Merc makes safety move

by Brian Byrne. Mercedes-Benz has made its NECK-PRO crash-responsive head restraints standard in the C-Class, CLK-Class, CLS-Class and E-Class.

The NECK-PRO head restraints are linked to an electronic control unit: if the sensor system detects a rear-end collision of a predefined degree of severity, it releases pre-tensioned springs inside the head restraints, causing it to move forward 40 millimetres and upwards by 30 millimetres.

This happens in a split-second and has the effect of providing support for the heads of front seat occupants during the early stages of an accident.

Following the deployment of NECK-PRO, the head restraints can be released and re-set using a special tool provided with the car. The internal mechanism can then be pushed back manually to re-set the NECK-PRO head restraints. This ‘reusable’ dimension means there will not be a repair or replacement cost in the unfortunate event of an accident.

Two-litre in BMW Z4

by Brian Byrne. BMW has added a new four-cylinder derivative to the Z4 line-up — the same 1,995cc unit featured in the BMW 1 Series and the latest BMW 320i Saloon.

The engine produces 150bhp and pulls 200Nm of torque. The unit is built at BMW's Hams Hall engine facility in Warwickshire and is EU4 compliant.

It offers significant power and torque increases over BMW's previous four-cylinder petrol unit, by improving the intake and exhaust systems and the provision of a new electronic control unit which provides a more instant throttle response.

Zero to 100 km/h now takes 8.2 seconds, virtually a second faster than the new BMW 320i.

Avensis to get soot filters

by Brian Byrne. Toyota is to provide soot filters on its Avensis diesel models from next year, to meet concerns from motorists in some of its largest European markets.

The move will meet demand from consumers in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the Netherlands, where rising levels of particulates are being blamed for respiratory problems.

Up to now, Toyota had promoted its diesel clean advanced technology (D-CAT) emissions control system in 'sensitive' markets, but the expensive technology is now being reserved for premium models.

Toyota recently launched a new 2.2-litre diesel engine for the Avensis, built in Poland, which will be available with D-CAT or soot filters depending on the version — 177hp or 150hp. The lower power version will also be sold in some markets without a filter.

The soot issue has come to the fore with the rise of diesel engines as the power units of choice for a majority European car buyers in middle to upper segments.

A 2.2-litre diesel to be introduced in the next-generation Lexus IS model is to be sourced in Japan. It will come with the D-CAT system.

Suzuki does 1-2-3-4 in Acropolis

by Trish Whelan. Suzuki's P-G Andersson has won the Junior World Rally Championship category on the Acropolis Rally – hotly pursued by three other Suzukis!

The Swede's outstanding performance sees him move into the lead of the Championship, ahead of Britain's Guy Wilks who put in a stunning recovery drive to clinch second place after suffering a holed gearbox casing at the start of Day One.

Third in class was the Ignis of Urmo Aava, ahead of the similar Suzuki of Kosti Katajamaki in fourth. Completing the Suzuki domination was Martin Prokop in seventh place.

The Suzuki drivers will be back in action on the next Junior World Rally Championship round, Rally Finland from August 5-7.

Junior World Rally Championship final classification, Acropolis Rally:
1 P-G Andersson (Suzuki): 4h41m21.4s
2 Guy Wilks (Suzuki): +2m50.4s
3 Urmo Aava (Suzuki): +3m35.6s
4 Kosti Katajamaki (Suzuki): +8m39.1s
5 Mirco Baldacci (Fiat): +9m51.2s
6 Kris Meeke (Citroën C2): +15m15.3s
7 Martin Prokop (Suzuki): +18m52.8s
8 Conrad Rautenbach (Citroën): +19m48.2s
11 Alan Scorcioni (Suzuki Ignis) +40m50.4s

Junior World Rally Championship points standings after round four:
1 P-G Andersson (Suzuki Ignis) 25p
2 Guy Wilks (Suzuki Ignis) 23p
3 Kris Meeke (Citroën C2) 19p
4 Daniel Sordo (Citroën C2) 15p
5 Urmo Aava (Suzuki Ignis) 14p
6 Kosti Katajamaki (Suzuki Ignis) 13p
7 Luca Betti (Renault Clio) 9p
8 Alan Scorcioni (Suzuki Ignis) 6p
10 Pavel Valousek (Suzuki Ignis) 6p
12 Martin Prokop (Suzuki Ignis) 4p

Peugeot 1007 highest crash rating

by Brian Byrne. The Peugeot’s 1007 has the highest scoring car ever in all classes for adult occupant protection. The Peugeot is also Best in the Super Mini Class and is one of seven cars to be awarded the five star adult occupant rating.

