MINI May convoy for charity

by Trish Whelan. Seventy MINIs in convoy started their annual May weekend run from Kevin O’Leary Motor Group, Cork yesterday afternoon.

Now in its sixth year, the MINI run includes, spectacular scenery, partying, Irish hospitality and lots of fun!

After parading through Co Cork and over several mountain passes, including Borlin and Healy Pass, they ended up in Kenmare last night. Over the weekend they continue over Molls gap through 'Black Valley' and 'Gap of Dunloe’, cross the Shannon ferry to Co Clare, do the 'Cliffs of Moher' and ' Black Head ' and then on to Galway and out to Clifden.

En route the MINI crew collects for Our Lady’s Hospital, Crumlin and last year succeeded in collecting over €27,000.

New line from Skoda

by Brian Byrne. Skoda Auto is to manufacture a fourth model range, based on the Roomster concept car first shown at the 2003 Frankfurt Motorshow.

The new model will be introduced at the Geneva International Motor Show in March 2006 and will be manufactured at the Skoda Auto assembly plant in Kvasiny, Czech Republic.

Skoda Auto will invest roughly three billion Czech crowns in production equipment and create 2,000 skilled jobs with the new project.

500bhp Range Rover Sport

by Brian Byrne. Just in case the 'standard' supercharged Range Rover Sport, soon to be launched in Ireland, isn't enough for you, British vehicle upgrader Overfinch is preparing a new 500bhp version.

The most sporting of Land Rover’s models has been treated to an entirely new look. Aerodynamic bodystyling has significantly changed the appearance of the vehicle to give even more sporting intent.

A new exhaust with twin oval tailpipes underlines the massive power potential. Overfinch’s popular Tiger 22” wheels now completely fill the wheel arches. The design sketches are the first pictures of what the new model will look like.

The special vehicle will do 0-100 km/h in 6.2 seconds.

Overfinch will start deliveries in Autumn 2005.

Irish Ferries coach deal

by Brian Byrne. Irish Ferries have joined with a number of major European coach operators to offer new scheduled coach and ferry services linking Ireland with cities in Britain and a number of other European countries.

Marketed on line, the new city to city service begins with departures from Dublin every Thursday, Saturday and Monday at 19.30 to Birmingham, London and Antwerp with onward connections to Latvia and Lithuania.

Onboard coach facilities include air conditioning, stewardess service, refreshments, reclining seats, video, WC, and generous baggage allowance. Coaches, all non-smoking, stop every four hours for comfort breaks. Seats can be pre-booked.

Fares from Dublin to Birmingham and London are from €17 one way/€30 return inclusive of all taxes and charges.

UK camera fines up

by Brian Byrne. Fines based on traffic cameras in Britain jumped by 45 percent in 2003 compared to the year before, to 1.9 million.

The figures reflect the more than doubling of regional police forces which were part of a controversial traffic camera 'partnership' where they could spend a portion of the proceeds on increasing the camera network even more.

The UK-based RAC Foundation said cameras were not changing drivers' behaviour, but could even be endangering lives by failing to spot careless driving or driving while under the influence of drugs.

Legislation is currently under consideration in Ireland to allow similar 'partnerships', in effect a privatisation of the speed camera system.

Bull in a Rexton

by Trish Whelan. John 'The Bull' Hayes, prop forward for Munster, Irish International Rugby Star and recently selected to the Lions Tour Team, recently took delivery of this new Ssangyong Rexton 2.7Xdi at the Airside Ssangyong dealership in north Dublin.

Pictured are Darren Kavanagh (Dealer Principal Airside Ssangyong), John 'The Bull' Hayes, Tom McQueirns (Managing Director, Ssangyong Ireland) and James Devine (General Manager, Ssangyong Ireland).

Caterham supercar closes in

by Brian Byrne. Caterham will begin delivery of its new Seven CSR 260 road car next month.

Powered by a Cosworth 2.3-litre engine outputting 260bhp, the CSR will will hit 100 km/h in a little over 3 seconds.

A race version of the CSR 260 will also take centre stage in the new Cosworth Caterham Masters for 2005.

Campaign to cut pedestrian deaths

by Brian Byrne. Pedestrian road deaths in Dublin more than doubled in 2004, according to newly-released figures, bringing the rate of such deaths on a national basis to the third highest in the EU.

And Ireland has the highest rates of child fatalities among the pedestrian deaths.

Two thirds of the deaths involved buses or trucks, and a new campaign has been launched to make pedestrians more aware of the danger of crossing roads in the vicinity of large vehicles.

