Old Austin Mini gets new engine...

Got an old Mini and fancy uprating its power? What about an 18-cylinder Cummins diesel, the largest diesel engine made in the UK?

They've fitted this gargantuan motor to an original Austin Mini. The engine has 3,500hp available and is used for powering mining industry dump trucks.

It will be the centrepiece of the Cummins stand at this weekend's Festival of Speed at Goodwood.

And purists will note that this makes the car a rear-engine job, similar - vaguely - to an old VW Beetle.

Tesla moves closer to sedan

An electric sedan from California-based Tesla Motors moved a step closer this week when the company raised $226 million by going public.

Analysts were surprised by the success of the IPO because the company isn't making any money, though it has been building and selling a $100,000 electric sports car that gets good reviews.

Tesla has plans to build a sedan, currently named S, and recently got a boost from a $50 million in a stock buy from Toyota as well as a commitment from the Japanese car giant to work with Tesla on developing electric vehicles.

Tesla is also getting a $465 million grant from the US Department of Energy. The planned sedan is still probably a couple of years away. BB

Auris HSD could make Toyota cleanest

Toyota plans to sell 14,000 units of its new Auris hybrid this year, and up to 30,000 units next year.

The British-built variant of the brand's compact hatch went into production this week for deliveries that start in July.

Toyota says it expects the hybrid to account for a quarter of all Auris sales in Europe.

Toyota is number two in terms of fleet average emissions in Europe, behind Fiat. The company hopes that strong sales of the Auris HSD will bring it into first position.

eCall 'would save 2,500 lives a year'

Up to 2,500 lives could be saved every year in Europe by the planned eCall system which would get assistance more quickly to motorists involved in a bad crash.

At the Intelligent Transport Systems Conference in Brussels this week, EU Commissioner for Transport Slim Kallas urged a rapid deployment of eCall, which involves having a transmitter in every vehicle that would summon aid and give precise information of the incident location to emergency services.

The Commission hopes to have the system implemented from 2014, but it requires a number of issues to be dealt with. These include standardisation of communications protocols and language.

Proprietary eCall solutions that rely on SMS exist already today from car makers such as BMW, PSA and Volvo Cars.

Once in active deployment, other telematic services are expected to be included such as route advisories and traffic information.

The project is supported by the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA), an interest group of European automobile, bus and truck manufacturers, and ERTICO, a nonprofit organization promoting the implementation of intelligent transportation systems and service providers in Europe. BB

Kia and Hyundai boost Euro carbuilding

Kia's new Venga is responsible for a more than two-thirds increase in the carmaker's European sales in the first five months of this year.

With more than 19,300 units sold over the period, the small MAV is built at the company's plant in the Czech Republic. It was designed and engineered by Kia in Germany.

Meanwhile, strong performance by Kia and sister brand Hyundai helped the overall European carbuilding sector to have its second best month in May, up 7 percent.

Cruising on the rise

Cruise holidays are picking up and are expected to be the leaders in the holidays sector in the bounce back from the recession.

According to Euromonitor International, the value of cruise sales will rise by 2.6 percent this year, and 3.2 percent next year. P&O Cruises expect growth in their passenger numbers of up to 15 percent over this year and 2011.

According to that company's MD Carol Marlow, the sector is changing greatly from the 90s when cruises were mainly for older people. "It is now catering for all types, families, groups and couples too," she told the WTM Vision Conference.

About 300 cruise ships are sailing around the world, with 14 new ones being launched in 2010. In Britain, one in ten package holidays taken are now cruises.

Green holiday from Irish Ferries

Irish Ferries Haven Holidays is promoting an ‘eco-friendly’ three night break over the weekend of July 16 at Kiln holiday park, near Tenby in South Wales from €581 for up to six people in a ‘Superior’ two-bedroom holiday home. Prices are inclusive of return car ferry crossing from Rosslare to Pembroke or Dublin to Holyhead.

Over the Big Green Weekend, designed to remind us to re-use, recycle and stay green while on holiday, participants will be treated to a night-time bat walk led by the Park Ranger, ‘mini-beast’ hunts, a nature walk through the quagmire and a hog roast party. Also on the agenda is a ‘green’ fancy dress, an ‘eco- treasure hunt’, sports, side-shows, stalls and a competition for the best designed eco-poster.

