Hot numbers in cool market

The Camry Sportivo gets much improved dynamics.

The procession of new cars for the New Zealand market crowded the calendar this week with a mainstream model from Toyota and luxury offerings from Honda and Audi.

All three go on sale as the market cools mid-winter, with July sales of 8040 cars and commercials down more than 10 per cent on June.

Last month's registrations of 5989 new cars were the lowest since 2002. So far this year, new car sales are down on last year by just over 1 per cent and commercials are 7 per cent behind.

Motor Industry Association chief Perry Kerr says: "The new-vehicle market is continuing to adjust to the pressures experienced in other sectors of the economy, but this downturn must also be taken in the context that new-vehicle sales increased year-over from 2000 to 2005."

The industry is predicting sales nearing 100,000 by year's end, slightly down on last year. Toyota continues to dominate for the 18th year in a row. Land Transport NZ figures show the Japanese giant sold 12,029 new vehicles to the end of last month, well clear of Ford with 7941 and Holden with 7227.

Combined Big Three sales for the first seven months were more than 27,000, more than 47 per cent of total sales.

Then came Nissan with 4170, Honda with 3878, Mitsubishi with 3557 and Mazda with 3360.

Toyota also dominated July sales, with 1746 cars and commercials for 21.7 per cent of the market, followed by Ford with 1212 (15.1 per cent), Holden with 798 (9.9 per cent), Mitsubishi with 600 (7.5 per cent), Nissan with 585 (7.3 per cent), Honda with 541 (6.7 per cent) and Mazda with 469 (5.8 per cent).

The once-dominant large passenger car market - down 17 per cent over the past six months as buyers switch to more fuel-efficient vehicles - enters a new phase with the launch of the Australian-built Camry. It gets the jump on Holden's VE Commodore and Ford's updated Falcon, both expected in the next few months.

The front-drive Camry comes with a 2.4-litre four-cylinder engine, unlike the Commodore (3.6-litre V6) and Falcon (4-litre in-line six). The V6 Camry is no longer available and will be replaced by the bigger 3-litre Aurion later in the year.

Toyota is aiming the 117kW/218Nm 2.4-litre Camry at the fleet market, which dominates private sales in New Zealand two to one.

It says the four-cylinder, at $36,500, offers overall lower operating costs, which is what fleet users want.

There is still some argument about the overall fuel efficiency of a smaller engine powering a large car.

It is understood that engineers at the Camry plant in Melbourne are disappointed with real-world 2.4-litre fuel figures and are already looking at revisions, including reducing the car's weight.

Officially, Toyota says the five-speed manual Camry offers 8.9 litres/100km and the five-speed automatic 9.9 litres/100km.

Toyota says Camry dynamics are much improved, partly because of the increased width (25mm), lower ride height (10mm) and longer wheelbase (55mm).

The range starts with the five-speed manual GL at $36,500 and the five-speed GL automatic at $38,000. The automatic Sportivo is $41,250 and the top-range GLX auto $46,000. All models have dual-stage driver and passenger front airbags, front-seat side airbags and front/rear curtain-shield airbags, an anti-lock braking system (ABS) with brake assist and electronic brake-force distribution.

The GLX also has traction control and vehicle stability control.

Toyota rival Honda enters the luxury segment with its high-tech Legend, which introduces the carmaker's super handling-all wheel drive system, called SH-AWD in Honda-speak.

The system varies drive by as much as 70 per cent to the front or rear wheels as well as sending it left or right to help cornering.

"The sheer accessibility of the technology in this vehicle opens up a new and exciting time for New Zealand drivers," says Honda New Zealand managing director Graeme Seymour.

"The SH-AWD system is ideal for New Zealand's driving conditions where the dynamics of our roads require constant vigilance. It will help to bring out the best in any driver."

The Legend is priced at $86,750. Adding satellite-navigation pushes up the price to $91,750. Both prices exclude on-road costs.

Europe's Audi unveiled its all-wheel-drive Q7 off-roader 24 hours ago in the snow country around Mt Hutt.

Two seven-seat models are available - a 3-litre V6 turbodiesel at $121,900 and a 4.2-litre V8 petrol unit at $141,900. The better equipped S-line examples, add $9600 to the cost of the turbodiesel and $4800 to the V8. It is the carmaker's rival to the Mercedes-Benz M-Class, BMW X5, Volvo XC90 and Lexus RX 330.

As expected from Audi, the Q7 makes much use of aluminium in the bonnet, bumpers and tailgate and in chassis and suspension components. Nevertheless, it weighs 2.2 tonnes.