BMW sponsors fashion

by Brian Byrne. BMW Group Ireland is to sponsor the fashion awards in association with the Irish Heart Foundation.

Open to fashion graduates, the prize of €3,000, and a perpetual trophy courtesy of Waterford Crystal, also comes with a placement in the Design Centre for one year.

Pictured are Glenda Gilson and Katie French, exhibiting two innovative fashion garments designed by young talented Irish designers

The event will take place on Friday, 27 May in the Pavilion, Leopardstown.

For tickets please contact Susan O’Dwyer in the Irish Heart Foundation 01 6685001.

Money in old cats

by Brian Byrne. Scientists in the US are calling for a better design of catalytic convertors after discovering that the concentrations of noble metals used in the process are almost worth recovering from soil alongside roads.

The metals come from worn and broken automobile catalysts, and more than 50,000 used converters were examined in the study.

Researchers have detected increased platinum group metals values in birds, water beetles, tree bark, snow, lake sediments and even in the urine of traffic policemen.

In general PGM are considered not to pose a health risk, though it is known that they can accumulate in ecosystems and enter the food chain.

Sonata gets competitive

by Trish Whelan. The all new 2.4- litre petrol Hyundai Sonata was launched to the motoring press this afternoon priced from €28,495 ex works.

It goes on sale at dealer showrooms nationwide from 27 April.

At today's launch, Sam Synnott of Hyundai Cars Ireland Limited said this fifth generation Sonata 'has strong European styling influences, class leading interior space and an unrivaled standard specification list for the price'. He said, at the price, the new 2.4- 'has a clear price advantage on all competitors'.

Standard features include: ABS with EBD, eight airbags, climate control, Cruise Control, Leather Upholstery, Leather steering wheel and gear level knob, 17 inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, 3 year unlimited mileage warranty and 3 year AA Membership.

Hyundai Cars Ireland Limited expects to sell 100 units of the 2.4- this year rising to 600 or more in a full year.

Competitors include B-segment leader the Toyota Avensis, Ford Mondeo, Peugeot 407, Nissan Primera and VW Passat.

For the 2006 model year, a new 2.0- litre petrol and CRDi diesel engine will be available.

Fiesta ST arrives

by Brian Byrne. A high performance version of Ireland’s most popular supermini, the Ford Fiesta, is now available in Ireland. Carrying a price tag of €27,000, the 2-litre 150PS Fiesta ST comes equipped with a host of design accessories that celebrate Ford’s first hot hatch in 20 years.

The car is powered by a specially modified 2.0 litre Duratec 16v engine that allows a 0-100 km/h time of 8.4 seconds.

There is lowered, stiffened sports suspension, sports tuned steering and an uprated braking system.

Crash tanker carried cooking oil

by Brian Byrne. The tanker which crashed on the M9 yesterday afternoon — see pictures here — closing the Kilcullen bypass northbound lanes, is owned by B P McKeefry Ltd, who specialise in transporting bulk liquid and powder products.

It is understood that the contents of the crashed tanker was liquid cooking oil and is non-hazarduous, but the road is still closed at this time and Kildare County Council is spreading detergent.

Initial fears were that it was petroleum oil that was on board.

B P McKeefry transport industrial products, chemicals and hazardous waste, industrial and foodstuffs powder, and sludge.

Meditate in gridlock

by Brian Byrne. The RAC in Britain is suggesting that drivers should spend up to 15 minutes a day in meditation while in their cars, which the organisation suggests would both improve their personal health and the environment.

The RAC Foundation says that spending such time in quiet contemplation or meditation when driving results in an increase in energy levels, greater creatively, higher sexual potency and the willingness to strive to meet challenges.

It can also help in terms of building up a plan for the workday ahead or de-stressing on the way home.

The study concluded that if a driver gets into the right frame of mind, they can actually finish their daily journey in a more serene state than when they began it.

Driving more carefully also cuts dangerous emissions by reducing fuel consumption, which ultimately also means financial savings.

Tanker crash closes M9

by Brian Byrne. The northbound lane of the M9 Kilcullen bypass has been closed to traffic following the overturning of an oil tanker and a consequent oil spillage.

Diversions will be in place for at least 24 hours as this is a very large spillage and a major clean-up operation is in place.



The accident happened in mid-afternoon, just before the Rosetown Bridge on the long sweeping curve before the tunnel that joins the M9 with the M7. All traffic from the south is being diverted through Kilcullen, to either Naas or the Curragh.

There have been no reports of injuries.

