Automobiles Peugeot, Paris, and Gowan Distributors Limited, Peugeot Importers in Ireland recently showed their appreciation to a Peugeot customer for the last 29 years.
Michael Staunton from Foxford, County Mayo, first bought a Peugeot 505 in 1980 and has just taken delivery of his 22nd new car from the Peugeot stable, a new Peugeot 407 Ultra saloon, from his Local Dealer, Arch Motors, Westside, Galway.
At a celebratory lunch presentation with Directors from Gowan Distributors, Mr Staunton said he had never looked at another car make for 29 years
Peugeot in Ireland want to hear from their customers if you or someone you know has a story to tell like Michael. The Peugeot Team urge you to contact them today by logging onto www.peugeot.ie to contact them today.
Pictured are Mark Hayes, Marketing Manager, Gowan Distributors Ltd; Peter Wyer, Dealer Principal, Arch Motors, Galway; and Michael Staunton in his new Peugeot 407 Ultra.
Opel Ireland has launched the Insignia Sports Tourer here at a starting price of €29,095.
With the rear seats folded flat, the Sports Tourer has a load volume of up to 1530 litres, increasing the cargo length by 80mm to 1910mm.
Opel has also introduced a new engine to the Insignia range here, the 180PS 1.6 Turbo. It offers a 9.2 seconds sprint to 100 km/h, and has fuel consumption of 7.9l/100km.
Motorists trying to save money buying second-hand airbags online could end up paying a much higher price, a new investigation warns.
According to UK-based accident management company, Accident Exchange, the growing trade on auction sites like eBay, is a potentially ‘life and death’ issue.
The unregulated nature of the marketplace means the second-hand airbags being sold could be defective or inoperable, without the buyer’s or even the seller’s knowledge. The end result could be fatal if the airbag fails to deploy in an accident.
At any time around 3,000 airbags are being auctioned online, according to Accident Exchange’s research. In the vast majority of cases, the history is unclear.
Last year, an investigation by the American National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found that in 255 of the 1,446 fatal crashes it reviewed, the airbags had not been properly replaced after the previous accident. The report discovered scrunched up newspaper, crisp packets and even a trainer in place of the airbag unit.
Adding to the problem, postal workers are unwittingly transporting the often anonymously packaged airbags even though they are classified as UN Hazard Class 1 explosives. In situ, they deploy and inflate within just 25 milliseconds of impact, reaching speeds of up to 160mph.
This is the first image of the Tesla S, an electric sedan from the Tesla Motors company that has already developed the world's first electric roadster sports car.
In the US the car will cost about $57,400, less a $7,500 tax credit from the government to offset some of that.
Tesla will be offering three different battery-pack sizes. They'll have a range per charge of 160, 230, or 300 miles. Each will cost more than the smaller versions.
This Easter Bank Holiday Weekend, the Road Safety Authority (RSA) is highlighting the dangers of driving while very tired (driver fatigue) as research indicates it could be a contributory factor in 1 in 5 driver deaths in Ireland.
This silent killer may have accounted for more than 350 road deaths in the past 5 years. According to Noel Brett, CEO of the RSA, scientific studies show that if a driver persists in fighting sleep while driving, the impairment level is the same as driving while over the drink drive limit.
Drivers who persist in fighting sleep can experience ‘micro sleeps’ whereby they will drift in and out of consciousness. Micro sleeps can last for 10 seconds during which time a driver has no control over the vehicle.
Advice includes stopping and taking a nap for 15 minutes (set your mobile phone alarm); taking a caffeine drink before the nap; getting some fresh air and stretching your legs after it before driving on.
Irish Ferries have posted reduced online fares to Britain and France over the Easter period delivering reductions of up to 50% and 40% respectively.
To Britain, lowest fare is €69 one way for a car plus 2 for travel Monday to Thursday on Dublin-Holyhead and Rosslare-Pembroke cruise ferry services.
To France, the equivalent lowest fare is €99 one way for a car plus two with an added 50% off selected cabin prices. Bookings must be made seven days before travel in both cases.
