternate also theoretically possible. 

This is impressed by BMW Group New Zealand as it prepares to release another new electric pathway model - a battery-assisted edition of the X3.

Brisk business is forecast for the X3 xDrive30e, a $107,700 offer that becomes the seventh PHEV model in the local lineup.

In this car a 2.0-litre 135kW four-cylinder petrol marries to an electric motor to allow electric-only range of 55km, fuel consumption as low as 2.1 litres per 100km, a 215kW/420Nm output and 0-100kmh in just 6.1 seconds.

It’s an especially good fit as soft-roaders – or sports activity vehicles in BMW-speak - are achieving more consumer consideration than any other car type and mains-replenished drivetrains are also resonating with Kiwis, the brand’s managing director for New Zealand says 

The present impact - and potential long-term implication - of the coronavirus emergency makes it challenging to give indication on supply strength or how well it will sell.

Yet Karol Abrasowicz-Madej has every confidence in PHEV and EV cars continuing to gain traction here, with an 88 percent lift between 2018 and 2019.

For sure, we’re still talking modest volume. “The total new car market was around 100,000 passenger registrations in 2019 – of those 2809 were electric, around 2.7 percent.”

However, BMW NZ is happy to hold dominance in that sliver and its PHEV lineup – which despite the combustion component meet the accepted definition of being electric cars – allows it to provision more EV choices any other make and especially good grip within the premium segment.

And this will only increase as it is looking at “any opportunity” with that product.

“There is a market, the buyers are out there and we are looking for an opportunity to capitalise.

“Our strategy is to unfold and unroll all available product to New Zealand. We know it will be good for us and customers. In our opinion plug-in hybrids are perfect for this market. 

Overseas’ reports suggest PHEV is also coming to the 3-series Touring wagon in both two-wheel-drive and all-wheel drive guises, and the X1 and X2 compact crossovers. In all, BMW has promised to have 25 kinds of electric vehicles in circulation by 2023.

With so many models going battery assist, does it stand to reason that the tech will inevitably become core to the majority of BMWs sold here?

Abrasowicz-Madej doesn’t deny the possibility, but prefers not to give an estimate of how great that penetration might be in one or two years from now. It all depends on the market on how the market will develop. It’s pretty clear 2020 won’t be a brilliant year for anyone. So much depends on, for instance, how quickly business confidence is restored.

One prompt might lay with our leaders. Belief that the sector also greater Government-led stimulation to really get going also remains a passion project for Abrasowicz-Madej. Regardless that it appears to have derailed, the Clean Car proposal that would have effectively subsidised models that achieve low emissions and economy and penalise those that do not remains important, he says.

He conceivably has a good inroad to push his thoughts that with those walking the corridors of power. The Seven Series is, of course, on the Crown VIP roster and conceivably the next generation might keep that job, with Munich confirming it’ll outlay in fully-electric format – exactly the configuration the Government wants. So will BMW pitch?

Abrasowicz-Madej is diplomatic. “The Government is one of our customers. It would be a pleasure to take part on any bidding process.”

As much as the PHEV push is now firmly cemented, that’s not to say that traditional combustion engine models will be ignored: Hence why the brand is just as keen to deliver to an even more exclusive audience with the X5 M and X6 M.

“We have buyers who have preference for electro-mobility and others who prefer combustion engines. We say we can attend to both; our belief is in the power of choice.

“We are leading in the market for electrified powertrains and have the widest range and there is good demand for that. We are a brand that is intent to stay on top of technology. We know that what we are doing is right.”

X3 fans will be further drawn into a battery-compelled future when the iX3 comes here, in 2021 all going to plan. The latter and the xDrive30e will be sold side-by-side so as to enable buyers to have a full span of choice, he says. 

In Europe the PHEVs have been at the forefront of BMW’s successful achievement of a range-wide reduced 95 grams per kilometre CO2 emission target set by the European Union.

Overall, BMW’s fleet fuel consumption and CO2 emissions have been cut by more than 40 percent over the past 13 years. And with the ongoing electrification process, the company claims CO2 emissions this year will be 20 percent lower than last year’s count.

The focus on this product might raise questions about where BMW stands on full electric and hydrogen, but shouldn’t.