Go Humvee Hybrid

by Brian Byrne. Forget your clean 'n' green Prius, the US Army's way to go in the future will be in something like this, a diesel-electric hybrid Humvee.

Shown during the recent Society of Automotive Engineer's 2005 World Congress, this was a hybrid chassis developed by the US Army's Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center (TARDEC) which could be used with various bodies to replace different armored vehicles or pickup trucks currently used.

With a small three-cylinder diesel engine and two hybrid motors as motive power, the vehicle to replace the GM Humvee would cost about $20,000 to make, less than a third of the cost of a current Humvee and getting about 50mpg compared to the Humvee's current 11mpg.

The army wants to develop such vehicles both for cost reasons and to reduce maintenance.

Foresight looks to crashproofing

by Brian Byrne. Cars which automatically avoid other vehicles, pedestrians and obstacles could be a step closer thanks to an SMMT Foresight Vehicle project called AutoTaxi.

The aim is to develop safety-critical sensors and systems to process and interpret critical information about a car's local environment, for example, the path of the road ahead and the presence and movement of vehicles and other obstacles on it. It could pave the way to the fully autonomous cars of the future.

Sensor technologies are already bringing real-world benefits to new car drivers. Ultrasonic parking sensors are now common, while radar in Active Cruise Control (ACC) sets speed between vehicles on high-speed roads.

More than 400 UK firms and universities have been participating in SMMT Foresight Vehicle, which is led by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

Irish Ferries offer

by Trish Whelan. Irish Ferries are currently offering new, low pre-Summer fares to France aimed at those able to get away ahead of the peak season traffic.

Available is a one way fare from €49 per person which offers an unlimited stay in France during April, May and early-June. A one-way car fare is also available from  a further €49.

Also available is their popular Mini Cruise offer of €99 per person return which includes ensuite cabin berth. When two or more travel, a €49 return car fare is also available.

BMW 3 Touring here in September

by Brian Byrne. The second model variant of the new BMW 3 Series range — the Touring — will go on sale in Ireland in September.

Internally and externally the new 3 Series Touring is larger than its predecessor. In load capacity terms the new car has 460 litres with the rear seats in place and 1,385 litres with the 60:40 split seats folded.

Two engine variants will be available at launch, the 2-litre diesel 320d Touring and the new magnesium-alloy engined six-cylinder 325i Touring, with 320i, 330i and 330d engine variants becoming available later.

Drive easy tips

by Trish Whelan. The British-based RAC Foundation and the Energy Saving Trust have issued a set of guidelines for motorists to help save energy and make driving less stressful.

• Plan your journey carefully to avoid congestion, roadworks and getting lost. Allow plenty of time for the trip. Never drive for more than two hours without taking a break.

• Before setting off adjust the mirrors, seating and heating / ventilation for maximum comfort. Maintain a constant flow of fresh air into the car.

• Vehicle breakdowns can be stressful. Carry out routine checks regularly and ensure your car is regularly serviced and well maintained. Check your tyre pressure regularly; under inflated tyres wear out more quickly and can increase fuel consumption by up to three per cent.

• Drive defensively – avoiding harsh acceleration and heavy braking where possible. Pulling away too fast uses up to 60 per cent more fuel.

• Be tolerant of other road users and errors they may make. Listen to relaxing music, or practice breathing exercises to keep calm.

• Use the gearbox efficiently – changing gear at a more modest engine speed can reduce fuel consumption by up to 15 per cent.

• Drive off immediately when starting from cold – idling to heat the engine wastes fuel and causes rapid engine wear.

• Avoid short journeys – a cold engine uses almost twice as much fuel, while catalytic converters can take five miles to become effective. Take a walk in the fresh air to the local shops instead.

• Stick to speed limits and make your fuel go further – driving at 70mph uses up to 30 per cent more fuel than at 50mph.

• If you are stuck in a jam, switch off – turning off the engine after two minutes will save fuels and cut all emissions.

New Grand Cherokee on the way

by Brian Byrne. The new generation Jeep Grand Cherokee, which arrives in Ireland in June or July, is all-new from the ground up.

The vehicle features a new independent front suspension and rack and pinion steering.

An all-new 3.0-litre V-6 CRD engine offers 33 percent more torque and 28 percent more power than the previous model’s diesel engine. The new Grand Cherokee is also available with a 5.7-litre V8 Hemi engine, or a 4.7-litre SOHC V8.

Standard safety features include ESP, traction control, side curtain airbags and a tyre pressure monitoring system.

