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New Zealand Exclusive - The Cheapest Cars in the World? just-auto.com Reports

24 November 2000

New Zealand Exclusive - The Cheapest Cars in the World? just-auto.com Reports

    LONDON, Nov. 24 http://www.just-auto.com -- During
15 years of economic reform, New Zealand has exchanged a dozen
tariff-protected car plants for some of the cheapest cars in the world.
    Cars are big business in New Zealand.  With the same land area as Britain,
petrol and diesel comparatively cheap and a poor public transport system
outside the capital city, New Zealanders rely on the motor car.
    The exclusive report at http://just-auto.com/features_detail.asp?art=347
looks at the purchasing trends in New Zealand, the country's love of imported
used cars and the foreseeable problems that this market could cause.
    Used vehicles, the majority from Japan, are mostly restored and sold with
a factory warranty.  They're a popular choice -- in 1999 139,400 used imports
were sold compared with 72,232 new vehicles.
    It is a set up that sounds ideal but the current Labour government has
recognised the hidden costs of such vehicles arguing that New Zealand has an
aging car fleet which causes, among other problems, more pollution.

    To read the full exclusive, please see here:
http://just-auto.com/features_detail.asp?art=347

    just-auto.com is the premier online portal for automotive industry
professionals worldwide.  Targeted specifically at industry and business
professionals, the site provides a single point of reference for independent
automotive industry information.