Further information and bookings can be made at www.irishferries.com or by telephone to 0818 300400.
Dublin is in the top ten of destinations searched for by users of the Skyscanner budget air travel website.
Skyscanner provides instant online comparison on flight prices for over 670,000 routes on over 600 airlines across Europe.
London is the most popular Easter destination for Skyscanner users, highlighting that domestic air travel remains strong and the fact that London is a great short break destination. However, the ever popular Spain dominated the rankings with four Spanish destinations in the top ten. Amsterdam ranked 5th, Rome 6th, Paris 7th, Dublin 8th and Portugal’s Faro 10th.
The top ten popular destinations were split between city breaks and sun spots.
This is a Porsche Cayenne with a difference — only a thousand will be built.
The Cayenne GTS Porsche Design Edition 3 will be available to special customer order from May.
The paintwork colour is Lava Grey Metallic, with design stripes along the side and on the bonnet and 21-inch diameter SportPlus alloy wheels.
Dark privacy glazing to the rear of the B-pillar, and the ‘Cayenne GTS’ model designation in black with a red “S” at the rear, also identify the car, and an extended roof spoiler with a double wing profile is available as a no-cost option.
Black leather upholstery throughout, with red contrasting seams on the instrument panel and doors, and a three-spoke multifunction steering wheel, make the car feel different to the driver.
The Bose 5.1 Surround Sound System has 14 loudspeakers and overall output of 410 W, to compete with the sound of a 405bhp 4.8-litre V8. A six-speed Tiptronic S transmission os standard. On the road, this means acceleration from 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds.
The new generation Mercedes-Benz E-Class will launch in Ireland in June.
In appearance, it is significantly different from the current model. A wedge-shaped profile and muscular rear section, are part of the new style, which also includes a new twin-lens headlight design. Front daytime running lights are set below the bumper line.
Standard features include Attention Assist, a drowsiness detection system that uses feedback from over 70 sensors to monitor behaviour and alert the driver when the need to take a break becomes evident. Other items include lights that dim automatically to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, proximity control, parking guidance and reversing camera, improved pedestrian protection plus a full array of driver and passenger airbags.
With a drag coefficient of only 0.25, the new E-Class is the world's most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon. All models consume less fuel, with consumption down by up to 20%.
Twelve models make up the new E-Class range — six diesels and six petrol — of which eight have BlueEfficiency credentials. Diesel units are the E 200CDI, E 220CDI, E 250 CDI and E 350 CDI — all with Blue Efficiency — E 350 Blue Tec and E 350 CDI 4Matic. Petrol units are the E 200 CGI, E 250 CGI, E 350 CGI, all with Blue Efficiency, E 350 4Matic, E 500 and E 500 4Matic.
First to arrive in Ireland will be the E 220CDI which is due for launch in June. Following in September will be the E 200CDI — the first E-Class to have a 200CDI engine — the E 250CDI and the E 200 Kompressor. All new E-Class models come in a choice of three design and equipment lines that include higher-spec Elegance and Avantgarde versions.
Grange Builders Providers, Baldoyle, Dublin has just taken delivery of a new Smith Newton 10 tonne truck with a box body and taillift, the first such vehicle to go into service in Ireland.
The latest “zero carbon emissions” arrival, powered by the most modern Lithium-Ion Phosphate batteries and a 120kw induction motor will be used for the delivery of Granges vast array of building and DIY products.
The Smith Newton motors along at a top speed of 80km/h and can travel up to 160kms from a single charge, ideal for city or large town use. This vehicle provides a 100% reduction in air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions at the point of use and if recharged with renewable energy, its daily operations will leave no carbon footprint. Additionally, noise pollution is almost non existent.
It also has a regenerative braking system that recharges the batteries when the vehicle slows. This smoother braking system reduces wear and tear on the brakes and prolongs tyre life.
The Honda Civic has been confirmed with a 5-star ENCAP rating in a re-assessment under the crash test programme's tougher new regime.
