Available in five grades, the car is powered by a 2.5 plug-in hybrid petrol engine outputting 327hp, or a 3.3 diesel with 254hp.
All versions are all-wheel-drive, with 8-speed automatic transmissions.
There's a claimed EV driving range of 60km.
The first 200 chargers will be placed at 50 locations, including local authority-owned car parks in Dublin City, Fingal, South Dublin and Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown. Other locations will include community centres, libraries and sports clubs. Overall, the Dublin EV Strategy developed by the four councils envisages 1,650 charge points being deployed at highly frequented destinations.
Initial facilities will be at Bremore Castle, Howth Harbour, Bushy Park, Tallaght Stadium and St Anne's Park, as well as a number of libraries and leisure centres.
The authorities believe that around 138,000 EVs will have been registered in the Dublin area over the next few years. Around a quarter of those EVs will rely on public charging because their owners live in apartments townhouses and terraces, limiting access for home charging.
Pictured at the launch of the initiative are Alan Hayes, Deputy Mayor, South Dublin County Council; Teresa Walsh, Director of Services, South Dublin County Council; and Damien Mc Nulty , Senior Engineer, South Dublin County Council.
The Tayron slots between the Touareg and the smaller Tiguan, and will be available with five or seven seats.
A total of seven powertrains are available across markets, for Ireland there will be plug-in hybrid and diesel options at the start. All cars will be automatic.
Irish pricing will be notified closer to launch, but in initial european continental markets Tayron prices start at €45,475.
The latest variant will complete the renewal of the Mini models range which has been happening over the last 12 months.
Two petrol engines will be offered, a 163hp version and a more powerful S model with 204hp.
Operation of the soft top is fully automatic and can be closed in just 15 seconds. There's an integrated automatic rollover protection system.
I used to be able to poke around in that space. Resetting noisy tappets, cleaning burnt distributor contact breakers, oil changes needed much more frequently than now. Mostly that stuff became irrelevant, unnecessary, or impossible to the ordinary non-mechanic. But it was always interesting to look at how improvement and innovation was changing the look of an automotive system that fundamentally hadn't changed, yet had changed utterly.
With the arrival of EVs, there's now no reason at all to open the bonnet. There's likely to be nothing more than a small storage 'frunk' to be seen. Traction batteries and sealed electric motors don't have the same 'wow' factor as had the proud engineering around pistons in cylinders, valves, crankshafts and transmissions, carburettors and even fuel injection arrays. A whole visual of mechanical mystery is leaving the automotive room. Once something that elicited similar passions as in those who follow football teams, the car is well on the way to becoming the equivalent of a fridge on wheels. Unseen underpinnings all the same, with different badges and shapes.
Which brings me to the latest EV from Fiat, a brand that in Ireland has been in the doldrums for a decade but is now in revival through the Stellantis group's distributors here. But being part of a global something put together by merging a number of smaller groups with multiple marques already, it all becomes rather a badge engineering exercise. So the 600e shares its platform and running gear with Opel's Mokka and Corsa, Peugeot's 2008 and 208, Alfa Romeo's Junior, the DS 3 Crossback, and the Jeep Avenger.
The 600e's style doesn't try to stand out much apart from the quirky 'face' with flirty eyelids over the lights and the overall look a perpetual smile. The profile is devoid of tricky design details, albeit an interesting sill-level 600 logo-and-chrome line and wheels which look like they came directly from a motor show concept. The rear treatment is neat, unfussy to the point of making little lasting impression. In short, it's a car for everybody who doesn't care about showing off their automotive style. Which is possibly a growing cohort of buyers.
It drives like, well, yes, any of its Stellantis electric cousins. Which is smoothly and quietly and not trying to masquerade as anything but a car to do what most owners want, get from place to place reliably and in some level of comfort.
This was the electric version. The range in my car turned out to be what I believe was a fairly realistic 400km. The platform is also designed for hybrid powertrains, and there's one in the list. When I drive that one, I probably will take the opportunity to look under the bonnet.
PRICE: Hybrid from €28,995; review EV €32,995. WHAT I LIKED: No fashion pretending.