As much as the PHEVS are setting the pace now, the long-term and priority thrust of the parent brand’s electrification plan still involves going to fully electric cars.

The MINI Cooper SE is still on track to land mid-July and NZ orders are included in a list of 7000 confirmed international reservations 

It would seem a safe bet to think the new i4 sedan, though still officially a concept, is perhaps just two years away and, of course, the battery-compelled Seven-Series limo has been signed off, alongside full petrol, PHEV and another diesel (the engine currently favoured for VIP use).

All are understandably quite different propositions to the only electric BMW in circulation at the moment. Ironically, given how much of a pathfinder it has been, the now aged city-centric i3 is unlikely to enter a second generation.

In addition to those models, BMW has also reiterated seriousness about also developing a production fuel cell car.

Klaus Fröhlich, member of the board of management for Research and Development, BMW AG, has indicated the fuel-type could become a 'fourth pillar' of BMW’s future mobility stable of propulsion systems.

The intent is demonstrated by a model first revealed at last September’s Frankfurt motor show. The I Hydrogen NEXT (see video below) wouldn’t seem out of place if it hit the street tomorrow, as it is effectively a re-engineered X5, albeit with a handful of cosmetic alterations to mark it as one of the company’s eco models.

The car’s pair of eDrive electric motors, (one for each axle), with a combined output of 274kW, were developed the iX3. 

The fuel cell tech might also seem familiar, too. It has been co-developed with Toyota, whose expertise in this field is demonstrated by its hydrogen-fed Mirai car, which is about to enter its second generation.

As much as BMW insists I Hydrogen NEXT requires something out of its hands - a refuelling infrastructure - it has nonetheless determined to begin a pilot production phase in 2022 and could have it in full production by 2025.

Instead of pulling stored electrical energy from a battery pack, as mains-fed electric cars do, the i Hydrogen NEXT generates its own electricity through a chemical reaction between stored hydrogen and oxygen from the air, using a hydrogen fuel cell. As such, the only emissions generated by the vehicle are water vapour.

The fuel cell is supplied by two 700 bar storage tanks, which occupy the same space as the gearbox and driveshaft in the combustion-engined X5. Together, the tanks can hold six kilogrammes of hydrogen. Refuelling also only takes around four minutes, which is a huge saving over the hour-and-a-half average charge-times of current conventional electric vehicles.

Other claimed advantages a hydrogen-electric vehicle has over a traditional EV include suitability for towing and no compromises on passenger comfort, due to the lack of a heavy lithium-ion battery pack and the stiffer suspension required to support it. 

Interest in establishing a hydrogen network is taking root, and while the initial consideration is to first focus on heavy transport needs there has been talk of a refuelling network. But if it all comes into play?

“Hydrogen has challenges … there are still bottlenecks when it comes to a supply network and establishing hydrogen stations. But if the technology keeps developing on that side … well, maybe it is also an option for the future.”

Covid-19: April set to be worst on record for new vehicle sales

The prognosis for new vehicle sales is bleak and post-lockdown recovery will be a long road.

SALES to essential services have helped some new vehicle distributors since coronavirus hit New Zealand, yet the industry fears April will deliver the lowest registrations count on record.

The tally anticipated might be just 10 percent of the count for April of 2019 which at 10,640 units established a new high water mark for the industry.

If that outcome eventuates it will be the worst in living memory, an expert says.

This scenario and thought that even after the Covid-19 all-clear is given it will be many months before a new vehicle trade currently in complete shutdown in respect to public trading regains the same level of vitality enjoyed before coronavirus, has been expressed by the distributors’ organisation.

Comment from David Crawford (pictured), the chief executive of the Motor Industry Association, comes after release of March data signalling passenger and light commercial (meaning ute and van) registrations were down 4954 units, a 37.3 percent decrease, compared to the same month last year. In all 8317 new vehicles in those categories were registered compared to 13,271 in March of 2019.

The commercial sector lapsed far more than passenger; already in decline, it almost halved (down 40 percent, 1945 units) compared to March 2019. Even though the Ford Ranger remained the most favoured product, in category and overall, it did so with just 444 registrations – half its usual monthly tally.

