N.Z. regarded as important car market

Press, 31 July 1986, Page 35

N.Z. regarded as important car market

New Zealand has one of the most diverse and lively car markets in the world, and that is why the world’s car-makers regard it as an Important one. It is not large by world standards, but New Zealanders are discriminating and knowledgeable car-buyers and so the country is regarded as a good indicator of product acceptability and also, because of its demanding roads, an indicator of product reliability. Evidence of the importance such manufacturers as Regie Renault, the state-owned French car manufacturer, and Toyota, Japan’s largest carmaker, attach to New Zealand is found in the fact that within the last month both companies airfreighted their latest products to New Zealand so that they could be here in time for the Auckland and Christchurch motor shows.

The sleek, rear-engined Renault Alpine V 6 Turbo will be the centrepiece of the French car display that will include the new Renault 21 as well as the comprehensive R 25 range. Similarly, the cynosure of all eyes amid the wide selection of Toyotas will be the Celica GT-Four, a concept car based on the Celica GT coupe which will be displayed also. A $llO,OOO fixed-head coupe, the Renault Alpine should sell here in limited numbers, while the Celica

GT-Four, on the other hand, is a four-wheel-drive, four-seater convertible that looks as if it would be a sure-fire winner in California, but has a drive train concealed by the eyecatching coachwork that will more than likely be employed in a brand-new Group A rally car the Japanese company Is said to be developing for international motoring competition.

Motor industry observers are forecasting that the next major volume production advance will be widespread adoption of four-wheel-drive by the mass-pro-ducers.

Motor Show visitors will be able to judge for themselves how far four-wheel-drive has advanced already.

At Canterbury Court, the fabulous Audi Quattros — a four-wheel-drive version now complements every front-wheel-drive model — will be shown. Examples will include the Audi 90, a trim 4WD saloon, and the rally-bred Quattro coupe. Alongside the Audis will be Italy’s main 4WD contender, the Alfa Romeo 33 Estate, which must be reckoned a high performance bargain when compared with the much larger and more opulently appointed Audi Avant, the German company’s own station waggon, which will also be shown.

Ford New Zealand, Ltd, is the country’s largest local assembler, and amid the Falcons, Telstars and Lasers in the Ford display, will be the multinational’s 4WD offering, the Sierra XR4 x 4, an extremely competent completely-built-up European saloon which will be accompanied by its larger two-wheel-drive stablemate, the Scorpio.

Mazda, the innovative Japanese manufacturer, has also got in on the 4WD act with its new turbocharged and fuel-in-jected 323 version, an example of which was

handled by New Zealand motorsportsmen in New Zealand’s world championship AWA Clarion rally. Mazda will also be showing its new RX7 rot-ary-engined sports coupe, said to be Japan's answer to the front-engined West German Porsches, a representative range of which will also be on display. Among this galaxy of automotive stars, one of the brightest will be the Series Three Jaguar XJ6, the latest and, arguably, the most successful in a line of quality saloons that has been gracing the world’s highways and byways for getting on for a quarter of a century. Motor Show ’B6 will most likely afford visitors their last chance of seeing at close quarters a brand new XJ6, for by the time Motor Show ’B7 comes around this luxury saloon will have been replaced by the long-awaited XJ4O, the car the world is waiting for. Alongside the XJ6, there will be an example of the Jaguar XJSC 3.6litre Cabriolet. An exciting two-seater, this car is a pointer towards the future. Open cars are being restored to favour and this cabriolet Is one of the trend-setters. With the Japanese yen going from strength to strength, the car market is undergoing a change in which New Zealand’s motor industry is playing no part. Japanese cars have more than 80 per cent of the market in their grasp, but Japanese car prices have risen almost beyond belief over the last year or so, and the upward climb has accelerated in recent

months and shows no sign of slowing. As a consequence, the better Japanese cars are becoming more expensive than some of the less expensive completely-built-up European cars and that is why car importers and local assemblers have tended to lend emphasis to Imports at the show this year.

Although higher prices will never make car buyers happy, the current situation has broadened the market spectrum, and if variety is the spice of life, that may not be a bad thing. In any case, Motor Show visitors will be able to make their own judgements during the next few days at Canterbury Court.