The new system considers occupant protection in frontal, side, pole and rear impacts, child protection, pedestrian protection and the availability of driver aids. The Honda Civic has been awarded the maximum 5-star rating with an overall score of 77 percent. A minimum score of 70 percent overall is necessary to achieve a 5-star rating.
To qualify for inclusion, electronic vehicle stability assistance devices (VSA for Honda) must be fitted, as standard across 85 percent of the EU 27 2009 model range.
The rating follows on from the 5-star result achieved by the new Honda Accord.
Mazda Motor Ireland has announced the appointment of four new Mazda dealerships. Each dealership will offer the full range of Mazda sales, finance, repair and after sales services.
They are Henderson Motorpark, Bundoran Road, Sligo; Joe Duffy Mazda, Rochestown Avenue, Dun Laoghaire, Co Dublin; Lucey Motors, Limerick Road, Charleville, Cork; and Newgate Motor Company, Navan, Co Meath.
One of Dublin’s best-known and longest-established Ford dealerships, Fort Motors in Walkinstown, celebrates a half century in business this week. Fort Motors has grown in recent years to include Tallaght Ford on Airton Road, and now employs in excess of 40 staff.
Pictured are Cyril Molloy Senior and Fort Motor’s oldest customer Jack Duffy, outside Fort Motors in Walkinstown.
Chairman Cyril Molloy first opened the doors of Fort Service Garage on Cromwellsfort Road in March 1959 on the site of a petrol station. Car sales in Ireland in that year were little more than 25,000, compared with 150,000 last year.
At the 1959 launch, the new Ford Anglia 105E came in at £589 for the standard model, and £610 for the plusher De Luxe. A heater would cost an additional £14. The pricing was set very keenly, designed to undercut the recently launched BMC A40 Farina by some £40, itself some £50 cheaper than the 948cc Triumph Herald. Not only was the price attractive to buyers looking for a new car. A top speed of 75+ mph, and economy when cruising of over 45mpg, was more than a match for the Standard-Triumph and BMC .
“£589 may appear a small amount,” recalls Cyril, “but that equated to 60 weeks working on the average wage. Nowadays a brand new Ford Ka can be bought for less than one third of the average yearly wage.”
Over 50,000 cars and vans have left the showrooms on Cromwellsfort Road and Airton Road over the 50 years. The latter was hailed as Europe’s largest Ford dealership when it opened in 2005 and quickly became one of Ireland’s best known dealerships. The distinctive look of the Fort Motors premises was created in 1999 to mark the company’s 40th anniversary.
Local customers have remained loyal to the family business, now run by Cyril’s sons Paul and Cyril Molloy. Among those present to ‘cut the cake’ on the day was one of Fort’s original customers back in 1959 and who still drives a Ford.
Cyril Senior is philosophical about the current downturn in the car business. “The bottom line is that we have been through several economic downturns, in the 60s we saw emigration, the 70s brought bank strikes & petrol shortages. The 80s brought a deep recession and the early 90s brought interest rates of almost 20%.Through strong customer care and hard work we have stayed in business for last 50 years and we are confident this will continue for many more.”
The Vehicle Leasing Association of Ireland has warned that only the 'black market' will be left to service the motor business in Ireland if the Government doesn't take proper action in the Emergency Budget.
In a submission directly to the Minister for Finance, the Association says over 4,456 jobs have already been lost in the motor trade and nine dealerships have already gone into receivership in 2009.
The Association now estimates that the new car market for 2009 will be 55,000 cars, and this is already reflected in the VRT Exchequer income for January of €32 million, compared to the €215 million in January 2008.
The submission also notes that the used import market is increasing, with 40 percent of all registrations so far this year coming from this sector.
The Association has outlined a number of key moves which it says must be taken if the situation is to be retrieved in any measure.
These include charging VRT on imports at the same reate that would have been applied had the car been first registered in Ireland when new.
It also calls for a temporary reduction in VAT on cars to 15 percent.
Any recalculation in VRT Bands must be done 4-5 months before New Year in order to allow the motor industry cope with pricing and vehicle orders.