Best in Class’ awards for adult occupant protection were also announced for the Lexus GS300 (executive) and Mercedes A-Class (small family).

Seven cars have achieved the four star Euro NCAP rating for child protection. While Honda’s FR-V and Suzuki’s Swift are awarded the three star Euro NCAP rating for pedestrian protection.

In this phase, intelligent seat belt reminders for rear seat occupants have been introduced by Peugeot in their 1007 and by Mercedes in their A-Class.

Clio III gets high-five

by Brian Byrne. The new Renault Clio III has been awarded the maximum five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash test programme, becoming the eighth Renault to gain the rating.

With a total score of 32.67 points out of a possible 37, New Clio also joins an elite group of ‘safe’ superminis, as prior to this round of testing, only two other superminis had ever achieved the maximum five-star score, the first of which was the Renault Modus launched last year.

The latest version of Clio also secured the maximum four stars for child protection.

Look after the women buyers!

by Brian Byrne. A marketing workshop organised by Galway-based Pragmatica Business Solutions heard that any Irish motor dealers are putting their businesses at risk by ignoring the needs of female motorists.

CEO Pearce Flannery presented the findings of a survey of over 2,000 female motorists which suggested that the specific and individual characteristics of women car buyers are largely being ignored by the motor industry at retail level.

Manufacturers such as General Motors and Volvo are working towards providing vehicles tailored to the male and female image, he said, adding that this process 'must be mirrored at the retail level of the supply chain'.

“Women want to build relationships with their dealer," he said. "They do not wish to be given a hard sell. Relationships with individuals are a must. They buy with their brains and not with their hearts.

“In a growth environment such as this, effective female friendly customer relationship management is not only essential but crucial."

The top five dislikes of the woman motorist in dealing with motor dealerships are patronising and pushy salesmen, lack of clarity and transparency in the sales process, rudeness, no courtesy car, and dealers who don’t return telephone calls.

Fiat offers free flights

by Brian Byrne. Fiat in Ireland is trying to lure in customers by providing free flight vouchers to Europe for anyone who test-drives a car from a dealer.

The move comes against a background of plummeting sales - in a bouyant and growing Irish car market, Fiat today has only half the market share it had in 2004, and sales are down by more than 41 percent.

The Irish subsidiary recently made 11 staff redundant.

Twelve European destinations are on offer in the promotion, which is available to 30 July 2005 or until flight voucher stocks last.

Beetle gets restyling

by Brian Byrne. Volkswagen has subtly restyled its Beetle in tandem with the realease of a new 'Herbie' movie by Walt Disney Pictures.

The latest Herbie movie stars Lindsay Lohan, Michael Keaton and Matt Dillon, and is due for release on this side of the Atlantic in August.

The mildly facelifted New Beetle goes on sale in September.

The new model features revised bumpers and wheelarches, with sharper edges than before, plus subtly restyled headlights and front indicators, and tail lights with white circles inside the red circles. The ‘VW’ emblems have also been modified at the front and rear.

New ForTwo at Frankfurt

by Brian Byrne. Perhaps rumours of the imminent demise of the troubled Smart car subsidiary of DaimlerChrysler have been exagerrated, as a new generation ForTwo concept is expected to be seen at the Frankfurt show in September.

The car is expected to be slightly longer than the current version, and will probably have a Mitsubishi-sourced petrol 3-cylinder engine.

And though the brand cancelled plans to bring the current Smart range to the US, Smart boss Ulrich Walker says he wants to bring the ForTwo successor to that market.

The future of the ForFour car remains bleak, however, as it is selling at only a sixth of its forecast 150,000 units a year.

Smart has been given until 2007 to break even by its parent company.

Hybrid Jetta mooted for US

by Brian Byrne. Volkswagen is considering a 'mild hybrid' version of its Jetta for the North American market to protect the nameplate's sales from Toyota's Prius.

A 'mild' hybrid system has its petrol engine as its primary drive, with help from an electric motor.

The new generation Jetta is built in Mexico, and the hybrid version's petrol engine would be a 1.6-litre unit outputting 115bhp.

The Jetta is VW's biggest selling model in the US market.

