Motorsport has played a role in promoting Jamaica's image on the world stage positively and 2012 is regarded as one of its better years, particularly in circuit racing, go-karting and rallying.
The Save 300 campaign, started in 2008, met its objective in 2012 as there were 256 road fatalities for the year. However, despite all the attention paid to keeping annual road fatalities below 300 persons, it is a step, not a destination.
President of the Jamaica Used Car Dealers Association, Lynvalle Hamilton, is anticipating that 2013 will not be as good for used car sales as 2012. Among the reasons are a hike in the costs to import vehicles and competition for vehicles from more developed countries, which now enjoy relaxed importation regulations.
Another year is almost at an end and Automotives is looking back at its coverage of all things motor-vehicle related in Jamaica over the past 12 months.
Two new car brands which entered the Jamaican market after other brands were well established have been putting their best rides forward in showroom - strategies which seem to be paying strong dividends.
Performance, luxury and use are the three design pillars on which Audi has built its success, testing technological advances on the race track before incorporating them in its street-car production range. What this means is that what Audi offers as a regular vehicle will, in fact, have many practical elements of a sport design.
Many motorists do not know it, but it is likely that every time they get behind the wheel there's a snitch along for the ride. The US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently proposed long-delayed regulations requiring auto manufacturers to include event data recorders - better known as 'black boxes' - in all new cars and light trucks beginning September 1, 2014.
Two of Jamaica's top motorsports performers for this year, 12-year-old Joshua Sirgany and circuit racer Sebastien Rae, are among several regional champions who have been selected for special awards by the Federation of International Automobile (FIA) affiliate, FIA Americas Award.
In light of the ongoing controversy about the discrepancy between the year of manufacture advertised and correct year of manufacture of some used cars imported into Jamaica, the Loss Adjusters Association of Jamaica (LAAJ), through director David McKay, has provided this clarification of the process by which a motor vehicle's year of manufacture is determined.
Garth Walker, chairman of Creative Media and Events, parent company of Wealth Magazine, is setting his sights on the automotive industry with the launch of a new magazine and television show next year.
Sprinter Michael Frater has had one of the more unusual seasons that a track and field athlete could anticipate. He captained Jamaica's successful team to the 2012 Olympics in London, England, doubled up as athlete and administrator by winning the third vice-president position of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association (JAAA) - and, a few days ago, cut ties with long-time club MVP.
Jamaica's Olympic gold medallist, sprinter Michael Frater, will be among scores of competitors at the newly constructed JamWest Speedway in Little London, Westmoreland, today. This is the second day of competition, after yesterday's qualifying.
As the peak of the 2012 Christmas season approaches, some 2007 vehicles offered by used-car dealers across the island have been attracting individual discounts or are being offered at reduced prices.
This is the second in Automotives' series on taxi drivers' experiences with criminals, where they have been in extreme danger and somehow made it through to tell the tale.
The connection between the Jamaica Rent-a-Car Association (JARACA) and the tourism industry was emphasised repeatedly at JARACA's 42nd annual general meeting and luncheon.
Officially, Joe Ferreira is director of New Markets for Metis Motors, the Hope Road-based importers of the Tata Nano. And he does a good enough job of showing Automotives some of the Tata Nano's finer features in the Gleaner's parking lot.
If the Peter Clarke-led Jamaica Millennium Motoring Club (JMMC) administration has its way, significant changes will be effected next year to improve rallying in Jamaica.
Managing director of Grennell's Driving School, Alphonso Grennell, is continuing with plans for next year's staging of the Grennell's Road Safety 5K. This despite the poor turnout to the inaugural event on November 17 and the shortfall in the intended revenue.
Every time a taxi operator picks up a passenger he or she does not know or responds to a call from a strange address, it is possible that they will face danger.