Audi A6 Avant arriving

by Brian Byrne. The new Audi A6 Avant, which is appearing in Irish Audi dealerships in the next few days, is longer and wider than the BMW 5 Series Touring and has 65 litres more luggage space and with the seats down, 10 litres more space.

The A6 Avant is also longer and wider than the Mercedes E Class Estate, says Audi.

It comes with a five star NCAP safety rating matched by the Mercedes E-Class but one star ahead of the new BMW 5 Series, Saab 9-5 and Volvo S80.

There will be a choice of four V6 engines in most markets, 2.4 and 3.2 petrol, 2.7 and 3.0 TDI and a 4.2-litre V8 petrol engine for top of the range models. A 2-litre diesel will arrive later.

Additional models to be added in the future say Audi, will include an Allroad, a V8 diesel and an RS version.

1007 arrives in August

by Brian Byrne. The Peugeot 1007 which arrives in Ireland in August slots between the 206 and the 307, and is built on the same platform as the upcoming 107.

The car will have 1.4- and 1.6-litre petrol engine options as well as a 1.4-litre diesel.

The 1.6-litre also comes with the 2-Tronic automated manual transmission, which has been improved from its previous incarnations in the Citroen range of cars.

Numbers will be limited in Ireland over the next 18 months, with around 150 units expected to be sold in the remainder of 2005 and 300 units will be available to the Irish distributors in 2006.

In France, the entry level will cost €13,500, but in the higher taxation regime of Ireland the importers are expecting to have to price it 'just above €19,000'.

The unique selling points of the 1007 will be the electric sliding side doors, which provide very easy access to front and rear seats.

New Leon revealed

by Trish Whelan. The new SEAT León has been revealed, joining the Toledo and the Altea as the new-generation of that nameplate. It comes to Ireland in September.

Derived directly from the Salsa concept car, the new León features rear doors which are opened by handles concealed in the door frame and whose design accentuates a coupé format.

The dimensions of the new León have grown compared to the outgoing model. It is now 132 mm longer at 4,315 mm, while its width has increased by 26 mm to 1,768 mm. The height is 1,458 mm.

The wheelbase is now 65 mm longer at 2,578 mm.

The car will come with a similar range of engines as the Altea and Toledo, though there will also be a more powerful diesel and when the Cupra version is unleashed it will have a significantly higher power output than the current car.

Fureys go VW

by Trish Whelan. Ireland’s chart-topping folk group, the Furey Brothers, are hitting the road in a new Volkswagen LT tour bus.

The bus, which has been specially fitted out for their 2005 European Tour, was presented recently to group member Eddie Furey by Paul Burke, Sales Manager, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

The group will perform to audiences across Continental Europe, the UK and Ireland.

Camera 'partnerships' distort safety?

by Brian Byrne. The British drivers lobby group Safe Speed says that speed camera 'partnerships' in the UK have 'distorted' the road safety objectives which were the basis on which they were first set up.

The comment follows an investigation by the East Anglian Daily Times which revealed that crashes used to justify a lucrative speed camera had nothing to do with speed.

The organisation says that rules for speed camera placement ensure that cameras are placed where plenty of drivers are speeding.

While this may initially sound logical, the fact is that in almost every case what it actually means is that speeds in excess of the speed limit are perfectly safe and appropriate. It also means that speed cameras are not normally placed in narrow village high streets where speeding is dangerous.

"The vast majority of drivers are responsible and highly capable of setting an appropriate and safe speed according to the conditions." explains Paul Smith, founder of the Safe Speed road safety campaign. "This blunder in the rules for speed camera placement criminalises safe behaviours and ensures that the cash comes rolling in.

"Speed cameras are a £700 million failure. 12 million drivers have been convicted, but road deaths are rising. Clearly it isn't working."

7 Series shown off to diplomats

by Brian Byrne. A group of ambassadors and other diplomats were chauffeur-driven in the new BMW 7 Series to ‘The Magic Flute’ in Dublin's Gaiety Theatre last weekend.

The performance was sponsored by BMW Group Ireland.

The new 7 Series will be launched in all BMW Dealerships in Ireland on Wednesday.

The car has new engines, enhanced performance, lower fuel consumption than before, and optimisation of the chassis and suspension.

Kia powers into J D Power

by Brian Byrne. The motorists surveyed in the UK’s annual JD Power & Associates Customer Satisfaction Index survey have awarded the Kia Sorento a customer satisfaction rating of 84%, giving it the Best 4x4 rating and coming in 7th overall.

The Sorento SUV was introduced in 2002 and was the marque's third leading seller globally and it is the first time it has featured in the UK survey.

