Posts

Numbers game: the real story behind record 2017 sales year

By -
 ON JANUARY 18 2018 |   IN  INDUSTRY NEWS ,  ISUZU D-MAX ,  LATEST NEWS  |   BY  ALASTAIR SLOANE  |    If you believe the public relations guff, every distributor in New Zealand last year sold record numbers of new vehicles. But that wasn’t the case. Okay, it was an overall record year, with 159,871 new vehicle registrations. But quite a few brands didn’t do as well as the PR people claim. Press releases saying this or that distributor is gearing up in 2018 to meet rapidly increasing demand for their vehicles are not supported by facts. So let’s look at who did what in 2017. This information has been leaked to  Automotive News NZ.  It isn’t readily available to the public – it circulates only within the motoring industry. The list of 45 brands on this page shows 16 – including many household names – didn’t do as well as in 2016. Some were stalled waiting for new models in 2018; others struggled against competition. High-end, go-faster names come and go anyway. What esp
Post a Comment
Read more

Hyundai Motor's net profit down 14 percent on strong won

By -
26 Jul, 2018 7:50pm SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Hyundai Motor Co. said Thursday its net profit for the second quarter fell 14 percent over a year earlier due to the South Korean won's strength against the U.S. dollar. South Korea's largest automaker said its April-June net income was 701 billion won ($626 million), compared with 817 billion won a year earlier. It was lower than the analyst consensus of 897 billion won, according to financial data provider FactSet. Sales inched up 2 percent over a year earlier to 24.7 trillion won ($22.1 billion) but operating profit sank 29 percent to 951 billion won ($849 million). Hyundai Motors's profit fell despite it having sold more vehicles. That is because its overseas profit repatriated to South Korea shrank due to the cheaper U.S. dollar. In April-June, car sales rose 11 percent over a year earlier to 1.2 million units. For the first half of this year, sales rose 4.5 percent to 2.2 million units. In the U.S. market,
Post a Comment
Read more

Mitsubishi Triton: Fifth-generation offers a new route for the ute

By -
Image
ON NOVEMBER 2 2015 |   IN  CAR REVIEWS ,  LATEST NEWS  |   BY  ALASTAIR SLOANE  | automotivenews.co.nz I went to Japan in late 2005 to drive the fourth-generation Triton . I expected the usual route for a ute: a beat over mix of good and bad roads and some 4WD work. Instead, Mitsubishi confined the drive to its high-speed banked test circuit. Why? Because it said it wanted to show the double-cab test ute was underpinned by a chassis that showed car-like characteristics. It quickly halted talk about the radically different look with: “Yes, but wait till you drive it.” Anyway, the ute turned out to be pretty well behaved, sweeping up and down the banked circuit at 130-140km/h, lap after lap. But the polarising new design always headed conversation, even after Mitsubishi’s senior Japanese executives said the company forecast huge growth in the ute sector beyond 2005 and wanted a new look to appeal to a new audience. Fast forward to 2015 and Mitsubishi was certainly right
Post a Comment
Location: New Zealand
Read more

New generation Mitsubishi Triton makes world debut

By -
Image
The 2015 Mitsubishi Triton. Photos / Supplied NZ Herald Mitsubishi Motors' new generation Triton ute has made its international debut in Thailand. Presented for the first time in production form, the 2015 Mitsubishi Triton is promised to be more efficient, offer high levels of safety and raise the bar for passenger car-like steering performance , quietness, and ride comfort across the class. Powered by a new all-aluminium 2.4-litre MIVEC turbo diesel engine with variable geometry turbo and paired to a new 6-speed manual transmission or optional 5-speed automatic, the new generation model retains Triton's working vehicle durability and load-carrying capacity without compromising passenger and drive comfort. The interior of the new Mitsubishi Triton ute. Exterior styling has been updated for the 2015 model, helping the Triton to achieve outstanding aerodynamic performance compared to other models in the ute class. The new design contributes to Triton&
Post a Comment
Read more

Mitsubishi Motors Names New Compact SUV: Eclipse Cross

By -
Image
Tokyo, February 14, 2017  – Mitsubishi  Motors Corporation (MMC) today announced it has chosen the name Eclipse Cross for its new compact SUV model to be debuted at the 87th Geneva International Motor Show* in Geneva, Switzerland on 7-19 March, 2017.  Eclipse derives its name from MMC’s popular specialty coupe model sold in the US from 1989, while Cross is short for crossover.  Eclipse is also a word used to describe an astronomical event. Marrying stylish coupe lines with the freedom of movement of an SUV, the beautiful, dynamic form of Eclipse Cross serves to bring about the same sense of excitement and inspiration as the diamond ring seen immediately before and after a total solar eclipse.  The high-saturation red body color newly developed for the model is also reflected in the name to evoke the brilliance of the prominence seen during the total solar eclipse.  * Le 87e Salon international de l’automobile Genève 2017. With press days on 7-8 March, the show is open to
Post a Comment
Read more

New Pajero Sport ramps up safety, not price

By -
Image
Safety first or savings first? There’s no compromise when it comes to the new 2017 Pajero Sport – the safest Pajero yet, available for the limited price of $49,990 1 . Named ‘Top Lifestyle SUV of 2016’ 2  by  Stuff  motoring journalists and the bestselling vehicle in its class since launch, it could be argued that the Pajero Sport is great as it is. That hasn’t stopped Mitsubishi from adding even more smart technology to its 2017 model update, however – and at no extra cost to customers. In fact, the new Pajero Sport has more standard safety features than any Pajero to date – and with seven seats, no one need miss the ride. “For no extra cost, we’ve improved on what are already very high safety specifications across the range to ensure the new Pajero Sport provides even greater value and added peace of mind,” says Mitsubishi head of sales and marketing strategy Daniel Cook. “ Pajero Sport is built for adventure, with family safety at heart. So whether you’re heading for
Post a Comment
Read more

New 2017 Triton – better specs, bigger range!

By -
Image
The new 2017 Triton ; our best-selling range is now bigger and better than ever before!  The range has grown from 11 to 14 models, with more automatic and high specification options to meet customer demand. Single Cab models are now automatic, while new Club Cab Chassis automatic and manual Club Cab Wellside models have been added. Two new range topping 2WD and 4WD VRX models up the stakes with a range of premium new features including; leather seats, heated front seats with the driver’s powered, Mitsubishi Smart Phone Link Display Audio with Apple Carplay and Andriod Auto, leather wrapped 4-spoke steering wheel, premium instrument metre, new dark pewter chrome grille and headlights and an integrated sidestep. On the 4WD VRX, differential lock adds extra grit to Triton’s off-road capability which is already proven by Mitsubishi’s Super Select II 4WD system. “Our customers’ needs are changing, they now want luxury car features and easy to drive automatic transmissions , as w
Post a Comment
Read more