David Gillick goes Prius

by Brian Byrne. Irish athlete David Gillick has been presented with a new Toyota Prius in recognition of his Gold Medal win at the 2005 European Indoor Championships 400m earlier this year.

The presentation by Toyota comes at a time when Gillick is in preparation for his assault on the World Championships 400m title at Helsinki in August 2005.

Steve Tormey, Sales & Marketing Director of Toyota Ireland, said it will be 'a big year' in David's athletics career. "We hope that his new Toyota will be of help to him as he navigates his hectic training schedule ahead of the World Championships in August.

A new Saab a year

by Brian Byrne. Saab is to introduce eight new models over the next eight years, including an SUV based on the Subaru B9, which will be introduced to Europe in 2007.

To be called the 9-6, it will not have a diesel engine, which is likely to limit its sales. But a decision has now been made to revive plans for a successor to the 9-5 large car, ending a 'hold' on such development for the last three years.

A facelift to the current 9-5 will be presented at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, to provide continuity until the new car arrives after 2008.

But the new car, as well as the next generation 9-3, won't be built in Sweden, following a decision earlier in the year that all future GM models based on the Epsilon platform will be manufactured at the Opel plant in Russelsheim. The Opel Vectra is built on Epsilon, and the current model's replacement will be built alongside the two Saab models.

Some recent speculation quoted from within Saab suggests that the brand expects to reach 250,000 units a year in the forseeable future. Last year, the GM-owned subsidiary built close to 128,000 cars.

Careful - hay fever season

by Brian Byrne. Hay fever sufferers have been asked to be extra careful when driving, because a sudden burst of sneezing at the wheel has the potential to cause the driver to lose control.

The warning came from the Irish Advanced Motorists (IAM) organisation which says that if a hay fever sufferer has a bout of eight or nine sneezes when traveling at 120 km/h on a motorway, vision could be lost for up to 1km.
 
Mike Kavanagh, Director, IAM, says almost one in ten of the Irish population suffer from the condition. “If it’s really bad, do not attempt to drive. If your journey is really necessary, try to get someone else to do the driving. Keep all the windows closed all the time to reduce the number of pollen grains in the car and vacuum all the mats, carpets and upholstery every week to get rid of the dust.
 
“If you feel a bout of sneezing coming on when driving, slow down, not forgetting to check the mirrors, and give a signal if beneficial to other road users. Try pressing hard between your upper lip and nose with your finger. That usually delays the sneezing or stops it altogether.”
 
Other precautions include checking that any medication taken for hay fever is suitable to use while driving and to bear in mind that many hay fever remedies cause drowsiness.

Roomster next year

by Brian Byrne. Skoda will enter the small MPV segment next year with the new Roomster, based on the concept shown to the public at the recent Geneva Motor Show.

The Roomster may also provide the platform for a new generation of Skoda models, possibly including light comercial vehicles.

Shell to pull out of Irish petrol market

by Brian Byrne. The highly competitive petrol retailing situation in Ireland is believed to be the main reason why petroleum giant Shell is pulling out of retail sales in Ireland.

The move will likely close its 160 filling stations around Ireland, though a number of Irish businesspeople are believed to be in negotiation to buy the business, valued at €150 million.

It is believed that many of the sites would be redeveloped as commercial and apartment buildings.

Shell said yesterday it intends to sell 'as a going concern'. But it is thought the most attractive part of the business as such would be the 30 oil distribution centres located across the 32 counties.

Competition from giant retail chains such as Tesco is making it difficult for small retail petrol operators to compete, with margins very tight in terms of the cost of managing high-cost stock.

The number of petrol retail outlets in Ireland has almost halved over 35 years, to less than 2,500.

Rodius: 'love it or leave it'

by Brian Byrne The new Ssangyong Rodius MPV is just the first of an extreme-styling range of products from the formerly Daewoo-owned company.

According to the brand's design advisor Ken Greenley, the car's styling will 'polarise opinion', but being so extreme will encourage those who do like it to buy it.

Four new models are planned from Ssangyong -- of which Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp bought a 48.9 percent stage last autumn. These include the Kyron medium SUV expected in Europe early next year, a new small SUV, a 5-seat pickup, and a rival to Toyota's Land Cruiser.

Greenley says a 'distinctive identity' is the best way for a small firm like Ssangyong to get noticed. The brand's sales target for 2005 is 170,000 units.