Toyota remained the overall market leader with 18 percent market share (1515 units), also topped for passenger and SUV registrations and saw its RAV4 position as the best-selling passenger car, albeit with 318 units. Interest in Holden vehicles seems to have lifted in wake of General Motors’ announcing the brand will be gone by year-end; Holden car volume was perky and its Colorado was the third most popular ute.

Year to date, the passenger market is down 15.6 percent (6075 units) on the same period in 2019.

Supply constraints factored but, obviously, the swift move into shutdown, which took effect at midnight on March 25, also effectively reducing March to a three-week trading month in which the ‘vast majority’ of business was conducted, Crawford says.

With April set to be effectively wholly impacted by the Level Four enforcement, it’s only going to worsen, he adds. But how bad can it get?

“We think April could be as low as 10 to 15 percent of last year. The only thing that has been sold at the moment are vehicles required for essential services operations.”

That has brought some business. “I’m aware, for example, of a district health board requiring 40-odd vehicles. But there’s just these little spots of activity.

“But we’re expecting April to be probably the lowest month in living memory.”

The MIA has been collating data since 1975.

Some distributors have laid off staff but the industry is not at a point where operability has ceased, but there is recognition that for some the bills will be piling up. Distributors often have to buy product in advance of delivery and, even if that doesn’t happen, once landed cars are subject to goods and services tax.

“So everyone is working hard on cash flow. It is a testing time.”

Even though most of the world’s vehicle makers have frozen their assembly lines, there is product in the pipeline that might sustain demand if and when it picks up.

However, at present a number of vessels are set to off-load vehicles here over the next few weeks.

The MIA is pleased this seems to set to happen.

“There has been some discussion with officials about can and cannot be done. The ship will have vehicles and parts and some of those will be required for essential services activity.

“It doesn’t make economic sense to the industry or the Government for those ships to be turned away.”

He says procedures put in place by Ports of Auckland that Government is content with for the time being will allow vehicles to be off-loaded then sent to containment, Crawford says.

That will allow access to vehicles on an as-required basis during the lockdown which, he personally fears, might well extend beyond a April 22 release.

The longer it is in place, the more severe the impact could be. But even then it is not as simple when it is lifted, he says.

The disruption to the global vehicle industry will inevitably means that some products will be subject to delayed availability.

“There are stocks around but these will be cleared and it’s the availability of new stock beyond that which is going to be patchy.”

Even if New Zealand is deemed free of the virus, it is very likely our borders will remain closed for travel, which has obvious implications on the national economy.

“The recovery of vehicle sales going forward is going to be dependent on how quickly New Zealand can recover.

“We think it is going to be a slow, fragmented and painful recovery.”

New kit, cachet for baby Mitsi

Seven years into its production run, Mitsubishi’s offer in the microcar sector has received its second refresh.

An attractive facelift, additional technology and extra comfort and safety features have brought the Mitsubishi Mirage into its second decade.

Interior refinements also impart and it catches up with other family members in achieving Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

The new look incorporates the sharp, modern design of the Dynamic Shield that is now a distinctive trait of the Mitsubishi family and is more chirpy than the original styling, which dates back to 2013. Larger bumpers and a painted rear spoiler also arrive with the upgrade.

Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Mitigation and a reversing camera now also incorporate. The car has a five star ANCAP rating, based on a test conducted in 2013.

A 7.0-inch touch-screen is the big design change for the interior but the sharp-eyed (or comfort-obsessed) will also doubtless figure out it has redesigned front seats, with different armrests. Cruise control is now standard. 

It has the same 1.2-litre four-cylinder petrol engine as the old model, meaning power and torque are still pegged at 57kW and 100Nm respectively. Drive as ever is sent to the front wheels via a continuously variable automatic.

The model will cost $19,990 and there’s an introductory finance offer. 

Lion-spotting on a Chatham Island safari

The part of New Zealand relatively few Kiwis get to see offers everything you expected. And didn’t.

COMMODORE stops beside a flock of emu – what’s so weird about that?

Only that this classic Aussie bumper-to-beak moment was on a tiny dot in the Pacific, 800kms east of Christchurch, next stop South America. 

