An expensive burn up

From $200,000 to $0 in 10 seconds
22 October 2006
By LEIGH VAN DER STOEP

A car salesman's decision to take a brand new $200,000 Audi for a spin last weekend has left him facing a trip to court after the car was written off.

Auckland Giltrap Prestige employee Philip Pottinger's Sunday afternoon drive ended when the new Audi S6 Avant with a 5.2 litre V10 engine rolled up to six times in Kauri Rd, Whenuapai - 20km from the car firm's Grey Lynn address. His passenger was injured. Darned lucky he wasn't killed! ? [smiley=No.gif]

Sources say the car, which reaches 100km/h in just over five seconds, was the only one of its type in New Zealand. ?Now it's the most expensive heap of scrap of its type in NZ.

Pottinger, 27, will appear in Waitakere District Court on Wednesday facing a charge of reckless driving causing injury. It is understood his passenger received minor injuries.

Industry sources describe Pottinger as "a nice guy who made a silly mistake". 'Silly'? - 'Stupid' is the word they need.

Management at Giltrap Prestige would not comment, but confirmed the vehicle was a write-off. At their competitor, Continental Car Services, Audi division manager Mark Bycroft said anti-high performance car lobbyists would use the crash to back their argument that there was no place for such powerful vehicles on New Zealand roads. ? [smiley=eusa_clap.gif] ?Not on those roads, there's not.

Bycroft acknowledged New Zealand speed limits did not cater to such vehicles, but said wealthy Kiwis had a right to own elite toys. ? ?::)

He said only the richest 10% of New Zealanders could afford a top-of-the-range Audi - which costs up to $245,000 - and the rest "only wished they could".