32892 Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 123 / Tuesday, June 25, 1996 / Notices

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (‘‘Champagne’’)

(Registered Importer 90–009) has

petitioned NHTSA to decide whether

1983 Yamaha RD 350 motorcycles are

eligible for importation into the United

States. The vehicle which Champagne

believes is substantially similar is the

1983 Yamaha RZ 350, which was

manufactured for importation into, and

sale in, the United States and certified

by its manufacturer, Yamaha Motor

Company, as conforming to all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully

compared the 1983 Yamaha RD 350 to

the 1983 Yamaha RZ 350, and found the

two vehicles to be substantially similar

with respect to compliance with most

Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Champagne submitted information

with its petition intended to

demonstrate that the 1983 Yamaha RD

350, as originally manufactured,

conforms to many Federal motor vehicle

safety standards in the same manner as

the 1983 Yamaha RZ 350, or is capable

of being readily altered to conform to

those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the 1983 Yamaha RD 350 is identical to

the 1983 Yamaha RZ 350 with respect

to compliance with Standards Nos. 106

Brake Hoses, 111 Rearview Mirrors, 115

Vehicle Identification Number, 116

Brake Fluid, 119 New Pneumatic Tires

for Vehicles other than Passenger Cars,

120 Tire Selection and Rims for

Vehicles other than Passenger Cars, and

122 Motorcycle Brake Systems.

Petitioner also contends that the

vehicle is capable of being readily

altered to meet the following standards,

in the manner indicated:

Standard No. 108 Lamps, Reflective

Devices and Associated Equipment:

installation of U.S.- model headlamp

assemblies.

Standard No. 123 Motorcycle

Controls and Displays: installation of a

U.S. model speedometer calibrated in

miles per hour.

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 19, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–16117 Filed 6–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 96–061; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for

Decision That Nonconforming 1992

Mercedes-Benz 250D Passenger Cars

Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for

decision that nonconforming 1992

Mercedes-Benz 250D 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 a 1992 MercedesBenz 250D that was not originally

manufactured to comply with all

applicable Federal motor vehicle safety

standards is eligible for importation into

the United States because (1) it is

substantially similar to a vehicle that

was originally manufactured for

importation into and sale in the United

States and that was certified by its

manufacturer as complying with the

safety standards, and (2) it is capable of

being readily altered to conform to the

standards.

DATES: The closing date for comments

on the petition is July 25, 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 a.m. to 4 p.m.]

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.

Champagne Imports, Inc. of Lansdale,

Pennsylvania (Registered Importer No.

R–90–009) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 1992 Mercedes-Benz

250D passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The

vehicle which Champagne believes is

substantially similar is the 1992

Mercedes-Benz 300E. Champagne has

submitted information indicating that

Daimler Benz, A.G., the company that

manufactured the 1992 Mercedes-Benz

300E, certified that vehicle as

conforming to all applicable Federal

motor vehicle safety standards and

offered it for sale in the United States.

The petitioner contends that it

carefully compared the 1992 MercedesBenz 250D to the 1992 Mercedes-Benz

300E, and found the two models to be

substantially similar with respect to

compliance with most applicable

Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Champagne submitted information

with its petition intended to

demonstrate that the 1992 MercedesBenz 250D, as originally manufactured,

conforms to many Federal motor vehicle

safety standards in the same manner as

the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 300E that was

offered for sale in the United States, or

is capable of being readily altered to

conform to those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that

the 1992 Mercedes-Benz 250D is

identical to the certified 1992 MercedesBenz 300E with respect to compliance

with Standards Nos. 102 Transmission

Shift Lever Sequence . . . ., 103

Defrosting and Defogging Systems, 104

Windshield Wiping and Washing
Federal Register / Vol. 61, No. 123 / Tuesday, June 25, 1996 / Notices 32893

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, 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 1992 Zone

Intrusion, and 302 Flammability of

Interior Materials.

Additionally, the petitioner states that

the 1992 Mercedes- Benz 250D complies

with the Bumper Standard found in 49

CFR Part 581.

Petitioner also contends that the

vehicle is 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 a

noncomplying symbol on the brake

failure indicator lamp; (b) installation of

a seat belt warning lamp that displays

the appropriate symbol; (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 headlamp

assemblies; (b) installation of U.S.-

model front and rear sidemarker/

reflector assemblies; (c) installation of

U.S.-model taillamp assemblies; (d)

installation of a high mounted stop

lamp.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and

Rims: installation of a tire information

placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirrors:

replacement of the convex passenger

side rearview mirror.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection:

installation of a buzzer microswitch in

the steering lock assembly, and a

warning buzzer.

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. 206 Door Locks and

Door Retention Components:

replacement of the rear door locks and

lock buttons with U.S.-model parts.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash

Protection: (a) Installation of a U.S.-

model seat belt in the driver’s position,

or a belt webbing-actuated microswitch

inside the driver’s seat belt retractor; (b)

installation of an ignition switchactuated seat belt warning lamp and

buzzer; (c) replacement of the driver’s

side air bag and knee bolster with U.S.-

model components. The petitioner

states that the vehicle is equipped at

each front designated seating position

with a combination lap and shoulder

restraint that adjusts by means of an

automatic retractor and releases by

means of a single push-button. The

petitioner further states that the vehicle

is equipped at both outboard rear

designated seating positions with

combination lap and shoulder restraints

that release by means of a single pushbutton, and with a lap belt in the rear

center designated seating position.

Standard No. 214 Side Impact

Protection: installation of reinforcing

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.

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 19, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96–16118 Filed 6–24–96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910–59–P

[Docket No. 96–23; Notice 2]

Decision That Nonconforming 1987

Volkswagen Golf Passenger Cars Are

Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic

Safety Administration (NHTSA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice of decision by NHTSA

that nonconforming 1987 Volkswagen

Golf passenger cars are eligible for

importation.

SUMMARY: This notice announces the

decision by NHTSA that 1987

Volkswagen Golf 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 U.S.-certified version of the 1987

Volkswagen Golf), and they are capable

of being readily altered to conform to

the standards.

DATES: This decision is effective June

25, 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