So many surprises in a place where life is lived at a 45-degree angle when the south westerlies whip with enough ferocity to render a $27 million wind farm an utter folly.

The world’s highest concentration of Harley Davidsons per capita? It’s here. (The big thrill is to blast up and down the local runway).  What’s that up in the hills? Rocket Lab’s launch monitoring station. Those Outback avians? Failed farming venture.

Now another box ticked for Chatham Island – Rekohu (misty sun) in the indigenous language - and the biggest landmass in the archipelago of the same name: A motoring media event. 

Holden’s breakthrough sports utility show-off in May of 2019 required huge planning and a big cojones spend.

Everything save drinking water is brought to this place by air, a two-hour flight, or sea, a three-day voyage. A seat on the reassuringly well-kept Air Chathams Convair 580 is equivalent to a transtasman spend. Getting the vehicles across? Locals say its $3000 a pop – one way. The attendee count was way too big for a single event, so split into three groups. Yet we still pretty much took over the hotel.

Big effort? Yes. Worth it? Totally.

This home to just 600 people best known for its fishing (which provides a third of employment and contributes half the islands’ $46m GDP) is, from my experience, alluring for its great scenery, intriguing history and fabulous people.

We met Helen, who in late life has returned to the place she grew up in, a 150-year-old cottage hand built by Lutheran missionaries who failed to convert anyone. Val, who when running the only hotel banned a patron for spilling the score of a pre-recorded rugby match ahead of screening. His daughter Toni, current publican, our guide, and total Chathams’ champion. Her pooch Pippi, who became a pet having been hired as the place’s first and only drug dog on strength of locating marijuana and methamphetamine in an aircraft then promptly fired for having straight after depositing something of her own in the cockpit.

On arrival it’s apparent a place that asks you set your clock to local time (45 minutes off NZ) also requires a mind check change as well. 

These are people who speak of the mainland as somehow being a different country, call themselves Wekas rather than Kiwis and like to say their place is like ours was 30 years ago, maybe to excuse it lacking much we take for granted.

Sealed roads, banks, a vet, radio stations, a cellphone network, Uber? Not here, mate. Necessities are minimised: One cop, one doctor, one garage, one hardware store, one pub. 

A spirit of self-sufficiency that sees a tractor run with parts from a retired Fokker Friendship and the pub looking into home-brewing would surely strike subliminal familiarity for Holden. It’s just as much a battler.

Prospect of seeing latest product raised interest, though locals were picky. Toughness and practicality rate highly here, yet another factor placed the Trailblazer above Equinox, Trax, Acadia and Commodore Calais Tourer.

Diesel is the life blood required by the power plant and most vehicles. Though petrol cars are seen, at $3.30 a litre (for 91 octane), against $1.80 for the black stuff, it’s an extravagance. The pub worker whose EA Falcon reputedly has a $200 a week addiction might like to know the Tourer cost $4 more to fully refill and blew out to a 13.2 L/100km return. 

In defence of the Commodore, I’d admit it was hard to hold back fully enjoying what was cited to be the first of its kind out here. Also, a complete exploration of the road network impressed how deceptively large this place is, 90,000 hectares of land ringing a lagoon the size of Rarotonga.

Holden’s sole elevated, all-wheel-drive V6 wagon is a great gravel express, but requires additional ground clearance and an off-road mode to achieve access-all-areas ability. A nudge bar would be good too. Not to fend off the famously feral pigs. The cows and sheep are almost as belligerent.

But it got us along beaches and across bumpy paddocks, even up the well-named Horrible Hill, an awesome viewing spot, and out to Maunganui stone cottage and, at the other end of the island, a remnant stand of kopi (karaka) trees.

Both legacies to incredible hardship and unwavering hope. Built as a mission station, the isolated cottage is home of Helen Bint, who lives happily without running water or electricity and who made international news discovering fossilised sponges when beach fossicking.

The trees bear dendroglyphs, carved designs up to 300 years old and under threat. These were rendered by Moriori, hunter-gatherers who eked existence in a place too cold to grow traditional Polynesian vegetables. Their undoing was determined allegiance to something we all aspire to: A peaceful life. They were all but wiped out in 1835; a tragedy that haunts this place.