The Sorento led Honda's CRV, Hyundai's Santa Fe, Toyota's RAV-4 and Nissan's X-Trail.

Bentley convertible confirmed

by Brian Byrne. The Bentley Arnage Drophead Coupe that was launched at the Los Angeles Auto Show in January is to go into series production. The four-seater convertible is the successor to the Bentley Azure, which had an eight-year lifespan.

The car will be powered by a 450bhp version of the Arnage's 6.75-litre twin-turbocharged, intercooled, V8 engine and produces 875Nm of torque.

It will be the fourth new model to go on sale in just four years at Bentley.

Tolls profits up

by Brian Byrne. The State's take from the three toll bridges operated by National Toll Roads (NTR) increased by almost a third last year to €33m.

This followed a controversial 38 percent increase in toll charges during the year.

The company also reported a 27 percent increase in the use of its EazyPass electronic toll charging system.

About 125,000 vehicles use the tolls every day.

The company, which also operates broadband, power, and waste management businesses, has reported an 8 percent rise in operating profits to €18m.

McRae for Rally of the Lakes

by Trish Whelan. Former World Rally Champion, Colin McRae, is to drive a Course Car on the Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2005, which will take place over the May Bank Holiday Weekend. 

The Scot, who won the World title in 1995, will use his own Mark 2 Ford Escort RS for the task, and his presence is certain to attract huge crowds to the Killarney-based event. His co-driver in the Escort will be Roger Herron. 

The Ordnance Survey Ireland Rally of the Lakes 2005 will be the third round of the Pirelli Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, and the second round of both the West Euro Cup and the 023 Tiles Southern Four Rally Championship.

The event kicks off on Friday, April 29th with a Super Special stage at Killarney Racecourse between 5.30pm and 9pm.

Part of the proceeds from the Super Special will go to the Kerry Mountain Rescue Service.

Two-car deal from Nissan

by Trish Whelan. The Nissan Dealer Network have launched a new consumer offer that enables customers to purchase a new Nissan Micra, Almera or Primera now and exchange it free of charge for the equivalent 2006 model next year. 

Customers will also benefit from an extended four-year Nissan manufacturer’s warranty, a reduction in maintenance costs, a better price for trade-in now rather than next year, and having a more valuable and younger car when changing car in the future.

Opel three-day drives

by Trish Whelan. Opel has launched a test drive initiative in which potential buyers will be given the chance to keep an Opel car for three days to see how it could fit into their lives.

In Ireland, Opel has made available a fleet of cars exclusively for the programme throughout the dealer network, which will run until the middle of July.

Opel Ireland MD Dave Sheeran said the programme is the first in what will be a series of initiatives to allow the Irish consumer to connect with the Opel brand.

The test drives can be booked via local Opel dealerships, online at www.opel.ie, or though a central lo-call booking line (1850 200 856).

Ford promotion for Irish engineer

by Trish Whelan. A woman from County Kildare has been appointed as Ford of Europe's Director of Manufacturing Quality.

Pauline Walsh, 37, a native of Newbridge, Co Kildare, was previously Manufacturing Manager at the Dagenham Engine Plant in Britain. Prior to that she was Production Manager at the Ford Genk facility in Belgium.

A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from UCD, Pauline’s career has included spells at Esso UK, Exxon in the US, ABB in Switzerland and Warner Lambert in Cork, who she joined on completion of her MBA in Lausanne in the mid-90s. She was recruited by Ford to take up the position of Quality Manager at Ford’s Cologne plant in 1999. Her subsequent move to Genk coincided with the launch of the new Ford Mondeo.

It starts here ...

by Brian Byrne. The United Arab Emirates is putting GPS and telematics units into tens of thousands of cars and trucks in order to try and cut down the country's accident rate.

The €100m deal with IBM will mean that drivers exceeding the speed limits can be spotted by traffic authorities from the information which will be automatically sent to the authorities.

The system will be brought in over four years.

Accident-related fatalities are 38 per 100,000 people, compared to 15/100,000 in the US and 6/100,000 in Sweden.

Mondeo gets autumn upgrade

by Brian Byrne. A range of improvements have been announced to Ford’s Mondeo for later this year.

The upgrade involves restyled front and rear bumpers with new lower valances, plus more detailed chrome applications around the car.

The removal of bodyside moulding gives the car a sleeker look. All models receive new-look upper and lower grilles at the front, as well as clear 'jewelled' side repeaters on the front fenders. The Ghia and new Titanium series each gets a body-colour full-depth lower bumper.

On the inside, new trim fabrics and different bezel colour options are on offer across the range.

