31216 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 / Notices

Signed:

Donald C. Bischoff,

Acting Executive Director, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration.

Anthony R. Kane,

Executive Director, Federal Highway

Administration.

[FR Doc. 96–15599 Filed 6–18–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 96–064; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1993,

1995, and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-Door

Passenger Cars are Eligible for

Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1993,

1995, and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-door

passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces receipt

by the National Highway Traffic Safety

Administration (NHTSA) of a petition

for a decision that 1993, 1995, and 1996

Porsche Carrera 2-door passenger cars

that were not originally manufactured to

comply with all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards are

eligible for importation into the United

States because (1) they are substantially

similar to vehicles that were originally

manufactured for importation into and

sale in the United States and that were

certified by their manufacturer as

complying with the safety standards,

and (2) they are capable of being readily

altered to conform to the standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments

on the petition is July 19, 1996.

ADDRESSES: Comments should refer to

the docket number and notice number,

and be submitted to: Docket Section,

Room 5109, National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, 400 Seventh St.,

SW, Washington, DC 20590. [Docket

hours are from 9:30 am to 4 pm]

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–

5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i)(I) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the act)), a motor vehicle

that was not originally manufactured to

conform to all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards shall be refused

admission into the United States unless

NHTSA has decided that the motor

vehicle is substantially similar to a

motor vehicle originally manufactured

for importation into and sale in the

United States, certified under 49 U.S.C.

30115 (formerly section 114 of the act),

and of the same model year as the

model of the motor vehicle to be

compared, and is capable of being

readily altered to conform to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

Petitions for eligibility decisions may

be submitted by either manufacturers or

importers who have registered with

NHTSA pursuant to 49 CFR Part 592. As

specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA

publishes notice in the Federal Register

of each petition that it receives, and

affords interested persons an

opportunity to comment on the petition.

At the close of the comment period,

NHTSA decides, on the basis of the

petition and any comments that it has

received, whether the vehicle is eligible

for importation. The agency then

publishes this decision in the Federal

Register.

G&K Automotive Conversion, Inc. of

Santa Ana, California (‘‘G&K’’)

(Registered Importer 90–007) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1993, 1995, and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-

door passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicles which G&K believes are

substantially similar are the 1993, 1995,

and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-door

passenger cars that were manufactured

for importation into, and sale in, the

United States and certified by their

manufacturer as conforming to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the non-U.S. certified 1993,

1995, and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-door

passenger cars to their U.S. certified

counterparts, and found the vehicles to

be substantially similar with respect to

compliance with most Federal motor

vehicle safety standards.

G&K submitted information with its

petition intended to demonstrate that

the non-U.S. certified 1993, 1995, and

1996 Porsche Carrera 2-door passenger

cars, as originally manufactured,

conform to many Federal motor vehicle

safety standards in the same manner as

their U.S. certified counterparts, or are

capable of being readily altered to

conform to those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the non-U.S. certified 1993, 1995, and

1996 Porsche Carrera 2-door passenger

cars are identical to their U.S. certified

counterparts with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence. . . ., 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing

Systems, 105 Hydraulic Brake Systems,

106 Brake Hoses, 107 Reflecting

Surfaces, 109 New Pneumatic Tires, 113

Hood Latch Systems, 116 Brake Fluid,

124 Accelerator Control Systems, 201

Occupant Protection in Interior Impact,

202 Head Restraints, 203 Impact

Protection for the Driver From the

Steering Control System, 204 Steering

Control Rearward Displacement, 205

Glazing Materials, 206 Door Locks and

Door Retention Components, 207

Seating Systems, 209 Seat Belt

Assemblies, 210 Seat Belt Assembly

Anchorages, 211 Wheel Nuts, Wheel

Discs and Hubcaps, 212 Windshield

Retention, 216 Roof Crush Resistance,

219 Windshield Zone Intrusion, and 302

Flammability of Interior Materials.

Petitioner also contends that the

vehicles are capable of being readily

altered to meet the following standards,

in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 101 Controls and

Displays: (a) substitution of a lens

marked ‘‘Brake’’ for a lens with an ECE

symbol on the brake failure indicator

lamp; (b) placement of a seat belt

warning symbol on the seat belt warning

lamp; (c) recalibration of the

speedometer/odometer from kilometers

to miles per hour.

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment: (a)

installation of U.S.-model headlamps

and front sidemarkers; (b) installation of

U.S.-model taillamp lenses which

incorporate rear sidemarkers; (c)

installation of a high mounted stop

lamp.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror:

replacement of the passenger side

convex rearview mirror with a U.S.-

model component.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

installation of a warning buzzer

microswitch and a warning buzzer in

the steering lock assembly.

Standard No. 115 Vehicle

Identification Number: installation of a

VIN plate that can be read from outside

the left windshield pillar, and a VIN

reference label on the edge of the door

or latch post nearest the driver.

Standard No. 118 Power Window

Systems: rewiring of the power window

system so that the window transport is

inoperative when the ignition is

switched off.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: installation of a seat belt

warning buzzer. The petitioner states

that the vehicle is equipped with

driver’s and passenger’s side air bags
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 119 / Wednesday, June 19, 1996 / Notices 31217

and knee bolsters, and with Type 2 seat

belts in all designated seating positions.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact

Protection: installation of door beams.

