April issue out now

The annual number of used imports from Japan has tumbled by more than 30,000 with the clean car standard being blamed as a key factor for the downturn. Autofile talks to industry experts about the market and where it’s heading as dealers turn to sourcing local stock.

Drive Electric has criticised the government for wanting to scrap requirements for its agencies to buy zero or low-emitting cars. Kirsten Corson, who chairs the association, says: “When we see Australia incentivising EV uptake, such decisions are perplexing.”

Concerns about the likely policy change to procurement rules have also been raised by Aimee Wiley, of the Motor Industry Association. “It risks stalling our EV momentum as the rest of the world accelerates,” she says as guest editorial writer for this issue of Autofile.

Larry Fallowfield, of the Motor Trade Association, reports on the Plastic2eco initiative, which aims to promote sustainability and reduce landfill waste by repurposing plastic parts. Not only is it good news for our ecosystem, but it will add to the country’s circular economy and create jobs.

Armstrong’s revamped Porsche dealership in Wellington has officially opened after a $14 million transformation over two-and-a-half years. More developments are planned for the future.

Kia NZ has revealed its latest line-up addition at an electric-vehicle day. The EV4 was featured at the event only weeks after its global debut, while the EV3, EV5, EV6 and EV9 are also attracting plenty of interest.

Nissan’s new chief executive officer is Ivan Espinosa, ending weeks of speculation over Makoto Uchida’s successor. We profile the 46-year-old Mexican, who joined Japan’s third-largest carmaker in 2003. 

Michelle Findlater, of Southern Automobiles in Invercargill, is looking forward to learning from global leaders at Harvard after winning a MITO and Inspiring Futures Foundation scholarship.

• Avanti Finance has appointed Lee Robson as general manager – auto for New Zealand. 

• A racetrack is being proposed for TECT Park in the Bay of Plenty. Thunder Ridge could be up and running by the end of 2026.

• James Hendry, of AdTorque Edge NZ, explains why choosing a digital partner is important for any business.  

• Find out about Toyota NZ’s genuine parts business. It operates out of a 38,000sqm warehouse with more than 53,000 different parts in stock.

• The Japanese government responds to Donald Trump’s decision to impose 25 per cent tariffs on vehicle and automotive parts imported into the US. 

Plus: Dealership awards, appointments, new vehicles, disputes, in-depth car industry statistics for March and so much more.

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