DSG will trump CVT in Europe

by Brian Byrne. Up to six percent of cars produced in Europe will by 2012 use the kind of double-clutch automated manual gearbox pioneered by Volkswagen as the DSG.

That's the view of some automotive analysts who say the use of constant velocity (CVT) autoboxes will not grow in Europe, though they may become the favoured option in the US and Asia for automating smaller cars.

More than one in ten VW Golfs are already ordered with the DSG system, which costs the same as a 5-speed automatic transmission to make but is a third cheaper than a CVT. And in terms of fuel economy, the dual clutch box is some 15 percent more fuel efficient than the traditional auto.

Pioneers in Europe of the CVT system for small cars, Ford and Fiat, now use automated manual systems instead.

BMW 'could lose premium status'

by Brian Byrne. Though it is the 'most respected' automotive brand in Europe, BMW could lose its premium status because of its expansion into model segments where it wasn't before.

According to the head of European auto research at J P Morgan, Phillipe Houchois, the introduction of cars like the 1 Series puts the brand on the way to becoming a mass manufacturer in volume terms, and could thus lose its 'exclusive' tag.

Volkswagen, on the other hand, is moving in the other direction, moving towards the premium end of the market, but losing the low end of the market in the process.

The Wolfsburg carmaker has also lost its sense of style, according to analyst Adam Jonas of Morgan Stanley, who says the company needs to build 'halo' models such as it had three decades ago with the Corrado and Scirocco.

Jonas says VW could imitate Nissan's revival of the 'Z' cars of the same period with the 350Z introduction two years ago.

The analysts were speaking at a conference organised by Automotive News Europe.

G4 reconnaisance completed

by Brian Byrne. Land Rover's reconnaisance team have just finished their planning visit to Bolivia, where part of next May's G4 Challenge will take place.

The vehicles used will be the Discovery 3 - pictured here being pushed to the limit in the Bolivian Andes and the Range Rover Sport.

Prospective entrants wishing to join the 2006 Land Rover G4 Challenge can apply at the special website.

Opel refreshes Vectra

by Brian Byrne. Opel has refreshed its Vectra for the 06 model year, with a completely new 'face', an extensively modified engine range including a 230 hp 2.8-litre V6 turbo, and a number of new technical features.

The latest edition of Opel’s successful mid-size model range also features new chassis tuning and steering.

A maintenance-free diesel particulate filter system is fitted as standard with all diesel variants, including the new 100 hp 1.9 CDTI.

The new Vectra and Signum models will be built in the state-of-the-art Rüsselsheim plant in Germany, and sales start in September.

A wide range of ECOTEC engines is available – five petrol engines (1.6–2.8 litre, 100–230 hp) and four CDTI common-rail diesels (1.9–3.0 litre, 100–184 hp), which are equipped with a maintenance-free diesel particulate filter as standard. All engines comply with the Euro 4 emissions standard.

The most powerful engine is an all-new 2.8-litre aluminum petrol six-cylinder unit with a twin-scroll turbocharger which can power the car in 7.4 seconds from zero to 100 km/h.

Kia keeps on growing

by Brian Byrne. Kia's May new car registrations in Europe grew by 49.1% year-on-year to 18,420 units, further strengthening Kia’s position as the fastest growing car maker in Europe.

Kia has recorded sales of 107,612 units in Europe through the first five months of 2005, representing a 68% increase over the same period of last year.

From January to May of 2005, 31,977 units of the Picanto have been sold in Europe, followed by the Sorento SUV (18,010), Sportage SUV (16,556), and Carnival (Sedona) MPV (9,891).

Spain was Kia’s biggest market in Europe for the first five months of the year, with a total of 16,359 vehicles delivered.

Irish Ferries extend offer

by Ray Bernard. Irish Ferries have extended their successful Summer Sale to Britain fare offers until 30th June.

Highlights of the offers are unlimited stay one way fares from €99 for car plus driver, operative on Rosslare-Pembroke route, and 5-day return midweek fares from €215 for a car plus two persons on Dublin-Holyhead and Rosslare-Pembroke routes. Children go free on both offers.

Bookings can be made on line www.irishferries.com

New Marcos detailed

by Brian Byrne. Marcos Engineering has released details of the new Marcos TSO GT2 coupe, a race bred Grand Tourer with 475 hp and a 0-100 km/h performance of under five seconds

The chassis was developed under a partnership with Prodrive, which has six World Rally titles and five British Touring Car Championships to its name.

