Auto giants predict a sales boom, but their hometown is still struggling.

Measures to stop boy-racers from cruising and doing burnouts brought an 18 per cent drop in street-racing offences last year.

Think you have a way with words? Put your talent to good use and enter our caption competition - and don't forget to check back for the latest photos.

Holidaymakers faced huge traffic jams north and south yesterday as they tried to leave Auckland.The Northern Gateway toll road and the Kopu Bridge entry to Coromandel Peninsula were jammed as thousands deserted the city.

There's hot competition in the small car sector, with everything from cheap'n'cheerful runabouts to well-equipped Euro style-meisters on offer. So Citroen's C3 must make an impact if it is to revitalise the brand.

BMW deliberately badged its latest go-fast model the 1-Series M-coupe to avoid confusion with the mid-engined M1 supercar of the late 1970s.

Ford's FPV performance offerings in recent years have left the line-up of force-fed six cylinder Falcons as the brand's real stars.