Other items include showing the place of a vehicle's first registration on the number plate, the requirement that all imports should have metric odometers, increases in VAT on company cars, immediate NCT tests on all imports, and using Anglo Irish Bank, which is state owned, to provide credit lines to consumers and business.
According to John Wallace, President VLAI, all these proposals have been discussed directly with the Minister, but to date, nothing has been adopted.
Galway motor dealers Cunningham Higgins Motor Company have been appointed authorised main sales and service dealers for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars.
Founded in 1999 by Niall Cunningham and Joe Higgins, Cunningham Higgins employs a staff of 20 persons. Facilities within the dealership include two-storey showrooms, service workshop, parts store and basement car parking.
Under their new agreement, the company will become exclusive main dealers for the complete range of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. To this end, the company is currently completing a remodelling of their premises to bring them into harmony with international Mercedes-Benz design standards.
Pictured at the signing of their agreement are (seated) Joe Higgins and Niall Cunningham of Cunningham Higgins, Galway with Stephen Byrne, Chief Executive, Mercedes-Benz. With them (standing) is Ciaran Allen, Sales Manager, Mercedes-Benz.
Following on from the cancellation of the Birmingham annual Commercial Vehicle Show for this year, it's an indication of just how badly the motor industry in these islands is doing.
At a local level, the situation is reflected in the £306m in tax that the Irish Government has lost in the first two months of this year from lost motor sales.
Family holiday specialist Siblu Holidays (www.siblu.ie, 0818 274 097) has launched new summer season prices that will cut the cost of accommodation at its French holiday parcs by as much as €374.
With school holiday accommodation from €459 and a deposit of just €25 available until 12 April, families can take advantage of the lowest prices ever offered by Siblu.
Deals include accommodation for seven nights at Domaine de Kerlann holiday parc in Brittany from €459 for a 27 June departure, saving €374. The parc, which has indoor and outdoor pools, a splash-zone for youngsters and free children’s clubs, is on the outskirts of pretty Pont Aven, inspiration for the artist Paul Gauguin.
A seven-night stay at Les Charmettes in La Palmyre, Charente Maritime, a region of France recently named the sunniest on the Atlantic coast, starts from just €613 for a family staying from 27 June, down from €875 (saving €263). The holiday parc has a large pool complex with waterslides, free football tournaments for youngsters and indoor and outdoor entertainment complexes.
Siblu holidays are ABTA-bonded for 100% financial protection and all bookings come with free redundancy insurance, so you can claim back the cost of your holiday if your job situation changes. To find out more visit www.siblu.ie or call 0818 274 097.
What has Ford's new Fiesta in common with the Maserati Quattroporte, the Mercedes R Class and the Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster?
Certainly not the price, or the performance. But the Fiesta equals these in having been awarded a Red Dot for design by a panel of 28 leading designers and design experts from 19 countries.
The red dot design awards are presented annually by Germany's Essen-based Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen, and it's one of the world's largest design recognition programmes.
The design professionals, who make up the award jury, said the Fiesta's design was "innovative and dynamic".
The independent jury assesses each entry against a series of criteria which includes innovation, design, functionality and quality. For the 2009 award, 3,231 submissions were received from 49 countries. The Fiesta was one of the products to be awarded a red dot for its outstanding design.
Irish Ferries have taken their initials IF and placed them up front in a new advertising campaign aimed at promoting the attractiveness of travel by ferry.
Aimed at a new, younger generation, many of whom have never before travelled by car ferry, the campaign aims to position Irish Ferries as the carrier that is putting pleasure back into travel.
Using the company's initials IF as the creative theme, it features such headlines as 'What IF the journey was to be enjoyed, not endured?' to underline what they see as the contrast between ferry and air travel.
Driving force behind this new approach was the €500million that Irish Ferries has invested in acquiring new vessels and in upgrading services generally to deliver what they regard as ‘a standard of service vastly superior to anything that those who travel by air have come to expect’.
Devised by Dublin advertising agency Javelin Advertising, it will appear in press, television and online over the coming months.
Kia Motors Ireland has become the exclusive vehicle provider to the Olympic Council of Ireland from now up to and including the London 2012 Olympic Games.