Micra CC for end of year

by Brian Byrne. Details have been released of the Micra C+C coupé/convertible which was designed and engineered in the UK and will be built there, too.

Sales of the 2+2 are due to start towards the end of the year.

First shown as a concept at the 2002 Paris motor show, the production version brings new ideas to its market segment: the folding hardtop is made largely of glass to create an open-air feeling whether the roof is up or stowed away.

Development and production of the hardtop has been undertaken for Nissan by Karmann, specialists in the design and production of convertible models. In common with all European Micras, Micra C+C will be built at Sunderland so Karmann has established a small production facility within NMUK where the hardtop modules will be fitted to the Micra platforms.

VW considering Logan runner

by Brian Byrne. Though sedans are no longer favoured in Western Europe, their popularity in developing world markets is encouraging a number of manufacturers to build new cars in the format.

Renault's Logan, produced by its Dacia subsidiary in Rumania mainly for the Eastern European market has now been launched even in Western Europe. And Volkswagen is said to be considering a similar 'low tech' medium-sized car that would compete with the Logan.

The 3-K Project vehicle would cost VW around 3,000 to produce, making it very competitive with the Logan.

First production would be for China, according to industry sources.

New Leon in autumn

by Brian Byrne. The new generation SEAT Leon will be introduced in Ireland towards the end of September, at a starting price expected to be under €20,000.

The car will come initially with a similar engines line-up to the companions Altea and Toledo, starting with a 102hp 1.6-litre petrol unit. There will also be a 150hp 2.0FSI petrol engine, and a 1.4-litre petrol is coming in February. A 185hp petrol version is also available in some markets.

The Leon's diesel options are the 105hp 1.9-litre and the 140hp 2.0-litre, already familiar from the Altea and Toledo.

There will be two specification levels, R and S, the latter adding climate control and cruise control as well as alloys over the otherwise well-specced R.

New S-Class for Frankfurt

by Brian Byrne. Mercedes will officially launch the 2006 S-Class at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The car, according to the first official pictures, will be more muscular looking than the current S, and will include a number of technical innovations.

These include Brake Assist Plus, which registers vehicles ahead by radar and gives a warning if the gap is too small or the closing speed is too high, Distronic Plus which keeps the new S-Class at the right distance from the vehicle ahead, and a night view assist system is based on infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye and will therefore not dazzle oncoming traffic.

Three of the four engines available for the new S-Class are new developments by Mercedes-Benz. They generate up to 26% more output and up to 15% more torque.

Saab Sport Estate in September

by Brian Byrne. The Saab 9-3 Sports Estate will arrive in Ireland at the end of September at a price expected to be in the region of €36,000 for the entry-level version, about €1,500 more than the price of the 9-3 Sport Saloon.

The Sport Estate will come with four petrol engines ranging in output from 122bhp to 250bhp, as well as two 1.9-litre diesels outputting 120bhp and 150bhp respectively.

The car will be available in four specification levels — Linear, Arc, Vector and Aero.

Fuel cell Touran

by Ray Bernard. Volkswagen recently presented a Touran HyMotion with fuel cell drive system at the World Environment Day in San Francisco.

Based on the Touran compact MPV, the further developed Touran HyMotion used an 80 kW electric motor powered from a combination of fuel cell and electric battery, and is capable of accelerating – virtually free of noise and vibration – from zero to 100 km/h in 14 seconds.

A second power source in the form of a nickel-metal hybrid battery hooks up steplessly when required and provides the Touran with extra motive power.

Ford helps golf marathon

by Trish Whelan. A Cork teacher is attempting to establish a new golf record — by playing 32 golf courses in all 32 counties of the island in just 32 days.

This special amateur Tour is in aid of the newly-opened Tigh an Oileáin Centre for learning disabilities in Valentia Island. It will see Peter Grogan travel some 8,000 miles in a Ford Focus TDCi provided by Ford Ireland, as well as a further 150-odd miles on the courses.

Peter is captain of the Christy O’Connor Club in Dublin and Christy himself was on hand at the launch last month to add his support to the cause. The tour started today at Mount Wolseley in Carlow, and finishes 576 holes later at Waterville on the 22nd July.

The brainchild of legendary Kerry footballer Mick O’Connell, the Tigh an Oileáin Centre provides Day, Residential and Support Services to adults with learning disabilities.

VAT-free deal from Citroen

by Trish Whelan. Citroën are offering the Citroën C5 VAT Free for the month of June.

