January issue out now

Importers are now having to embrace the clean car standard (CCS), which kicked in on January 1. 

The Imported Motor Vehicle Industry Association expects the fleet’s make-up will be dictated more by demand than any rules designed to influence what importers bring in, while members of the Motor Industry Association are frustrated Waka Kotahi’s online systems haven’t been completed on time.

The Ford Ranger was New Zealand’s top-selling new vehicle of 2022 after shifting 11,574 units and accounting for nearly one-quarter of the market for new commercials. 

Last year was a record-breaking one for new passenger vehicles with 116,370 sold, while the overall number of used imports registered last year was 118,462 – down by nine per cent when compared to 2021.

Rod Milner, of Milner Mobility in Auckland, is calling for disability vehicles to be made exempt from the CCS. If they aren’t, he fears people will have to resort to buying older and higher-emitting models. 

He says new and used mobility vehicles for wheelchair users have previously been spared from most fees incurred through government legislation, including the clean car discount.

Less supply and more demand for vehicles at auctions in Japan is driving up the price of most used cars, but Jacanna’s Ken Quigley says the economic situation at home should be of greater concern to the car industry.

Nigel Grindall, of Moana Blue, says much lower interest rates in Japan – along with other currencies being more attractive to investors than the yen – are impacting on New Zealand’s used-imports sector. 

And Gordon Shaw, of NZ Automotive Investments (NZAI), says Kiwi importers are facing extra competition at wholesale auctions in Japan. This is driving up prices and the number of vehicles on offer has tumbled.

Jonathan Sergel has stepped into the newly created role of chief mobility officer at the AA, as first reported by Autofile Online. He spent the previous three years as general manager of motoring services at the association.

He wasn’t the only one trading places before Christmas. Paul Millward has joined NZAI – 2 Cheap Cars’ parent company as chief executive. Sharlene Van Dijk has become CEO of Lexus of Auckland City, Stu Myles is now deputy chairman of MTF Finance and Aaron Underdown has joined Geneva Finance.

• Todd Fuller, of AdTorque Edge, outlines key elements that the industry’s most successful marketers will be including in their strategies for 2023 to stay ahead of their competitors.

• Until now, all buyers have operated in the same market – “a level playing field, if you like”. The MTA’s Tony Everett predicts the CCS “will serve to change that”.

• The feebate scheme and changes to credit laws were among government policies that frustrated car dealers in 2022 – check out our review of the year that was.

• Kit Wilkerson explains why VIA is developing a new safety metric that encompasses all harm caused by the transport system, not just crashworthiness. 

• Will marques be boldly going into an electric future? Autofile looks back on some of last year’s concepts. Plus: review of 2022, motorsport, disputes and in-depth statistics.

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