At time of visiting, it seemed obvious Commodore was fighting for survival. Now we know not only it is a goner, but so too Holden itself, the latter falling vitim to General Motor’s out-of-the-blue decision to curtail every right-hand drive programme save Corvette.

Holden NZ subsequently shipped its vehicles back to the mainland and I guess all have since been sold off. 

In a way, it seemed a pity that Commodore couldn’t have remained in its last new territory. This place would be a good spot in which to finish its days, for simple reason it would have been in the company of other last-of-line icons unlikely to ever leave.

Among wrecks littering Port Hutt is the Thomas Currell, the final example of a fleet of historic WWII minesweepers, whose final role was as cray boom freezer ship. Down the road, a Sunderland flying boat which first flew here in 1942 and became a permanent resident in 1959, a write-off having hit a rock during take-off.

The shed in which you can visit to view the fuselage, once home to chooks and now under restoration, looked plenty big enough for a landmark Holden.

Austria's amazing mountaintop Mo-Town

An alpine family fiefdom in Austria holds an intriguing allure for petrolheads.

STRAIGHT from a Bond movie?

Unique backdrops with that ‘certain something’ and often the world's most beautiful and hidden locations have always served the 007 films as a location. 

To the producers of 2015’s Spectre, Top Mountain Crosspoint atop the Otztal Alps of Austria, about an hour southwest of Innsbruck, looked exactly right for inclusion, regardless this modernist structure was then still under construction. 

Can you guess why they subsequently gave up and instead settled on filming just down the road, at the neighbouring ski resort of Solden?

In short, the project took longer than expected to complete. Bloody builders!

Such a pity. Perched on the highest section on Austria’s side of a tarmac ribbon snaking over the Otztal Alps and into Italy's South Tyrol, TMC would have added spice to the film.

For sure, the structures that did make the cut – a mountain station made of curved steel ribs and summit restaurant in ice cube design - are probably as cool looking.

Yet bear in mind that special vehicles are just as integral to Bond plots as special places. 

So imagine how the spectacular scenes involving Daniel Craig, Bond girl Lea Seydoux and Mr Hinx (Dave Bautista) might have gone if they’d featured something from the collection that makes this place famous.

Could you picture our hero making a break on, say, a 250cc 1955 NSU Sportmax - one of just 30 built – and the first bike ridden by a privateer to a Grand Prix world championship?

Or perhaps a 1927 Excelsior Super X, a Harley Davidson competitor in its day, this one in board track racing trim?

Hang on, no. Something better than both. A Z15, from Czech firm Jawa, whose grand prix racers were once world-leading for design, no more so than with the twin overhead cam 488cc parallel twin that produced more power than a modern, liquid-cooled and fuel-injected Honda CB500 twin.

They’re all here at Europe’s highest motorbike museum. Yes, you read that right. The pride of the teensy village of Obergurgl is a $30 million development that, in addition to a ski run gondola station and a nice restaurant, houses an astounding motorcycle collection within a modernist building with a 3000 square metre display floor.

When I say astounding, I mean it. Top is literally that, mostly for bike nuts though those into cars also won’t be disappointed. Since opening five years ago, it has drawn in motorcycle aficionados in their thousands.

They come from near and far, enjoying the collection and also the road. The Timmelsjoch High Alpine Road connecting Austria to Italy is consistently rated as the most acclaimed motorcycle touring road in all of Europe.

But only in summer. The ‘A’ part of the name is appropriate. Summitting roughly at two-thirds the height of Aorangi Mt Cook, this route is only useful as a transit route between two countries for a handful of months. Otherwise it becomes a link road to the area’s famous ski resort. 

When the white stuff hits, it’s with a vengeance. All that snow and ice made the snaking climb enough of a challenge with the GLE Coupe I’m driving. As well it should.

That’s why it includes in Mercedes Benz’s cold weather testing programme. And why, in turn, it was chosen for the press launch of a model that will hit New Zealand in the latter part of 2020 (maybe later, now, thanks to Convid-19).

The ultimate activity on our day was to reach the summit to achieve a view of 21 mountains above 3000 metres.

However, it never came to be; a storm front over the preceding 48 hours dropped record snow for the month. Further up the mountain, the road disappeared under an impenetrable white wall comfortably higher than the fastback sports utility. 