During the sponsorship term Kia Motors Ireland will provide logistical support to the OCI for their day to day work and will also assist the Council with team transportation needs in the run up to and during the Games in London.
Kia is a major sponsor of both FIFA and UEFA and the major sponsor of the Australian Open. Kia Motors Ireland also supports Special Olympics Ireland.
Pictured at the signing of the agreement are (seated) Pat Hickey President Olympic Council of Ireland, John Kim, President Kia Motors Ireland and (back) James Brooks, MD Kia Motors Ireland, and Stepen Martin CEO Olympic Council of Ireland.
The chairman of Ford Ireland, Eddie Murphy, has again called on the Government to initiate a scrappage scheme to help save thousnads of jobs in the motor business here.
Speaking after the release of CSO figures for February 2009 car market in Ireland, he said that they confirm that the trade 'is in freefall'.
"The Government needs to act urgently," he said. "From our point of view, an initiative like a scrappage scheme should be a 'no brainer'. The scheme would actually increase revenue for the government, secure jobs and act as a fillip to a key sector of the economy."
He noted that a similar scheme in Germany has brought a very positive effect in the last couple of months. "However, because of the nature of the Irish car market, it needs to be introduced sooner rather than later in the year. A later introduction would seriously minimise the value it could bring.”
Audi recently announced several Limited Edition offers for some of its best selling model derivatives, with a lower specification than the brand's normal offerings here.
The A3 1.6 LE, the A3 1.9 TDI LE, the A4 2.0 TDI LE and the A6 2.0 TDI LE are available to order at prices starting at €22,950 for an A3, €32,900 for an A4 and €39,900 for an A6. These models are strictly limited both in quantity and timeframe.
Some 45% of the units were reserved a week after the announcement.
Toyota has developed a world first rear-seat centre airbag to help reduce the severity of passenger injuries in side-on collisions.
The new Supplemental Restraint System (SRS) airbag is fitted in a large, fixed, rear-seat centre console and will feature in particular Toyota models to be released in the near future.
When the vehicle is hit side-on, the airbag deploys from the top of the console to act as a barrier that helps lessen injuries caused by passengers colliding with each other or into the console.
The Road Safety Authority, in conjunction with An Garada, has appealled to people once again not to drink and drive, in the run-up to the St Patricks Day festival period.
During the past ten years, a total of 34 people were killed and 146 seriously injured on Irish roads during the St. Patrick’s holiday period.
Mandatory Alcohol Checkpoints will be mounted at various places across the country targeting drink driving. Over the St. Patrick’s Day holiday period in 2008 there were 530 driving while intoxicated incidents.
Other road users are also being advised to take extra care. Pedestrians, motorcyclists and cyclists should wear something that will make them stand out to other road-users, particularly in poor weather conditions and low visibility. Wear reflective materials at all times and pedestrians should carry a torch at night.
Pedestrians are advised to drink in moderation if walking home after a social event. Alcohol is considered to be a factor in a quarter of pedestrian deaths each year.
CO2 emissions from new cars fell by their biggest ever margin in 2008 with the average model now emitting just 158.0g/km - 4.2 percent less than the 2007 figure and 16.8 percent down on the 189.8g/km base level in 1997. The figures were compiled by the UK-based SMMT, the organisation for the motor trade.
CO2 emissions have fallen across all market segments with the larger end of the market making some of the biggest improvements. In addition, increased consumer awareness and changes to vehicle taxation have resulted in a move towards ‘best in class’ choices with most consumers opting to buy a model with CO2 emissions within the bottom quarter of their preferred segment’s range.
The adoption of the new car CO2 regulation in December 2008 set a phase-in target for vehicle manufacturers to ensure their average fleet emissions do not exceed 130g/km by 2015.
Toyota Ireland has launched minor change models Yaris and Aygo, and the new Auris D-4D engine.
