Hong Kong's hip are about to be torn between the 698cc Smart ForTwo's interchangeable body panels and the Peugeot 1007's Cameleo trim. Our trendies are well aware of the ForTwo's ability to ride out in pink one day and lilac the next, yet officially remain black or silver on registration documents, thanks to the constancy of its Tridion safety shell. But Peugeot's sliding-doored, 1.6-litre, four-seater runabout's Cameleo trim (right) enables the hip to tell their helpers to dress the 1007 interior in either of two trims from a choice of 12 style options. 'And the eight seat covers can all be removed and put in the washer,' Peugeot says. The Cameleo idea is as canny as it's practical, because mucky interiors erode car values here. Each 18-part kit consists of two fascia panel mats, four air-vent covers, two door panels, two rear storage covers and eight seat covers that the French marque says can be changed in minutes. Additional sets cost GBP185 ($2,500), but prices have yet to be set in Hong Kong, says Calvin Lam of Peugeot dealer AutoFrance (tel: 3118 1828). But he insists, as Hong Kong dealers might, that the hip 1007 isn't about to have a Zoolander-type walk-off with the stylish ForTwo. 'Both the Smart and 1007 are vehicles for the stylish,' he says. 'We're not competing, but we're both stimulating the owners to make changes.' Indeed, the colour-loving ForTwo and 1007 ($186,800) owners may ride out together. 'The 1007 owners may form a 1007 club, or integrate into the Peugeot owners' club,' Lam says. But what would happen if the Smart and 1007's colours clashed? Would it be clutch bags at 40 paces outside Club 97, and if so, would we call Asia's Finest, or the fashion police? Talking of the law, we've just heard that our police have taken delivery of 40 Nissan Tiida and the Hong Kong government has bought 40 Nissan Cefiro for the Fire Services Department, Hong Kong Monetary Authority and Transport Department. Further details to follow. Ferrari dealer Italian Motors now offers GTechniq 'surface-care technology' at its Ap Lei Chau service centre. 'In response to feedback from owners frustrated by false claims of superior protection from regular waxing, GTechniq now offers bespoke body coating protection packages that have been engineered for more than two years for Hong Kong's climate and environment,' says Italian Motors general manager John Newman. 'These packages include GTechniq's unique nanoactive body-gloss coating, which provides a deep, long-term lustre that is easy to clean and maintain. All our coatings and pre-treatment formulations contain zero silicone content and zero abrasive content, [so] the maximum amount of paint remains on your car.' Newman says the service would protect Ferraris from Beijing's dust, and Hong Kong's car cleaners. He says: 'It is far better to let experts in body and interior care look after your classic, supercar or supermini and keep it in showroom condition, than entrust the same job to either general mechanics, maids, drivers, kids in car-park 'wash-and-wax' bays, or to some guy with a bucket of dirty water and an old rag who will scrub your car 'clean' along with 300 others.' Hong Kong cars 'tend to get scrubbed using abrasive washing techniques that the paint was never designed to withstand, resulting in the familiar 'covered in spiders' web' style that's even seen on some Hong Kong classics', Newman says. 'There is also a great belief in outdated care ideas such as applying wax, which has little to no durability or long-term protection benefits. All too often it's inexpertly applied, causing more damage than benefit.' For an F355 or MX5, GTechniq costs $5,950. Larger cars (such as 550 Maranello, Quattroporte, S-Class) will cost $6,950 to coat. Inquiries: tel: 2365 0269, or go to www.gtechniq.com
