India To Make Inroads

Newcastle Herald

Wednesday November 12, 2008

By BRENT DAVISON

THEY might be a bit thin on the ground now but expect to see a lot more Mahindra vehicles on our roads following the signing of a joint venture between Indian car maker Mahindra & Mahindra and its Australian partner TMI Pacific.

Sydney-based TMI emerged as the brand's importer and distributor last year and under the terms of the agreement, inked late last week, will retain its interest in the brand through a 20 per cent stake in the new company, Mahindra Automotive Australia. Mahindra & Mahindra will hold the remaining 80 per cent.

The rearrangement sees TMI chairman Michael Tynan become a director of the company and his daughter Claire goes from chief operating officer of TMI Pacific to chief executive of MAA. The management structure and dealer network will remain unchanged.

A statement announcing the corporate changes said further plans for the company, along with new model plans for the local market, would be announced early next year.

Nissan sports orders

SOME people were a little amused when Nissan officially opened the order books on its awesome R35 GT-R early last month.

Some of them are now laughing from the other side of their faces with word that, in the few weeks since the checkout line opened on October 9, the company is now holding more than 100 orders for the Porsche-munching budget supercar.

Nissan Australia boss Dan Thompson said early customer reaction had been "fabulous", adding that enough production had been secured to ensure that no one who wants one of the twin-turbocharged, all-wheel-drive machines will miss out.

GT-R's relative rarity is expected to guarantee interest globally. Just 1000 cars are built for the world each month at Nissan's Tochigi factory.

Honda scootin' ahead

HONDA celebrated its 60th anniversary as a company last week by announcing at Milan's motorcycle show that it will have a new V4 engine in production in the first half of 2010 and a new scooter on the market next year.

The company is also developing what it calls its "next generation transmission", a twin-clutch automatic similar to transmissions used by such car makers as Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche and Mitsubishi.

Honda says the transmission will improve the riding experience, reduce fuel consumption and give smoother shifts with better power transmission than a conventional gearbox.

Lesson for the ladies

JEAN Broke-Smith, the English grooming expert who starred in such television classics as Ladette to Lady, Australian Princess and Britain's Next Top Model has become a spokeswoman for decency in automobilia.

Ms Broke-Smith has prepared a list telling women how to alight from a car with elegance and dignity.

The list includes such gems as:

? keep the knees together;

? avoid travelling in low cars when wearing a skirt that ends above the knee;

? carry a pashmina, wrap or scarf to help cover up;

? twist the body when alighting to ensure the legs stay together;

? ask a fellow passenger to offer a hand;

? in SUVs, beware of catching the back of the skirt on the higher seats and;

? avoid alcohol and retain your inhibitions.

© 2008 Newcastle Herald

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