The Polestar 3 has a starting price of €93,200 and a rated range of up to 631km. With 489hp available, the claimed sprint performance to 100km/h in 5s. A version with a Performance pack improves this to 4.7s, trimming the rated range to 561km.
The new version of the Polestar 2 which was first launched in 2019 has now been changed from front wheel drive to RWD. The rated range is now 554km which is greater than before. With 274hp available it is also significantly more powerful — a 0-100km/h in 6s is claimed. The price is from €53,195.
A report highlighted by the Road Safety Association notes that the deaths accounted for 22pc of all road fatalities over the period.
Almost a quarter of those killed were aged 75 or over, and more than one in five of serious injuries were suffered by children aged 15 or younger.
The car will be available with two battery sizes, offering rated ranges of up to 436km and 606km. A breakthrough charging speed is claimed compared to rival models.
There will be three grades, with the top of the range GT Line costing €47,190.
A 0pc finance will be available for the 251 registration period.
The power unit prioritises electric mode while there is enough charge in the hybrid battery, switching to a hybrid setup on journeys longer than the rated range of 80km on electric-only power. The combined range on a full tank of fuel is in excess of 1,000km. The car is AWD, and offers acceleration to 100km/h in 5.9s.
There are two grades available in the Seal U, which has a high level of standard specification, and can also power household appliances when mains power is out.
BYD is distributed in Ireland by MDL, and there are six main dealers, two in Dublin and one each in Cork, Limerick, Waterford and Wexford.
The redesigned cars also show a strong new design and in addition to the PHEV can also be ordered with a traditional turbo petrol engine as well as one with mild hybrid technology, and a diesel.
Cupra is a Spanish performance brand of Volkswagen Group. Special deals on both cars are available up to 11 October.
Premium tyre manufacturer Continental, highlighting policy clauses that requires insured drivers to maintain their vehicle in a roadworthy condition at all times, says that if the roadworthiness of a car is deemed to contribute to a road accident, an insurance company can claim that a failure to properly keep up maintenance renders the policy invalid.
Tyres have such an important effect on the overall roadworthiness of a vehicle that drivers should regularly check them, according to head of Continental Tyres Ireland Tom Dennigan. Reinforcing the message, motor engineer and independent insurance assessor David Geary says faulty brakes and worn and defective tyres are generally the most common technical elements cited as key contributory factors in collisions. "The onus is very much on drivers to keep their cars in a roadworthy condition," he says.
Safety organisations and many tyre manufacturers recommend that motorists should think of changing their tyres when the tread depth goes below 3mm as the tyre’s braking ability can be seriously compromised the closer it gets to the legal limit of 1.6mm.
A mid-size crossover SUV in classification, the Rafale is coupe in style, in size between the Skoda Enyaq Coupe iV and the Mercedes-Benz GLC SV. A strong design at the front gives it a significant road presence, even if there might be too many competing style elements for some tastes. A distinct creasing in the door panels works to give a profile character, while the also-busy rear treatment is nevertheless attractive. The whole package has a sense of movement even while parked.
Most carmakers offer hybrid powertrains these days, each one with their own take on it. Renault's works with a combustion petrol engine and a pair of electric motors, and a battery that's charged during braking and deceleration and also by the petrol engine when needed. The claim that town driving can be electric up to 80pc of the time seems realistic, and the 200hp from the review car's setup proved to be both smoothly operating and perky. There's a 300hp plug-in hybrid with AWD upcoming.
In realistic terms, hybrids development has negated the need for diesel for those drivers who do long distances on a regular basis, and my experience with the Rafale's fuel frugality was a good example. I could have done better, a little message about one's driving habits popped up each time I turned off the engine, but I wasn't into hyper-miling, just driving normally in whatever was the traffic flow.
This is a D segment car, aimed at the mature busy family but also offering a sporty attitude beyond the usual SUV in the space. For those seeking such, the Renault Rafale is worth a test drive.
And by the way, from November 24 there's no point in waiting for a 46A, or three ... the route number is being discontinued, adding a new level of nostalgia to the 2010 'Summer in Dublin' song from the late Liam Reilly and Bagatelle.
PRICE: From €51,495; review car €60,420. WHAT I LIKED: The practicality with style and economy.
