Enhanced Hilux hits the spot
The war for supremacy in the ute market is still being waged by market leaders Toyota and Ford, with the Hilux and Ranger.
Toyota’s Hilux-based Fortuner SUV line-up has had an aggressive upgrade in New Zealand with the addition of a TRD (Toyota Racing Development) enhanced version.
A honeycomb grille, front spoiler, side steps, rear trunk garnish and 18-inch wheels are added to the top-of-the-range Fortuner Limited variant.
“The result is a beefed up, great-looking, top-end SUV,” says Neeraj Lala, Toyota New Zealand general manager of product planning and new vehicle sales.
“It builds on the head-turning features of the Fortuner Limited and follows in the footsteps of other great Toyota TRD models.”
Available in Crystal Pearl, Graphite or Eclipse exterior colours, the Fortuner TRD includes all of the Limited’s luxury and driver-friendly features, e.g. leather-accented seats and a premium JBL audio system with 11 speakers.
The TRD Fortuner package retails at $59,990 including registration, a full tank of fuel, the Toyota Care Service Advantage package, floor mats and 1000km of pre-paid road user charges on diesel vehicles.
Saving money, environment
A waterborne paint system at Toyota NZ’s Thames Signature Class plant is saving the company $40,000 a year and is kinder to the environment, particularly the workers and the Thames environs.
The plant, among NZ’s largest car painting facilities, has two triple paint and drying booths where six vehicles can be worked on at a time. Annually this cuts solvent use by 50% and energy use by 35%, saving about $40,000 a year.
Though the 12,000L of paint used each year costs a little more, less is used and the drying/curing cycle time is reduced by 35%, requiring less energy.
And fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are emitted from the base coat, better for worker health and for air quality.
Colour matching is said to be easier when only part of a vehicle is being painted.
The upgrade cost $235,000, mainly for air-drying blowers to speed up water evaporation, and retraining for the paint booth staff. Fewer problems and repaints are among the paybacks.
The Ministry for the Environment (MfE) has found itself in a stoush with NZPork over the controversial National Policy Statement for Highly Productive Land (NPS-HPL).
Fonterra says the sale of its global consumer business and its Oceania and Sri Lankan operations could take 18 months to complete.
The lobby group the Methane Science Accord (MSA) says it welcomes a recent government move to seek outside advice on reducing biological methane targets, rather than relying on recommendations made by the Climate Change Commission.
Well-known scientist Jock Allison has passed away.
After a decade of consultation and court battles, Environment Southland has officially adopted a plan to prevent further decline in the region's water quality.
Farmers are throwing down the gauntlet to politicians - hold an independent inquiry into rural bank lending or face tough questions from the farming sector.
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