Citroën will pay the VAT on all C5s bought and registered by the 30th of the month. That means €3569 off the C5 1.8 SX, a saving of €3909 on the C5 1.6 HDI 110 SX and €4760 off 2.2 HDI VSX Automatic.

The Citroën C5 1.8 SX can now be bought, on the road, for €23,131.

Following its launch in November 2004 the Citroën C5 was awarded a 5-star NCAP rating, scoring the highest points total of any car tested, 36 out of a possible 37.

Puntos in tandem

by Brian Byrne. Fiat is to produce its current Punto for an extra year after the model is replaced by a third-generation Punto this summer.

The current version will be called the Punto Classic and will come with just one specification.

The official sales launch of the new car is October. It is a significantly larger vehicle than the current bearer of the nameplate.

Next Grand Vitara to be strong in Europe

by Brian Byrne. Suzuki expects to sell almost half of its 125,000 production of the next-generation Grand Vitara in Europe.

Some 60,000 units of the new vehicle are slated for European markets, while the US is expected to take 40,000 of the balance.

Some 70 percent of the new version sales in Europe are expected to be diesels. The car will have a new diesel engine, but the source has not yet been revealed. The current 2-litre diesel is from PSA Peugeot-Citroen.

The next generation Grand Vitara has gone on sale in Japan as the Escudo. The European version will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

Daihatsu aims to double

by Brian Byrne. Daihatsu intends to double its European sales figures within two years, in the process doubling its dealer network across Europe to 2,000.

More than two-thirds of the company's sales at the moment are in Japan, with Malaysia as its second biggest market.

In Europe, Germany is the biggest single market for the brand, accounting for 10,000 of the some 26,000 Daihatsus sold in Europe in 2004.

The European drive for growth will mean some new European-focussed models. The latest Sirion, launched in Ireland earlier this year, was designed by Giugiaro in Turin.

VW hopes big convertible sale in US

by Brian Byrne. A third of the planned 45,000-unit production of VW's new four-seat convertible will be sold in the US.

The car — not yet named but based on the Concept C shown at Geneva last year — goes into production this autumn in Portugal.

US versions will have a 3.2-litre petrol engine, while European models will be offered with a choice from 1.6- and 2-litre petrol or a 2-litre diesel.

A Golf cabriolet which ceased production in 2002 was mainly popular in North American markets.

Clio III revealed

by Trish Whelan. Renault has unveiled its latest generation Clio, the Clio III.

With a length of 3.99m, Clio III is bigger than the current car and is available in 3- and 5-door format.

For its launch, Clio III will be available with a choice of petrol and Euro 4 compliant common rail diesel engines. The petrol engine range comprises a 1.2-litre 75hp, a 1.4-litre 98hp and a 1.6-litre 113hp, while the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine comes in a choice of three power outputs: 70hp, 86hp and 106hp.

Depending on version it will come with up to eight airbags.

New Zafira soon

by Brian Byrne. The new generation Opel Zafira goes on sale in Ireland on July 25 at a starting price of €25,745.

The latest version will offer a choice of 14 vehicles, with 1.6- and 2.2-litre normally aspirated petrol engines along with a range-topping 2-litre turbocharged unit, and two 1.9-litre diesel engines of 120hp and 150hp outputs. A 140hp 1.8-litre petrol version will be available in the autumn.

There are four levels of specification — Life, Club, Design and SRi.

Motorhomes rental launched

by Trish Whelan. The latest range in motorhomes available to Irish holidaymakers and visitors to Ireland was recently unveiled with the launch of Kamp-Easi Motorhomes.

Kamp-Easi Motorhomes as a motorhome rental dealer can provide those on a camping vacation, business trip, or family holiday in Ireland and Europe, with just the right camper, RV or motor home.

Further information Kamp-Easi Motorhomes, 30 Castlewood Avenue, Rathmines, Dublin 6 or kamp-easimotorhomes.com.

New Impreza in Japan

by Brian Byrne. Subaru's new Subaru Impreza series has gone on sale at Subaru dealerships throughout Japan.

There's a newly designed front bumper, grille, and headlights, as well as in other interior and exterior design changes.

The Impreza WRX STI now has a maximum engine torque of 422 Nm and also features an improved version of the driver’s control center differential (DCCD), an electronically controlled All Wheel Drive (AWD) system that adds a torque-sensitive, mechanical limited-slip differential (LSD).