So we retreated to the museum, where Mercedes had laid on hot drinks, a technical presentation and an open invitation to spend the spare 90 minutes that had opened in the itinerary looking over the historic bikes on display.

I’m no bike expert – those are my brother’s big love – but I needn’t Michael’s expert eyes to pick out the obvious quality.

The oldest motorbike on display is a 1905 Laurin and Klement; that’s the forebear brand to today’s Skoda. There's a Brough Superior built in 1939 by racer George Brough, a two-cylinder Indian from 1912 and racing legend Giacomo Agostini's MV Augusta.

Brands represented through to the 1980s include Moto Guzzi, Ducati, BMW, Zündapp, Norton, Matchless, Triumph, Superior, Sunbeam, Henderson, Indian and Harley-Davidson, among others.

Then there’s the halftrack motorcycle used by German military forces in World War II, the Kleines Kettenkraftrad HK 101 or Kettenkrad for short (Ketten means "chains" or "tracks") represents in Afrika Korp guise.

The American fare is parked up near an exit door for good reason; while almost all the bikes are operational and ridden, it’s those Harleys and Indians the owners most like to ride from time to time.

Attilia Scheiber and his identical twin brother, Alban, are big names here. And their museum is, in the overall scheme of things, a relatively minor holding within a much grander operation. 

Where we’ve come to is a true mountain-top fiefdom, over which the Schieber family has ruled since … well, a very long time.

For them, this part of the Tyrol has always been a mountain of golden opportunity. White gold.

Evidence suggests the Timmelsjoch Pass has been used since Neolithic times. Local reports place the family having staked a claim to the region in medieval times, if not before. They effectively controlled and engaged in the profitable business of smuggling. Business was good and, as one commentator puts it, “this bold independent streak runs in their blood to this day. 

Since the early 1900s the business focus has increasingly been on sports and tourism and every opportunity is exploited. The massive Hochgurgl ski resort, the ski-in-ski-out Top Mountain Hotel—a five-star property that was named Austria's Best Ski Hotel in the 2019 World Ski Awards - and several restaurants and bars including the vertigo-inducing Top Mountain Star. All theirs. Plus the lift company, the ski school, the ski sports shops, bars and a farm.

There’s no seasonal lull, either. The Pass is open from May to October, the ski resort and hotel from November to April. Due to its elevation, the resort is among the very first in the Alps to open and the very last to close. The museum, of course, is open year round, providing the road is accessible, of course.

Oh yes, about that. In its entirety this runs 33km and climbs 2500 metres above sea level before winding down to the Passeier Valley in Italy's South Tyrol, where the climate is more Mediterranean and the landscape one of vineyards and tiny villages.

Built as a public-private partnership in the early 1960s, it was always a loss-maker for the local Governments either side of the border. When the Austrian administrators finally acknowledged intent to give up on maintaining the most challenging part, the Scheiber’s proposed a solution. As the 12km part ran through their land, why not allow them buy it, with agreement they would keep it operational? So that’s what happened.

A deal done in 2003 makes it the only privately-owned road in Austria. Takings from the toll collection point that used to feed the state now go into the family’s coffers.

In a recent interview, Attila Scheiber explained why it’s all paying off. 

"When it comes to alpine crossings, this road is an undisputed highlight among aficionados.” And in winter? They often come back. “If someone likes motorcycles, they like skiing."

The museum’s dedication to bikes isn’t blind to cars. The brothers attribute their love for motorsport to their late father, who his enthusiasm was more for four wheels, the point where he raced Lotus cars semi-professionally across Europe. One of his old racers is in the museum. So too is a Lotus 23 B, plus some Porsches including a 959 and a spanking Speedster, a Ferrari California Spider and a few bubble cars. Plus some early snowmobiles, ploughs and groomers.

It’s all a bit crazy, but that’s to be expected …. a delightful madness fuels this place and its activities, too.

For instance, every summer there's a local motorbike race which about 30 entrants start from the bottom of the valley and climb to 2590 metres.

Just to add a touch of fun, it’s only open to hand-shifter 1950s-style machines. But apparently helmets must be worn.