FOOT DOWN
Congratulations to Anthony Green of Pokfulam, who won a year's membership of the Hong Kong Automobile Association (HKAA) in the Foot Down witty caption competition with the following lines: HKAA man: 'Why's your engine covered in congee?' Woman driver: 'I broke the Thermos and thought I could keep it warm in the saucepan by balancing it on the engine on the way to my husband's office.' HKAA man: 'With ideas like that, you'll need to be a member all your life.'
Foot Down was in stitches. Indeed, we hadn't laughed so much since last week's Living With Lydia. And when we had finally recovered our composure, Green (above) had forgotten his lines.
'I have to hang my head in shame!' he said. 'I know that I did enter for this competition - but for the life of me, I have no recollection as to what I'd written, or even what inspired it. I guess it's partly old age creeping upon me - I've been driving for almost half a century!' Green told Foot Down his first drive was a 1935 Hillman Minx - the family car in England. 'I later progressed to a GBP 35 Singer, and then owned a couple of MGAs in 1966-67 but had to sell them before I started off from London to hitch-hike around the world,' Green said. 'In 1971 I was driving around Anguilla in military Land Rovers, and later in Oman, I again drove military Land Rovers. I came to Hong Kong on leave in 1976 and met a charming Chinese girl who's been my wife for 25 years now.' Green says he has had four cars here - the latest being a six-year-old Honda Accord which he has had from almost new.
And many thanks to Simon Watkins for his subtle: Patrolman to the motorist: 'It's ********.' And also to Kenneth Lee, who kindly submitted three comments from the HKAA's knight of the road: (i) 'Madam, you are in good hands!'; (ii) 'Lucky that you have us!' and (iii) 'No worries - we will fix that problem'. Wendy Watkins suggested a timely HKAA prognosis: 'It seems to have Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome!' While an e-mail address we'll call 'Sid the Sexist' wrote the following golden dialogue: HKAA man: 'What's up lady?' Woman driver: 'Oh dear, the fan's stopped going round. Where's the plug and power-point for it - or do I need a dollar coin for the meter?'
We were startled by the number of replies. Thanks everyone who sent in their silly lines and we hope to run a similar event soon.
You can knock $10,000 off the cost of a BMW R1100S and the rest of the marque's motorcycle range if you splurge before Thursday, BMW Concessionaires (HK) motorcycle manager Jason Broome told Foot Down last week. The distributors have just opened a new motorcycle centre at the very swish BMW House (at 163 Ma Tau Wei Road, Hunghom, on the way to Kai Tak). Broome says stocks of the R1150R Boxster have arrived in a choice of metallic orange or lime green and matt black. A test follows.
Metro Broadcast is holding a Wheels Of Fire 10th anniversary party at the New World Centre, in Tsim Sha Tsui, from midday today and tomorrow. Up to 36 car firms and clubs have been invited to participate in the event.
Ford Hong Kong celebrates the marque's centennial until Thursday with the offer of a $100 downpayment on a $119,800 Fiesta (below left). 'The total finance amount can even include the insurance fee [60 per cent no claims bonus], licence fee, deposit and the price of the car,' said Ford spokesperson Maggie Wong, adding the Escape 3.0 V6 is selling for $259,900 and the Galaxy at $254,900.
We think a dogfight is developing in Hong Kong's limousine sector. Last week Foot Down thought Maybach was entitled to a victory roll after the opening of its first Asian centre in Repulse Bay, and we wondered whether the Rolls-Royce crew and Bentley Boys had been scrambled in response to the revived German marque's triumphant publicity blitz on our rich.
Well, a squadron of Rolls-Royce chaps are scheduled to swoop into Central for the official launch of the Lady, sorry, Spirit of Ecstasy's Phantom (above) at her new showroom opening in the Hong Kong Club Building on Wednesday. If you are lucky, you might see the Goodwood marque's new wheels through the flurry of top Rolls-Royce brass on Chater Road.
Bentley is busy on a bigger mission, the global launch of the Continental GT (CGT), said Julian Jenkins, the marque's Singapore-based spokesman. 'Interest in Continental GT continues to be strong in the region,' he told Foot Down. They have about 40 deposits from Hong Kong and perhaps 50 per cent over that for the mainland. With a combination of Sars and the car tax debate there has been a certain tendency to hold off, but with the tax agreement interest has strengthened in recent weeks for the CGT and Arnage with the dealer [Bentley Hong Kong] being bullish about sales expectations this year. Jenkins added China business is good. 'The Arnage [range] and the stretch cars are in focus,' he said, adding that four Arnage RLs were sold from the stand at the Shanghai Auto Show in April.