The Yaris 1.0 L petrol engine has improved CO2 emissions by 9g/km to 118g/km moving from tax band B to tax band A. In addition, an advanced new 1.33 L Dual VVT-i petrol engine, with standard 'Stop & Start' technology, delivers high performance with 100bhp and is available with both 6-speed M/T & 6-speed multimode. Due to its low CO2 figures of 120 & 119g/km respectively it falls into tax band A. The revisions to the D-4D engine deliver a lower CO2 figure of 109g/km along a higher torque of 205Nm.
Other revisions to the Yaris include exterior re-styling to the grille and bumper area, lamp area to the front and rear of the car, and the introduction of new grades and colours.
The new Aygo 2009 has reduced NVH values and some technical changes have resulted in a reduction of 2g/km CO2 to 106g/km and improved fuel consumption at 4.5L/100km (62mpg) with manual transmission.
The D-4D 90 (1.4) engine in Auris has been revised to deliver increased performance, reduced C02 emissions and improved fuel economy. The engine is now matched to a new 6-speed manual transmission. Maximum engine torque is increased by 8 percent and fuel consumption improved by 6 percent to 4.7L/100km (60.1 mpg).
An Irish car dealership has taken the initiative to import UK used cars for sale on their forecourt.
HB Dennis Motor Group, has set up a special company to import these UK cars to Ireland for sale at lower prices than comparable Irish used cars.
HB Dennis has been in business since 1957 and in 2004 moved from the city to a new site at Airside, just off the M1 at Swords in north Dublin. CEO John Dennis says he has no option but to sell used imports due to the present state of the Irish motor industry with new car sales in January down by 66 percent and dealerships closing every week.
He expects the new car market here could fall to just 50,000 this year, from an average of around 150,000 in recent years.
HB Dennis has now set up a company in the UK to buy directly from a limited number of trusted sources including MFL, the UK's largest fleet operator which has about 500,000 cars. They will supply 3-year old, one-owner cars with an average 20,000 miles to HB Dennis Motor Group. All will come with a full service history and MOT documentation that confirms mileage and a 2-year warranty.
Over 300 of these cars of all makes and models, will be available for inspection and test driving on the company's forecourt in Airside. Many will have higher specifications than the equivalent models offered here. All paperwork involved as well as arranging finance, car registeration and payment of VRT will be undertaken by HB Dennis. They will also take trade-ins. The company aims to sell around 1,000 of these cars in a year.
As agents for MFL used cars, HB Dennis is now in discussions with other dealers who are interested in offering these quality used cars for sale on their own forecourts.
A launch event for the Phoenix Park Festival of Motorsport will take place in Dublin next Sunday as part of the St Patrick's Festival.
The event will be a drive through the City of Dublin, from Parnell Square to Merrion Square and return in conjunction with Pearse Street Gardai. It begins at 2.15pm.
Cars already committed include the A1GP, three Formula Libres, three Porsche GT 3's, three Historics and a Mitsubishi EVO 10.
The highlight of the Festival and the Park Races -- which will take place on 8/9 August -- is the involvement of the A1GP Irish Team along with a number of Premier Irish Motorsport Racing Classes.
Volvo Car Ireland has announced first details of its new DRIVe low-emissions versions of three of its models.
The DRIVe C30, S40 and V50 cars will be available in Ireland from the summer, but can be ordered now.
The C30 1.6D has a CO2 rating of 115g/km and will retail for €26,810. Both S40 and V50 have same specifications at prices of €29,070 and €29,820 respectively.
Subaru has launched a boxer diesel engine version of its Forester. The Forester 2.0TD X, retails at €35,995 with a CO2 figure of 170g/km and annual road tax at €447.
There is now also a commercial version of the Forester 2.0TD X, which attracts €50 VRT and annual road tax of €288. It has a GVW of 1500kg has a braked towing capacity of 2000kg.
All these new models are available now at all authorised Subaru dealerships throughout Ireland.
Getting the Mondello Park car race season under way at an earlier date than usual will be this Sunday’s ten race programme organised by the County Kildare Motor Club. The event features a varied mixture of single seater, saloon, Sportscar and historic action with something on the programme to suit all tastes.
