We were sorry to learn in this paper's Wednesday news pages that a number of Guangzhou Mercedes-Benz owners are upset about the 'condition of their cars'. One mainland executive said his company had logged 70 problems, a fifth of which were allegedly engine-related, in its fleet of nine Benzes. A Nanning businessman also had complaints, ranging from 'a faulty oil valve, air-conditioning and exhaust pipe, to control switches that kept falling off', the report said.
Shock horror. Foot Down has always thought Mercedes-Benz made rather good cars. And, judging by the voting in our 2003 Car of the Year awards, so do you, with the S-Class, E-Class and SL500 contesting our top gong this week.
Foot Down suspects such complaints affect all luxury marques, and we seek your comments. Are the despondent mainlanders we read about just a bunch of newly rich galoots who don't know how to drive their face-giving luxury? Or could Guangdong's booming motor trade be going through a phase we in Hong Kong became familiar with before Sars - of dealers who are too distant from their marque's HQ to teach customers, say, to use a Ferrari paddle shift, to explain BMW's electronic brake distribution or to inform a Guangdong piggery tycoon on the intricacies of Presafe technology?
The winner of the Carrera Cars/Foot Down Scalextric set competition, Gerard Pahl (above), says he is now driving a pair of gleaming Porsche 911 GT3 R slot-racers around his home track, and his two-year- old son, Henry, has been giving the crash barriers a good workout! 'I have not set eyes on a slot car set since my childhood,' says the Australian vet, who drives a 911 in real life. 'I have been surprised how good - that is, fast - modern Scalextric sets are, and the range of cars and accessories is impressive. Thanks again to Foot Down and Carrera Cars for the great prize.'
You can buy Scalextric sets at Bumps To Babes (Unit 8-18, 21/F Horizon Plaza, 2 Lee Wing St, Ap Lei Chau, tel: 2552 5000), where Italian Job ($1,490), Le Mans ($1,890) and the GT Challengers ($1,190) sets and range of $350 cars await lucky owners. If you do buy a set, please watch your pets this Christmas. Foot Down was winning a gripping race in a Mini Cooper last week when Mr Tinkles reached a paw over the chicane. The Mini went flying and the moggie hasn't been the same since.