Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming 1993 Bentley Brooklands Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

[Docket No. 96-077; Notice 1]

Notice of Receipt of Petition for Decision That Nonconforming

1993 Bentley Brooklands Passenger Cars Are Eligible for Importation

AGENCY: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, DOT.

ACTION: Notice of receipt of petition for decision that nonconforming

1993 Bentley Brooklands 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 1993

Bentley Brooklands 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 August 28,

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).

[[Page 39508]]

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.

Wallace Environmental Testing Laboratories, Inc. of Houston, Texas

(``Wallace'') (Registered Importer 90-005) has petitioned NHTSA to

decide whether 1993 Bentley Brooklands passenger cars are eligible for

importation into the United States. The vehicle which Wallace believes

is substantially similar is the 1993 Bentley Brooklands that was

manufactured for importation into, and sale in, the United States and

certified by its manufacturer, Rolls-Royce Motors, Ltd., as conforming

to all applicable Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

The petitioner claims that it carefully compared the non-U.S.

certified 1993 Bentley Brooklands to its U.S. certified counterpart,

and found the two vehicles to be substantially similar with respect to

compliance with most Federal motor vehicle safety standards.

Wallace submitted information with its petition intended to

demonstrate that the non-U.S. certified 1993 Bentley Brooklands, as

originally manufactured, conforms to many Federal motor vehicle safety

standards in the same manner as its U.S. certified counterpart, or is

capable of being readily altered to conform to those standards.

Specifically, the petitioner claims that the non-U.S. certified

1993 Bentley Brooklands is identical to its U.S. certified counterpart

with respect to compliance with Standard Nos. 101 Controls and

Displays, 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, 115 Vehicle Identification

Number, 116 Brake Fluid, 118 Power Window Systems, 124 Accelerator

Control Systems, 201 Occupant Protection in Interior Impact, 202 Head

Restraints, 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, 214

Side Impact Protection, 216 Roof Crush Resistance, 219 Windshield Zone

Intrusion, and 301 Fuel System Integrity, 302 Flammability of Interior

Materials.

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: (a) installation of U.S.-model headlight assemblies; (b)

installation of U.S.-model turn signal lenses.

Standard No. 110 Tire Selection and Rims: installation of a tire

information placard.

Standard No. 111 Rearview Mirror: inscription of the required

warning statement in the passenger side rearview mirror.

Standard No. 114 Theft Protection: reprogramming of the DIPP unit

for proper functioning of the warning buzzer, which is already

installed in the vehicle, together with a microswitch in the ignition

circuit.

Standard No. 208 Occupant Crash Protection: (a) Installation of a

seat belt warning system, including the replacement of the driver's

seat belt latch with a U.S.-model component and reprogramming of the

DIPP; (b) installation of a driver's side air bag that is identical to

the one found on the vehicle's U.S. certified counterpart. The

petitioner states that the vehicle is equipped with Type 2 seat belt

assemblies in all front and rear outboard seating positions, and with a

Type 1 seat belt in the rear center seating position.

Additionally, the petitioner states that U.S.-model bumper shock

absorbers and associated hardware must be installed on the non-U.S.

certified 1993 Bentley Brooklands 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 SW., 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: July 22, 1996.

Marilynne Jacobs,

Director, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance.

[FR Doc. 96-19071 Filed 7-26-96; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-59-P