All models will feature improved brake feel, and on Mondeos equipped with Ford's Durashift 6-speed manual transmission, a gear lever trigger has been added which helps to eliminate potential mis-shifts.

For mobile phone users, two kits featuring the latest Bluetooth TM technology are available. A Voice Control function allows the driver to make or accept calls with vocal instructions. It also provides Voice Control of other key features such as the audio system and climate control.

Powered by a choice of 2.2-litre TDCi ‘superdiesel’ (155PS) or a 3-litre V6 Duratec 204PS petrol, the Mondeo Titanium has a distinctive upper grille mesh, a 16-inch alloy wheel design and a special ‘techno’ interior.

The new Mondeo range will be available in Autumn. Prices will be announced closer to introduction.

September launch for Aygo

by Trish Whelan. The new Toyota Aygo A segment car, produced as a joint venture with PSA Peugeot-Citroen, will be launched in Ireland in September, ahead of the launches of its sibling rivals.

Speaking at the European Press Launch in Rome, Toyota Ireland's marketing director Steve Tormey said that while the segment in Ireland is currently less than one percent of the market, he expects it to approach the European norm of 5 per cent in a few years.

Toyota Ireland expects to sell 1,000 units in a full year, with up to 130 sales expected from launch to the end of 2005.

The new plant in Kolin, Czech Republic, will have an eventual capacity of 300,000 units a year.

The Aygo when launched in Ireland will have a 1-litre 3-cylinder engine, three levels of specification, and an option of Toyota's MMT automated manual transmission with the top spec.

The target market for the car is focussed on the young driver, and Steve Tormey said it will provide an option for those who were buying fairly new secondhand cars or returned lease drive vehicles. A key selling point is a three-year manufacturer's warranty.

Niche cars grow share

by Brian Byrne. Sales of so-called 'niche' cars have increased their penetration of the total Eurpean market to the point that they represent one in every four sales.



These include derivatives such as the Opel Corsa-based Meriva at one end and premium SUVs at the other.

The upward trend of niche vehicle sales can be benchmarked against 1999, when they represented less than 17 percent of the market.

Fiat amalgamates powertrain units

by Brian Byrne. Fiat has amalgamated all its engine and transmission business units to form a specialised powertrain enterprise.

The group has put together the Fiat Auto powertrain business previously involved in the GM alliance with the engines and transmission operations of the IVECO truck division and the engine management and automated manual transmission facilities of Magnetti Marelli, a Fiat supplier.

Now called Fiat Powertrain, the business will provide engines ranging trom 1-litre petrol units for cars to 40-litre diesels for marine use.

AWD wagon from VW

by Brian Byrne. A new AWD 'sport wagon' for North America based on VW's Bora (Jetta in US) to be produced next year in Mexico will be exported to Europe.

The car will be marketed as a distinct model of its own.

The company plans to cut unit production costs by increasing the output from its facilities in low-cost countries, including Mexico and China.

Particulates problem

by Brian Byrne. German carmakers are rushing to use particulate filters on their diesel cars because German cities are hitting legal limits on air pollution.

VW is to offer optional filters on their diesel Golfs and Passats in the second half of 2005, while BMW is saying it will do so 'as soon as possible'.

DaimlerChrysler has already committed to providing the filters by this summer on all its diesel cars.

Logan plans for million

by Brian Byrne. Renault's car for the developing world, the Dacia-built Logan, may well sell a million-plus annually around the world.

In addition to the original Romania factory which began production last year, Renault will have initiated production in Russia, Morocco and Colombia before the end of 2005, in Iran in 2006 — and possibly Brazil and Mexico as well — and India and China by the end of 20078.

Discussions are also taking place with South African interests to build the Logan there.

Volvo Ireland on growth spurt

by Brian Byrne. Volvo Ireland is expecting to sell in excess of 2,700 cars this year after registering a 72 percent improvement on the first quarter compared to the same period last year.

This forecast compares to the total 2004 performance of 2,010.

Alan Cousins, MD of the company, attributed much of the growth this year to the success of the new generation S40/V50 range, which in itself almost doubled sales compared to the first three months of last year, with 826 units sold.

"It was all in all a fantastic start to the year," he said at a briefing of Irish motoring journalists in Kerry, noting that the brand now enjoys 1.8 percent of the market here.

Range Rover Sport in May

by Brian Byrne. A brand new Range Rover derivative, the Sport, goes on sale in Ireland in mid-May, at a starting price of €70,200.

