News from the world of motors
• SUBARU'S SUCCESS: The latest version of the Subaru Legacy has been voted the Japanese auto industry's Car of the Year award for 2003-2004. It's the first time Subaru has won the award, with the Legacy beating competition from the likes of Honda's Odyssey minivan and Toyota's gas-electric hybrid Prius. Although no major breakthrough in styling, the fourth-generation Legacy has won plaudits for its driving performance and has been compared to a well-built German saloons. The award should add much-needed sales momentum for the niche maker of off-road vehicles known for its boxer engines. The Japanese Car of the Year is chosen by an industry panel composed mostly of auto journalists.
• PORSCHE PROFITS: The world's most profitable car maker, Porsche, posted its ninth straight year of record earnings last week but would not comment on whether this amazing trend would stretch to a tenth year. Porsche profits have traditionally made it the envy of rivals, said pre-tax profit rose 13 per cent to €933 million in its last business year to the end of July. It said its Cayenne sports utility vehicle (reviewed on page 5) would help lift sales and revenues again in the current year, but said merely it expected "high" profits.
• CAR BOOM LEADS TO ROAD DEATHS: Road incidents in China killed 75,841 people in the first nine months of the year, according to reports in the China Daily, adding that rising car sales fuelled by a booming economy were boosting the death toll. The newspaper said 109,363 people died in traffic accidents nationwide in China last year. That was over 3,300 more deaths than the year before and about 15,500 more than in the year 2000. China's car sales jumped 60 per cent to 1.2 million last year, making it the world's fastest growing major car market. Analysts expect close to two million cars will be made and sold in China in 2003.
• EUROPEAN CAR SALES SLIP: New car sales in western Europe slipped last month, dashing hopes of a strong late-year rebound, but Japanese and Korean carmakers took market share from their local European rivals. Brussels-based carmaker association ACEA said October sales fell 0.3 per cent in the region, bringing the total number of cars sold in the first 10 months of the year to 12.19 million, a 1.3 per cent drop from a year ago. The main winners were Japanese companies, including Nissan, Mazda and Toyota, as well as Korean rivals Hyundai and Kia.