COUPÉ COUP: Nissan's latest Z-car, the 350Z sport coupé, will be on sale in Ireland in October. Launched earlier this week to the European press, no prices have been decided for the Irish market. The 350Z is powered by a 280 bhp 3.5-litre V6 engine, with a claimed 0-60 mph of less than 6 seconds.
The car was designed in the US at Nissan's San Diego design studio, but the European version has a number of changes to the US model, including a larger radiator and a larger fuel tank because average journey distances are longer too. In Britain, prices for the 350Z start at £25,000. It went on sale on March 17th, but first deliveries are not happening until October 1st. We will have full report on the 350Z next week.
SURFACE CHALLENGE: Visiting the Wicklow hills last week was Toyota's chief engineer for the latest Avensis, Suguya Fukusato. Although he lives in Japan, he has tested cars in most European countries: Ireland until now eluded him. "I think the roads here provide challenges for both car and driver that probably don't exist much elsewhere," says the former rally driver. "But I'm happy that myself and the new Avensis were able to respond well to them and Irish roads confirmed my engineering philosophy for the car."
Mr Fukusato called at Morans, the Toyota dealer in Avoca, where he was intrigued to see a previous generation Avensis in Garda livery which had been in a rear-end shunt. Even more intriguing for him was the Avoca (or Ballykissangel) police car, a Toyota Yaris. "I'm glad to see that Toyota helps so much with the Irish peace."
TOUGH TALKING: The United Auto Workers opened what its leader said would be tough contract talks - pictured below - with Detroit's Big Three automakers last week by warning the union would cede no ground when it came to its jealously guarded heath care benefits.
NAME GAMES: There are some rather confusing name games at the Liffey Valley shopping centre. First there's the Windsor decision to expand its current Nissan franchise and add Opel to its range in one of its outlets.
While retaining its various Nissan outlets, Windsor is opening an Opel dealership at the Liffey Valley Centre. To be called Liffey Valley Opel, it will open in late August, bringing to nine the total number of dealerships in the Windsor Group, but the first to venture outside the Nissan range. So far so good. Then, two doors up from there, enter the DG Opel Ltd group, which is set to open a Nissan dealership. At this location it will be DG Nissan.