The car, which fits between the new Discovery 3 and the Range Rover itself, will come with the same range of engines recently installed in the larger car - a 190bhp 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel and two V8 petrol units, a normally aspirated 300bhp 4.4-litre and a supercharged 390bhp 4.2-litre.

All three engines are derived from Jaguar units, but extensively reworked for the Land Rover requirements.

A new ZF six-speed automatic gearbox is standard in all Range Rover Sports. There will be three levels of specification, all of which will incorporate Land Rover's Terrain Response system which provides a range of modes to deal with different on- and off-road conditions.

In style and feel, the new car is more dynamic than the Range Rover, and it is aimed at filling an obvious gap in the Land Rover range, as well as providing a path to bring a completely new group of buyers to the brand.

According to MD of Land Rover Ireland Dave Harpur, up to 230 units of the new car will be sold in Ireland this year, mostly diesels. He said there has been a very strong pre-launch interest, and in excess of 100 orders have been placed.

"Most sales of the Range Rover Sport will be conquest sales from other marques," he said. "Looking at the initial data, it seems that the Sport will do as the current model of the Range Rover itself did when it was launched, and take in customers from the car side."

Toyota on track to being biggest

by Brian Byrne. Toyota may become the world's largest carmaker by 2008, if current growth plans are brought to fruition.

With a forecast of building 9.7 million vehicles by that year, almost 30 percent more than they built in 2004, Toyota couldthen overtake GM as the world's largest carmaker.

New Mercedes radar

by Brian Byrne. A new generation of short-range radar that could reduce accidents is being developed by Mercedes-Benz.

The system has been developed by DaimlerChrysler in association with supplier Tyco Electronics and is expected to be offered on the S Class in the autumn.

The system warns drivers of an imminent collision and according to the developers it is more advanced than current radar-based adaptive cruise control systems which use longer-range radar to maintain distance behind the next car in traffic.

The new system is claimed to work better at close range

The short-range systems also use relatively inexpensive components, which means the systems are more likely to appear in less expensive cars.

New Lexus GS on sale

- by Brian Byrne. The new generation Lexus GS 300 and GS 430 are now on sale in Ireland, at a starting price of €64,360, which is €1,700 less than the price for the previous entry level.

There will be three grades in the 3-litre version, the most expensive being the sport at 77,995. In between is the GS 300 Executive at €70,460, €410 more than the equivalent in the old model, but with extra equipment worth over €10,000.

The GS 430, with a V8 engine, will sell in one grade, at €97,040.

The new GS is a completely different car from its predecessor, built on a completely new platform, and with a brand new drivetrain.

The V6 3-litre engine which will power the bulk of GS cars in Ireland is a completely new unit with 249bhp on tap - a 13 percent increase over the previous model. But fuel economy has been improved by 14 percent.

The 4.3-litre V8 in the top-of-the-range car has been upgraded, with 283bhp available. Bot engines deliver their power to the rear wheels via a new six-speed automatic gearbox with a sequential manual facility.

Lexus Ireland's Mark Teevan says there's an allocation of 140 cars for the rest of the year, and he expects that 200 more will be sold in a full calendar 2006.

This will represent a doubling of the sales level of the previous car, and up to three-quarters are expected to be 'conquest' sales.

And, though there won't be a diesel version of this car even though it is in a segment 'driven' by diesel, Mark Teevan says he is confident that the refinement of the GS 'will pull drivers back to petrol'.

A hybrid version is scheduled for arrival in Ireland in January of next year. It will have the performance of a V8 with the fuel economy of a 2-litre four.

Jaguar may challenge M Beemers, AMG

- by Brian Byrne. An AMG-competing Jaguar variant may be on the cards.

The series, which would also be a competitor to the M-Series BMWs, would be placed above the current 'extra-power' R Jaguars which use supercharged versions of the company's engines.

Jaguar CEO Joe Greenwell says what he sees as the 'excellent' Porsche route is worth following, by taking a 'good sports car' and developing even higher performance versions of it.

Jaguar customers in certain segments might agree: some 40 percent of the global customers for the XK buy the R version of the car.

Meantime though, Greenwell is looking at halving the brand's platform to two, because four platforms are too many for a 120,000-a-year manufacturer. He'll go halfway to that in January 2006 when the next XK8 coupe is launched, sharing the aluminium construction of the current XJ sedan.

Legendary Golf man dies

- by Brian Byrne. The man who made the controversial decision to move VW from its traditional rear-wheel-drive of the Beetle to the FWD of the Golf has died at the age of 92.

Kurt Lotz was only CEO of VW for three years after he succeeded the two decades-plus reign of Heinrich Nordoff, but he was responsible for the initial development of the Golf, Polo and Passat.

