MOTOR

AAC, 3M Corporation partnership to benefit members

Sanjeevi Jayasuriya

The Automobile Association of Ceylon partnered 3M Corporation to offer its members a range of products and services to benefit the motoring community.

The Association plans to embark on an ambitious awareness creation effort to educate the public on what better actions are needed to enhance vehicle performance. “We will improve our present service range where 81 garages were set up to promote safe driving by entering to an agreement with Douglas and Sons. The Automobile Association of Ceylon (AA Ceylon) was also supported by Mahindra and Mahindra in providing Rs 75,000 worth of equipment for these garages, AA Ceylon Secretary Anton Kandiah said.

While initiatives are taken to set up authorized centres for vehicle care the Association will conduct road shows and have clinics to educate motorists, he said.

The members of AA Ceylon will now be eligible for discounts and other exclusive benefits, when they purchase a 3M product or service from an authorized centre.

It has set up authorized detailing centres islandwide to offer an exclusive detailing experience to the customers, 3M Lanka (Pvt) Limited Industrial and Transportation Business Division Manager Rasith Senarath said.

With 3M’s objective to strengthen the relationship with the automotive aftermarkets industry, the company decided to become a strategic partner with AA Ceylon.

As one of the most preferred car care brand internationally, 3M has offered solutions for various requirements of the vehicle lovers with main product categories,” he said.

AA Ceylon plays a major role in the automobile industry in Sri Lanka for over 100 years, being the partner in motoring while 3M car care offers comprehensive line of products for automotive maintenance for the growing vehicle population in the country with latest state-of-the art technologies and products.

Autogrill Lanka brings McLaren F1 car to BIA

Autogrill Lanka, the leading Duty Free Retailer at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA), is exhibiting the Vodafone McLaren Mercedes F1 Racing Car at BIA for the very first time in Sri Lanka. The McLaren Mercedes which is driven by former World Champions Lewis Hamilton and Jensen Button is currently lying second in the Constructors Ranking of the 2011 World Grand Prix Championship.

The F1 Car which was brought in as a part of a promotion with Diageo Worldwide, will be on display for the entire duration of the promotion from November 20, 2011 to January 31, 2012. The promotion kicked off in grand style when Airport and Aviation Services, Sri Lanka Chairman Prassanna Wickremasuriya recently unveiled the first ever F1 car to grace the island of Sri Lanka. Expressing thoughts at the inauguration ceremony, Prassanna Wickremasuriya said, This is certainly a proud moment in BIA history and elevates BIA on par with key regional airports. Following up on our vision to create a world class airport, and with the BIA shopping festival which creates an interactive shopping platform; the F1 car will further create a fabulous F1 experience.”

Travellers spending US$ 60 or more on selected items, will be eligible for entry into the daily, monthly and mega grand prize draws. Six daily scratch card winners will stand the chance to walk away with premium branded T Shirts and $-off offers. The rest can enter the monthly and grand prize draw, by simply filling in the reverse of the promo scratch card and dropping it in the designated draw box.

Three monthly draw winners will each join the fast lane as they get the chance to watch the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix from their very own Grandstand Seat complete with hotel and flights, whilst those unfortunate to not strike it lucky, will qualify for the mega grand prize draw, where the winner of the will join the jet set and experience the Malaysian F1 Grand Prix in true VIP style from 23 - 25 March, 2012.

The Malaysian F1 Grand Prix Silver Pass, is an F1 fans dream and includes return flights and premium hotel accommodation, in addition to a first class, VIP, F1 experience, with a celebrity welcome and hospitality on top of entry to an exclusive viewing paddock, with an eagle-eye, up close view, of the exciting racing action.

Autogrill Lanka Limited CEO Dimantha Kinigama, speaking at the promotion launch said “Many people believe Formula One is the best competition in motor sport.

It has attracted more than a billion fan base worldwide and the number is growing rapidly. Out of 19 F1 Grand Prix venues of the 2011 season, seven were in Asia and this is testament not only to the growing economic importance of the region, but also the passion Asian’s share for the fastest circuit racing cars in the world.

Autogrill Lanka, the traveller’s preferred Duty Free Retailer is therefore delighted as we brought the dream machine to Sri Lankan soil for the first time.

Also we are once again presenting this unique opportunity to our customers, wanting to experience the F1 Grand Prix and live life in the fast lane.”

Europe’s carmakers sound alarm over crisis

Europe’s leading carmakers sounded the alarm Friday over the debt crisis, urging European leaders to take speedy action to restore economic stability.

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), grouping top brands in the business, said in a statement that “Europe’s increasing instability risks both the European and the global economy.” The stability of the European economy was under mounting threat from “persistent differences within the eurozone,” it added.

“The region’s economic and fiscal governance must be improved and appropriate support mechanisms put in place. Deficiencies that were not addressed at the time of the creation of the euro must now be dealt with swiftly and decisively.” ACEA includes BMW, Daimler, FIAT, General Motors Europe, Jaguar Land Rover, MAN, Porsche, PSA Peugeot Citroen, Renault, Scania, Toyota Europe, Volkswagen and Volvo.

The carmakers claim to provide 2.3 million jobs directly and indirectly support another 10 million.

AFP

Nissan Leaf electric wins Japan car of the year

Japanese motor giant Nissan won Car of the Year Japan at the Tokyo Motor Show for its Leaf electric model, its makers said, the first time an electric vehicle has picked up the award.

Electric cars with cutting-edge green technology and vehicles remote-controlled by smartphones have been a star feature at this year’s show, which runs till December 11 and features 179 exhibitors from a dozen countries.

“Nissan is proud to announce that its 100 percent electric Leaf car has won the Japanese Car of the Year prize,” Japan’s second-largest automaker said in a statement.

The Nissan Leaf electric is a zero-emission vehicle fitted with rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

Since its launch on the market at the end of last year, some 20,000 models have been sold, notably in Japan and in the US.

“All these accolades show that zero-emission vehicles can clearly be competitive alternatives to conventional ones,” Nissan President and CEO Carlos Ghosn said.

Nissan, which is part-owned by France’s Renault, has invested some 4 billion euros ($ 5 bn) in the development of these electric cars.

Ghosn said that in five years, Nissan and Renault will have sold 1.5 million of the vehicles, and estimated the world market for electric cars would jump from 0.05 percent today, to 15 percent in ten years.

The hybrid (fuel and electric) would also see an increase from 1 percent today to between 5 and 10 percent over the same period, Ghosn added.

Nissan is trailing several electric concept vehicles at the Motor Show, including the Pivo 3, which can be remotely manoeuvered with a smart phone.

It has installed automotive telematics in the Leaf electric car, allowing drivers to remotely control the air conditioning system and check on a car’s battery using their smart phone or personal computer.

Several major foreign manufacturers who skipped the last show are also back this year, including Germany’s Volkswagen, BMW, Mercedes and Porsche; French carmakers Renault and Peugeot-Citroen and Britain’s Jaguar and Land Rover.

AFP