Connaught hybrid a first

by Brian Byrne The Connaught luxury sports car was selected by the British-based Energy Saving Trust to represent sustainable vehicle technology at the recent Climate Change conference in Perthshire, Scotland.

The Connaught petrol/electric hybrid system is the brainchild of Tim Bishop and Tony Martindale and has 17 patents pending on its technology.

The first ever V10 hybrid engine is fitted into the Connaught Type-D sports coupé, which also has ultra-lightweight construction.

New Passat estate pix

by Brian Byrne. Volkswagen has issued the first pictures of the new Passat Estate, ahead of its launch in Germany in August.

The new model shares its front design with the saloon, but from the B-pillar back the body is very different.

More than 4.3 million Passat Estates have been produced over five generations.

Prius engine gets another gong

by Brian Byrne. The Toyota Hybrid Synergy Drive system of Toyota Prius has been awarded two category wins in the International Engine of the Year Awards 2005.

The Hybrid Synergy Drive system won in the 1.4 to 1.8-litre category and also took first place in the ‘Best Fuel Economy’ category — thanks to its application in the Toyota Prius with fuel consumption of 65.7mpg.

These latest accolades for the hybrid powertrain mean Toyota has set a new record in the International Engine of the Year awards with no fewer than nine titles for Prius over its two generations.

Only 500 Clio 182 Trophys to be built

by Brian Byrne. With first deliveries in July, only 500 Clio Renaultsport 182 Trophy cars will be produced at the Renaultsport factory in Dieppe between June and September as production of all Clio Renaultsport finishes in September.

A two-litre 182hp, 200Nm torque engine provides a 0-62mph time of 6.9 seconds.

The Trophy is based on the Renaultsport 182 Cup with several technical changes.

The UK currently takes over half of all Clio Renaultsport production, so only 500 right hand drive Trophy will be produced (with Switzerland the only other country to market the car). A plaque fitted to the driver’s seat base shows the production number of each car.

Lotus Exige on sale

by Brian Byrne. The Lotus Exige is now available here from the official distributor Linders Lotus of Chapelizod at a starting price of €59,995.
 
Powered by a Toyota-sourced 1.8 litre engine producing 189 bhp and 181 Nm of torque, with a 6-speed gearbox, the Exige can achieve 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds.

The engine is located behind the cockpit and in front of the driven rear wheels.

5 millionth 206

by Trish Whelan. The five millionth 206 has rolled off the production line.

The actual car was a 206 CC HDi, built at the Mulhouse production facility in France.

The 206 has been a great success in Ireland, with nearly 30,000 registrations from October 1998 to May 2005. It remains in the top three Best Sellers in its class in 2005 and amongst the top ten Best Sellers overall in Ireland, nearly seven years after its launch.

The 206 — in its WRC livery — has been a very successful competition car, winning three World Rally Championship titles in 2000, 2001 and 2002 as well as the driver’s title for Marcus Gronholm in 2000 and 2002.

VW launches three in Ireland

by Brian Byrne. Volkswagen Ireland today launched three new models onto the Irish market — the latest Passat, the new Polo, and the Golf Plus which is aimed at the medium MPV market.

Now in its sixth generation, the Passat comes with six new petrol and three new diesel power units beginning with the 1.6-litre, 115bhp four-cylinder petrol unit at 25,500.



The new Polo is available with 1.2-litre and 1.4-litre petrol versions plus a 1.4-litre, 80bhp TDI diesel and enters the market at 15,465.



The new Golf Plus range begins with  a 1.4-litre, 75bhp petrol version at 22,340.

Sport, Disco platform to underpin next RR

by Brian Byrne. The T5 architecture underpinning the new Land Rover Discovery and the Range Rover Sport is also likely to be the foundation on which the next generation Range Rover is built.

The platform has features which are patented by Land Rover, and in the next Range Rover will replace the architecture which was developed in partnership with BMW.

The new Range Rover Sport is expected to outsell its established 'big brother', which rolled out of showrroms in Europe in numbers of 12,906 in 2004.

Jaguars to snarl louder

by Brian Byrne. A survey of sounds made by different prestige cars will result in changes to how a Jaguar engine sounds.

The survey, carried out with the help of a special unit at the University of Warwick in Britain, found that consumers in this car bracket preferred the louder noises made by BMWs to the relative quietness of Jaguars and Lexus.