He also acquired Auto Union, which became Audi, and during his short tenure also initiated a programme of leadership training within VW that is arguably responsible for where the Group is today.

Next Mondeo to use Focus architecture

- by Brian Byrne Ford's next Mondeo will be based on a longer version of the architecture used for the new-generation Focus, reflecting what VW has done with its Passat in relation to Golf.

The next Mondeo is due in 2007, and the extended architecture will draw on the experience of its use with Ford, Mazda and Volvo models.

The next Galaxy will also use the same basic platform.

Little help for distressed damsels

by Trish Whelan. A recent survey by tyre company Semperit suggested that 92 percent of Irish males would stop to help a woman changing a wheel — but real-life research suggests a different reality.

In a test on Dublin’s streets last week, only one in 80 vehicles stopped to help.

At two sites, in Blackrock and the Howth Road, of over 800 vehicles observed, only 11 stopped to help a clearly distressed 23-year old Dublin student stranded at the roadside.

It took a full hour to attract just six offers of help on the Southside, but five Good Samaritans appeared on the Howth Road in a little over 20 minutes.

Van drivers proved far more likely to assist than their car counterparts. In fact, two–thirds of all those who stopped were in commercial vehicles!

Paddy Murphy of Semperit said male drivers emerge 'as all talk, but very light on action!'

Smart to get another €1.2bn

by Brian Byrne. DaimlerChrysler will spend up to €1.2 billion in 2005 to revamp its poor performing Smart brand. But the company said it plans a break-even situation for the marque in 2007.

DB says it aims to lower fixed costs at Smart by around 30 percent within the next two years. Workforce reductions will play a part.

The company will discontinue production of its roadster at the end of 2005 and will drop the in-development Smart ForMore off-roader (below).



Just two models will remain — the ForTwo and ForFour.

More Smart outlets will also be opened within the showrooms of existing Mercedes-Benz dealerships.

Toyota leads March car market

by Brian Byrne. Figures for car sales during March show a 6.7 percent increase of units sold over the same month last year, and the market for the first three months is 15.1 percent up on the same period in 2004.

Some 24,751 passenger cars were sold in March, bringing the first-quarter total to 87,982.

Toyota led the March figures with 3,385 units, followed by Ford with 3,229, Opel with 2,130 and Nissan with 2,052.

The Light Commercial Vehicles market for March is up by 18.9 percent at 4,421 units, bringing the year-to-date total to 15,951 and an overall 25.7 percent improvement.

Next Corsa will be a looker

by Brian Byrne. The next Opel Corsa, which will share its architecture with the next generation Fiat Punto, is expected to be much more adventurous in design.

The latest Astra GTC design cues, with low-front wedge styling and a rear-end integral roof spoiler are understood to be part of the style of the car, due for debut late next year.

The new Punto will reveal a year sooner, at this September's Frankfurt auto show.

The car is expected to have a range of petrol engines from 60-125hp and diesels with outputs from 70-100hp.

The Corsa is being designed in-house at Opel, but the Fiat is a Giugiaro production.

Saab banking on SportCombi

by Brian Byrne. Saab believes that the SportCombi wagon version of the 9-3 unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show could eventually generate 60 percent of sales of the nameplate.

According to the brand's managing director, Jan-Ake Jonsson, the 9-3 is the model with the most short-term potential to boost volume for the GM-owned carmaker. Saab recently lost out to Opel in a bid to become the producer of the next-generation 9-3 and Opel Vectra, scheduled towards the end of the current decade.

The Swedish factory will build 'speciality' cars, including the production version of the Caddilac BLS concept for Europe, which is based on the 9-3 architecture.

Meanwhile, following a postponement of a decision on a replacement for the 9-5 large Saab, the model will get a facelift in the autumn.

New Passat cheaper to build

by Brian Byrne. The new VW Passat has given Volkswagen cost savings of some 10 percent because they based the car on the Golf architecture rather than that of the Audi A6, as it was with the old generation.

Using the transverse engine layout of the Golf PQ35 architecture also meant the Passat could more easily meet new EU regulations on pedestrian safety at the front end.

The Golf and the Passat now share about 50 percent of value, inlcuding the powertrain, front suspension, steering column, fuel tank and seat structures.

The shift in platform means that the new Passat is designed to be more profitable for VW in a segment that has shrunk in market share across Europe by four percent since 1999.

This hasn't been a major problem for the nameplate, which even in its runout year in 2004 led segment sales in Europe even with a drop of units moved by a fifth on 2003.