If you prefer you’re racing with open wheels then the Formula Vee and Formula Ford encounters are sure to impress. The usual full grid of Vee’s will race twice over the course of the day with a qualifying race, which will decide the grid positions for the final, kicking off the days action. Following the Formula Vee final later in the day the Formula Ford’s will make their single appearance, to round out the single seater races.
Sportscar racing will be represented by a double header for the Stryker’s which have become one of the most entertaining series since their switch to more powerful 1800cc engines a couple of years ago. The class has made a change for this year to Yokohama tyres and lap times are expected to drop significantly making this class one of the ones to watch this season.
The Saloon action will be provided by two races for the ‘Saloon Car Challenge’ which kicks off its second season with a double header while a combined grid Fiat Punto’s and Uno’s will have a single race race. The Historic grid will feature the usual variety with everything from Jackie Cochrane’s mighty 4700 cc Sunbeam Tiger to Leo Nulty’s, ex David Hall 998cc Modified Saloon Imp.
The event kicks off with qualifying from 9:30. Racing commences with the Formula Vee qualifier at 11:30 and finishes off with the second saloon challenge race at 17:00. For further information see www.mondellopark.ie or to keep up to date with news of events at Mondello Park subscribe to the circuit’s free text and email alerts service at www.mondellopark.ie/alerts.
As St Patricks Weekend draws closer the Quality Hotels West Cork Rally is about to take place for the 31st time. There is a large variety of cars of various makes and models, as well a scattering of crews from all over the island as well as some from the UK. The event is fortunate to have to have full field of cars ready to take part in the event in these difficult economic times.
Paul Nagle, who co drove for Kris Meeke in their fantastic IRC win in the Curitiba Rally in Brazil over the past weekend, will back in the passenger seat alongside Donie O’Sullivan in their new Proton S2000. This crew, who won the event last year, will lead the 151 cars away on Saturday morning, will be hoping for a record equalling third win on the event. Only one other crew on the entry list has won West Cork before, Denis Cronin and Helen O’Sullivan who won in 2005. Drivers of the calibre of Liam McCarthy, Keith Cronin and Jim Harrison will be hoping to add their names to the winners list by next Sunday evening.
John Dalton, Phil Collins, Brian O’Mahony and James Stafford will be up against it if the weather is wet, but if it’s dry then anything could happen should the four wheel drive men hit trouble. Dalton and Collins will be favourites for class 14, but Adrien Heatherington, Kevin O’Donoghue, Manus Kelly or Ashley Field could spring a surprise here. Class 13 is also very tight with the likes of James Stafford, Ed O’Callaghan, Fintan Canty, Leonard Downey and Rodney White battling it out.
Class 11 is the mainly the domain of the Honda Cup runners with Damien McCarthy, David Guest, Jason Ryan and Thomas O’Rourke likely to be in the mix, with Jason McSweeney who is not registered for the series also likely to be on the pace. Brian O’Mahony will be fancied for class 6, but will face competition from the quick Citroen C2 R2s driven by the likes of Marty McCormack, Adrian McElhinney and Barry Evans. Daragh O’Riordan in his S1600 Renault Clio cannot be discounted for class honours either.
Another attraction over the weekend is the appearance of the Slowly Sideways Group B cars. There are ten of these cars representing some of the best rally cars of the 70’s and 80’s. They will be presented for scrutiny at 7pm on Friday evening before parading around the town of Clonakilty. They will then be parked at Emmet Square from 7.30pm to 8.30pm for display to the general public. The cars will run before the main field on stages 1, 2, 5 & 6 on Saturday, and stages 9, 10, 13 & 14 on Sunday.
Two time winner of the event Billy Coleman will drive Frank O’Mahonys Metro 6R4 as a 00 car. He will be co-driven by Adrian O’Sullivan from Bandon, the lucky winner of a draw to raise funds for Paul Gallagher who was seriously injured in the Galway International Rally in January.
Toyota Ireland has extended its Cash Back scheme for another month, until the end of March.
The company says that since they launched the offer on the 16th January 2009 customers have responded to the exceptional value for money that is available.