The information will be used to 'tune' the sounds a driver hears in new Jaguars.

New driver protection

by Brian Byrne. A new 'driver protection module' in which the steering wheel, knee bolsters and pedals all collapse has been developed by automotive supplier Delphi.

The system is said to be able to reduce injuries to lower parts of the body by 10 per cent without the use of pyrotechnical devices such as extra airbags.

It should also mean that existing airbag systems can be designed to operate with less force.

Delphi says it is already in discussion with two carmakers interested in using the system, which doesn't take up any additional space in the car.

The technology will be ready for 2009 model-year cars.

New A6 engine

by Brian Byrne. A new Audi A6 2.0 T FSI is claimed by the company to be the most cost-effective petrol executive model in the premium sector.

The car has a turbocharged 2-litre four-cylinder FSI engine, linked to a six-speed manual gearbox, with 170PS available. Torque peak at 280Nm is available between 1,800rpm and 4,200rpm.

The car can reach 100 km/h in 8.4 seconds.

Caliber will have diesel

by Brian Byrne. The Dodge Caliber which will spearhead the mass-market assault on European markets for the brand in the middle of next year will come with right-hand-drive capability and diesel engines.

The 5-door car is being aimed at VW's Golf, Opel's Astra and Peugeot's 307.

New M6 is a powerhouse

by Brian Byrne The new BMW M5 has 507bhp of power, 520Nm of torque, and a 0-100 km/h time of 4.7 seconds

It is powered by a 5-litre V10 engine and features a seven-speed sequential gearbox.

The new engine delivers two levels of power output. Each time it is started it is in 400bhp mode. This is to suit normal urban traffic conditions where 507bhp is of no use and not required. By operating the MDrive button on the steering wheel the power is increased to 507bhp.

Porsche Cayman in November

by Brian Byrne. Porsche's new Cayman S will go on sale in RHD version in November. The two-seater has a newly developed six-cylinder ‘boxer’ engine with a capacity of 3.4 litres and an output of 295 bhp. The mid-mounted power unit provides acceleration from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds.

The Cayman S is individual in its design, with oval headlamps and distinctive air intake grilles and newly designed coupé lines combined with a long wheelbase.

Porsche Stability Management (PSM) is a standard feature.

Mazda to produce crossover

by Brian Byrne Mazda has confirmed that it will launch a production version of its MX-Crossport concept in 2006, in the US market.

The car, which will be called the Mazda CX-7, will pick up many of the concept car's design themes when it goes into production. Mazda says it will study launch feasibility in other global markets.

Hybrids will 'define' Lexus

by Brian Byrne. Hybrid powertrains will be a 'brand defining' technology of Lexus, according to the vice president of Lexus Europe, Karl Schlicht.

Saying that the recently-launched RX 400h hybrid SUV is the 'cornerstone' of a strategy in establishing Lexus as a technology leader brand, he confirmed that the hybrid version of the new GS series medium luxury sedans will be launched next year, while 'more hybrids will follow'.

The hybrid GS will be called the GS 450h.

Focus top seller in May, Toyota top marque

by Trish Whelan. Car sales rose by 14.2 percent in May over the same period last year — the fifth month in a row that registrations have risen.

The best-selling car was again the Ford Focus, which, with 1,589 units, claimed 9.0 percent of the market.

Toyota was the overall market leader, increasing its volumes by almost 40 percent to gain a 15.8 percent share of the market. Ford came second with 15.5 percent market share. VW was third, followed by Nissan and GM Opel.

Total cars sales increased from 15,414 in May 2004 to 17,601 last month, bringing sales for the year to 122,829, a 13.5% increase on the same period last year.

Toyota to drop models

by Brian Byrne. Toyota is to drop its Celica, MR2 (above) and Previa in Europe next year, in part to help it meet CO2 emissions targets across its whole range.

The sports cars may be replaced eventually by a hybrid sports model, possibly under the Lexus brand.

The company has also changed it mind about producing the next Land Cruiser as a Lexus model.

BMW wins Engine of Year

by Trish Whelan. BMW has taken top honours in the International Engine of the Year awards with the 5.0-litre V10 unit from the new M5.

The 507bhp powerplant of the BMW M5 and forthcoming M6 Coupé won the overall Engine of the Year award for 2005.

The 4999cc unit was a clear winner of the overall title with the V10 engine’s stiffest competition coming from the 3.0-litre twin-turbo diesel engine that powers the BMW 535d.