Standard No. 301 Fuel System

Integrity: installation of a rollover valve

in the fuel tank vent line between the

fuel tank and the evaporative emissions

collection canister.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

the bumpers on the non-U.S. certified

1993, 1995, and 1996 Porsche Carrera 2-

door passenger cars must be reinforced

to comply with the Bumper Standard

found in 49 CFR Part 581.

Interested persons are invited to

submit comments on the petition

described above. Comments should refer

to the docket number and be submitted

to: Docket Section, National Highway

Traffic Safety Administration, Room

5109, 400 Seventh Street, S.W.,

Washington, DC 20590. It is requested

but not required that 10 copies be

submitted.

All comments received before the

close of business on the closing date

indicated above will be considered, and

will be available for examination in the

docket at the above address both before

and after that date. To the extent

possible, comments filed after the

closing date will also be considered.

Notice of final action on the petition

will be published in the Federal

Register pursuant to the authority

indicated below.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and

(b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; delegations of authority

at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Issued on: June 13, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–15524 Filed 6–18–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 96–34; Notice 2]

Decision That Nonconforming 1985

Audi 200 Quattro Passenger Cars are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA

that nonconforming 1985 Audi 200

Quattro passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

decision by NHTSA that 1985 Audi 200

Quattro passenger cars not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards are eligible for importation

into the United States because they are

substantially similar to a vehicle

originally manufactured for importation

into and sale in the United States and

certified by its manufacturer as

complying with the safety standards

(the 1985 Audi 5000S Turbo), and they

are capable of being readily altered to

conform to the standards.

DATES: This decision is effective as of

June 19, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:

George Entwistle, Office of Vehicle

Safety Compliance, NHTSA (202–366–

5306).

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

Under 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A)

(formerly section 108(c)(3)(A)(i) of the

National Traffic and Motor Vehicle

Safety Act (the Act)), a motor vehicle

that was not originally manufactured to

conform to all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards shall be refused

admission into the United States unless

NHTSA has decided that the motor

vehicle is substantially similar to a

motor vehicle originally manufactured

for importation into and sale in the

United States, certified under 49 U.S.C.

30115 (formerly section 114 of the Act),

and of the same model year as the

model of the motor vehicle to be

compared, and is capable of being

readily altered to conform to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

Petitions for eligibility decisions may

be submitted by either manufacturers or

importers who have registered with

NHTSA pursuant to 49 CFR Part 592. As

specified in 49 CFR 593.7, NHTSA

publishes notice in the Federal Register

of each petition that it receives, and

affords interested persons an

opportunity to comment on the petition.

At the close of the comment period,

NHTSA decides, on the basis of the

petition and any comments that it has

received, whether the vehicle is eligible

for importation. The agency then

publishes this decision in the Federal

Register.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (‘‘Champagne’’)

(Registered Importer 90–009) petitioned

NHTSA to decide whether 1987 Audi

200 Quattro passenger cars are eligible

for importation into the United States.

NHTSA published notice of the petition

on April 5, 1996 (61 FR 15334) to afford

an opportunity for public comment. The

reader is referred to that notice for a

thorough description of the petition.

One comment was received in

response to the notice of the petition,

from Volkswagen of America, Inc.

(‘‘Volkswagen’’), the United States

representative of Audi A.G., the

vehicle’s manufacturer. In this

comment, Volkswagen stated that

vehicle identification number (VIN)

assigned to the specific vehicle that the

petitioner seeks to import identifies that

vehicle as a 1985 Audi 200 Quattro.

Volkswagen further stated that in the

1985 model year, it imported into the

United States a front wheel drive

vehicle (the Audi 5000S Turbo) that was

built on the same platform as the Audi

200 Quattro (all wheel drive) that was

sold in Europe for the same model year.

After being apprised of this comment,

the petitioner acknowledged that the

petition was in error, and that

Volkswagen properly identified the

vehicle’s model year. In view of this

correction, this notice identifies the

vehicle that is the subject of the petition

as the ‘‘1985 Audi 200 Quattro,’’ and the

substantially similar comparison vehicle

as the ‘‘1985 Audi 5000S Turbo.’’

Volkswagen’s only other comment

was that the petition properly identified

the standards to which the vehicle

would have to be conformed to be

eligible for importation into the United

States. No other comments were

received in response to the notice.

Based on its review of the information

submitted by the petitioner, NHTSA has

decided to grant the petition.

Vehicle Eligibility Number for Subject

Vehicles

The importer of a vehicle admissible

under any final decision must indicate

on the form HS–7 accompanying entry

the appropriate vehicle eligibility

number indicating that the vehicle is

eligible for entry. VSP–160 is the

vehicle eligibility number assigned to

vehicles admissible under this notice of

final decision.

Final Decision

Accordingly, on the basis of the

foregoing, NHTSA hereby decides that a

1985 Audi 200 Quattro is substantially

similar to a 1985 Audi 5000S Turbo

originally manufactured for importation

into and sale in the United States and

certified under 49 U.S.C. § 30115, and is

capable of being readily altered to

conform to all applicable Federal motor

vehicle safety standards.

Authority: 49 U.S.C. 30141(a)(1)(A) and

(b)(1); 49 CFR 593.8; delegations of authority

at 49 CFR 1.50 and 501.8.

Issued on: June 13, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–15525 Filed 6–18–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P