The good oil: Phone text hoax

Kia's next-gen Magentis got a test outing this week at the Snow Farm facility near Cardrona.

A phone text carrying carmaker Kia's Power To Surprise logo and informing recipients of a lottery win is a hoax. The text also asks for online bank account details. Kia Motors New Zealand boss Todd McDonald learned of the scam this week. "Whoever is behind this has got hold of a mobile phone list - not one of ours, I hasten to add - and they are passing themselves off as representing Kia Motors and using our logo to make people believe that it is a real offer. It most certainly isn't real." The hoax text is signed by "Dr Lewis Anderson, cash officer for Kia Motors in this Region," and says the "lucky mobile phone number has won £497,000 ($1.25 million) and a 2009 Kia car." It asks for delivery details, including online bank account number.

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What was real for Kia this week was the appearance on the Snow Farm test track in Queenstown of its Magentis sedan, due next year. The four-door was apparently wearing only a light disguise as drivers put it though dynamic tests on the slippery surface. Porsche tested the first Cayenne at the Snow Farm - disguised as an M-Class Mercedes-Benz.

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BMW has pulled out of Formula One for "image reasons" - the luxury carmaker wants instead to focus on sustainability and the environment. "We are of the opinion that the premium segment has to remain a positive role model within our society," said company CEO Norbert Reithofer. "We will remain loyal to motor sports, but we will do this in series that enable us to transfer technology more directly and to realise additional synergies." Klaus Draeger, head of research and development and the BMW board member responsible for motorsports, said the sole reason behind the decision was to focus on reducing carbon emissions.

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More on fog lights, in reply to last week's input from readers. Writes Doug: "Fog lights have other uses. When someone is tailgating you, first turn on your park lights and they may drop back slightly. Then hit the rear fog light switch, and watch them disappear backwards in your mirror."

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Says Lou: "Les is wrong about the auto headlight setting on his car. That only turns on the headlights when low light levels are detected. His fog lights have a separate switch. Dave probably has cataracts. That's the only explanation why he needs his fog lights on and isn't dazzled by other drivers doing the same. If he's concerned about being seen, he should note that his headlights are mounted higher than his fog lights and will be seen sooner than his fog lights by oncoming traffic. With drivers like these on our roads it's no wonder that we're the traffic version of the Wild West."

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Nothing official from Lexus New Zealand yet, but Lexus Australia chief John Roca has confirmed it will add a front-drive hatchback to its line-up, to rival compact offerings from Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi. The five-door Lexus broke cover at the 2007 Tokyo motor show, codenamed as C-Premium. Roca told Aussie journos this week: "The C-Premium we'll get for sure. Timing-wise, it will be early 2011." The new Lexus will make its global debut as a concept at the Frankfurt motor show next month, before appearing in final production trim at Geneva next March. It is likely to be badged the "BS" or "CS". Perhaps the CS would be best.

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Fire station chiefs around Muncie, Indiana, had for years used a fire engine to drop off their weekly reports to headquarters downtown - until Muncie Mayor Sharon McShurley changed the protocol last month and ordered the department to learn how to send reports by email.

alastair.sloane@nzherald.co.nz