The extended Cash Back promotion will see customers being rewarded for choosing Toyota and receive €1,000 cash back when they buy an all new Toyota Yaris; €2,000 in the case of the Auris and €3,000 cash back when choosing either a 7-Seater Toyota Verso or Rav4. In addition to the €3,000 Cash Back on RAV4 customers will also receive 12 months free Road Tax on petrol Rav4 models.
The consumers’ refund will be made by Toyota Ireland by personal cheque which will be issued within 60 days from the date the car is registered. Full details of the Cash Back offer are available on www.toyota.ie
Despite the underlying global gloominess, Geneva 2009 was the motor business putting on a very brave face to the future. We show here a selection of what we saw.
One of the sweet Audis on the brand's stand was the Cabrio version of the S5, which is powered by a new supercharged 3.0 V6. A whopping 333hp and 440 Nm offers a 100 km/h sprint of 5.6 seconds.
The Bentley Continental Supersports is the fastest, most powerful Bentley ever with 630hp, a 0-100 km/h sprint performance, and a 329 km/h top speed. It runs on biofuel.
The BMW GT Concept previews a production car due for reveal at the end of the year, and uses the next generation 5-Series floorpan. Much better looking than the X6.
Cadillac showed up in the crossover business with this latest SRX, very smart looking if you have a gra for traditionally brash American styling.
The Chevy Spark will replace the Matiz, providing a more pushy look than the old Daewoo minicar. With 1.0 and 1.2 engines, it will have low CO2.
Citroen continued on its path of totally frustrating photographers by putting its DS Inside concept in a night club atmosphere with pulsating lights effects.
Apart from a Barbie doll special showcar, the main interest from Fiat was this soft-top variant on the 500.
Honda's Insight is aimed at providing a compact hybrid at an affordable price.
This Infiniti Essence showcar had a nifty line in Vuitton luggage customised for the sliding boot. A production version will have 500hp, or a hybrid.
Kia just doesn't seem to stop for breath these days, and the No 3 Concept is a look at a possible small MPV.
Koenigsegg had an electric sports car teaser at Geneva, but most people just wanted to look at their 'real' car, reflected here in this CCX.
Aston Martin came up with a revival of the Lagonda name, in this massive machine, a cross between a luxury behemoth and an SUV with attitude, aimed at the Russian market.
The Lexus RX450h is the latest generation of the brand's SUV, with a hybrid powertrain that operates in Band C in Ireland.
The bad news about the new generation Mazda3 flagship MPS is that it isn't coming to Ireland for the forseeable future. The basic new Mazda3, with a hefty diesel, will likely be almost as mich fun, though.
The new generation Mini now officially has its own Cabrio, replacing the first generation variant which has soldiered on for quite some time since the newer car was launched.
Nissan's Qazana is a neat looking concept that we felt could be driven off the podium and away down the road. It previews a small MPV to join the Qashqai.
Opel's Ampera will be an Astra-sized extended range electric car, maybe here around 2011. A Chevy Volt with a lightning flash.
The Peugeot 3008 is a crossover that looks like a very nice car, and is splendidly finished to provide five with a bit more room than the standard 308 and its derivatives.
Renault has produced a brand new brace of Scenic compact MPVs in both 5- and 7-seat versions. They shift the original to a new level.
Saab's 9-3X will be in production by year's end and offers an alternative to the A3 Allroad or the Subaru Forester in the off-road estate game.
Skoda's Yeti has been a long time coming down from the snowy uplands, but it should give the brand a place in the tough small/compact MPV game.
First shown at Detroit, this concept of the next Legacy continues Subaru's habit of offering understated styling.
Suzuki's Alto is now officially in production and will come with stop-start technology to keep it fuel furgal.
Even before the first Indian customers get their version of this very basic car, Tata has produced a concept of a version suitably upgraded for European and other sophisticated markets.
Toyota's new generation Prius will include a plug-in version. Otherwise it is an evolution of the one just leaving us.
This is the concept view of the next generation S60. If they stick with it, Volvos could become exciting.
Volkswagen gave prominence to its brand new Polo, larger than the original but even more fuel-sipping.
