FIAT STRATEGY: Two months after taking over, Fiat's new management has already begun outlining its strategy of a return to traditional strengths: things with wheels. While new group president Umberto Agnelli has promised to a full strategy by July, he has already given a clear indication of where his priorities lie.
Fiat corporate spinners have been ramming the message home: the group's new core activities are cars, machines and "anything on wheels". It's not a low-risk strategy: Fiat Auto, with the Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Lancia brands, recorded an operating loss of €1.3 billion last year and a return into the black is not expected this year.
PARKING MAD: A British motorist was stunned to find that he had been given a parking ticket after yellow lines were painted on either side of his already parked car. Jack Williams (above) parked in Stoke-on-Trent city centre and returned to find the new lines and a ticket put on his car. He said that when he moved his car there was a car-length gap between the lines. A Council spokesman apologised: "It's normal for contractors to paint yellow lines around cars and then fill the gaps later. What's not normal is for cars to then be ticketed."
EASTERN PROMISE: Honda and Mazda have both reported record profits for last year. In fact all five Japanese car firms have reported record profits for 2002. The news comes after Honda recently named senior managing director Takeo Fukui as its new president. Fukui (58) was in charge of Honda's research and development unit.
MINI MARATHON: Over 75 Minis, new and old, travel the length of Ireland to raise funds for Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin. The event kick starts at Cork's Mizen Head tomorrow and finishes in Malin Head in Donegal on Saturday.
DRIVER'S AWARD: A Limerick motorist has won the Hibernian Insurance award for the "most skilled and safest young driver". Part of the insurance firm's Ignition course for young drivers, the prize includes a year's free motor insurance and a Ford Fiesta Finesse.
Adam Walsh won the prize after a day-long competition at Citywest, Dublin. He was one of 10 young people, all top scorers in last year's Ignition course, who were put through their paces by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).
MERCEDES SALE: The Mercedes used car sale at the National Show Centre last weekend drew lots of fans of the marque. According to Ciaran Allen of Mercedes' Irish distributor MDL, 207 of 626 cars on show were sold. All 21 Mercedes dealers attended each selling a minimum of five cars at the event.