Bookings can be made by calling 0818 300 400. For further information visit www.irishferries.com/haven

New X5 arrives

The improved version of the BMW X5 has now become available in Ireland, with prices starting at €76,580.

The new engines in the range are claimed to be cleaner and more powerful. The new xDrive30d emits only 195g/km of CO2 – a 10 percent improvement – but produces 245hp, up 10hp on the previous equivalent. Acceleration to 100 km/h takes 7.6 seconds – a 6 percent improvement.

The replacement of the twin-turbocharged xDrive35d with the new xDrive40d sees an improvement in emissions of 10 percent, emitting 198g/km CO2. The zero to 100km/h time is now 6.6 seconds, down from 7.0 seconds.

Powered by the world’s first twin-turbocharged V8 engine with the catalytic converter located in the vee, the xDrive50i has an extra 53hp compared to the model it replaces, taking the total to 408hp.

The BMW X5 powertrains include a standard eight-speed automatic transmission.

VW wins Engine of the Year, again

The new 1.4 TSI petrol engine developed by Volkswagen has won the International Engine of the Year Award 2010.

The engine also won its category in the 1.0-1.4 litres section.

It is the second year in a row for VW to win the award. The company has also won the 2010 World Green Car of the Year for the Volkswagen BlueMotion models and World and European Car of the Year awards for the Volkswagen Polo.

Meanwhile, Toyota won again the ‘Green Engine of the Year’ award with its Hybrid Synergy Drive powertrain. The company's 1.0 VVT-i engine was awarded ‘Sub-1.0 Litre Engine of the Year’ for the fourth year running. Fiat's FPT 1.4 Turbo engine, the first Fiat power unit to incorporate MultiAir technology, won the 'Best New Engine' category.

First airliner crash 100 years ago

Yesterday was the 100th anniversary of the first recorded airliner crash.

It was the LZ-7 Deutschland airship built by the Zeppelin Company and was on its first commercial flight, leaving Dusseldorf with 23 passengers, mainly journalists and VIPs.

Because of engine trouble and bad weather, plus pilot inexperience, it crashed into the Teutoburger Forest, but there were no serious injuries suffered by those on board.

Subsequently, between 1910 and the outbreak of World War I in 1914, zeppelins carried over 34,000 passengers on over 1,500 flights, without a single injury.

BMW in active braking research

BMW is working on an active hazard braking system as part of a joint research initiative with 27 other companies in the automotive sector.

The AKTIV project involves electronics, telecommunications and software companies as well as the Munich carmaker, and is aimed at providing adaptive and cooperative technologies for intelligent traffic management.

The BMW system under development uses laser scanners to monitor the road ahead and to the side, and a radar system to the rear. Driver behaviour is also monitored.

Many accidents can be attributed to slow driver reaction and such systems have much faster reaction ability on their own.

First Auris HSD rolls out

The first Toyota full hybrid car to be built in Europe rolled off the production line in Derbyshire, England, yesterday.

The Auris HSD is being built for global distribution at TMUK Burnaston, and the car is the first Toyota compact to have the hybrid technology pioneered with the Prius.

The official CO2 emissions of the car are 89g/km. It is being built in the same production line as petrol and diesel variants of the car, and the Avensis. The plant built its three millionth car earlier this month.

New Mazda5 rolls into Europe in autumn

Mazda's next generation 5 compact Multi Activity Vehicle comes to Europe in the autumn, sporting a highly sculpted new styling, higher quality materials, and more useable space.

With room for up to seven people, the vehicle retains the rear sliding doors from the current version.

A total of 45 storage areas includes an optional sub-trunk in the boot. With the rearmost seats down there's 788 litres of space, and 1,485 with middle seats down too.

The new Mazda5 will be powered by a new 2.0 petrol engine with stop/start which is 13 percent more frugal on fuel than the outgoing equivalent engine. An improved 1.8 petrol will have a six-speed transmission. In the Irish context, it is likely diesel engines will be primary, and no details for this market have yet been revealed.

New Range Rover to debut this week

The new compact Range Rover will get its debut later this week at a special celebration of the brand's 40th birthday to be held at Kensington Palace in London.

The new model will also be officially named at the event, which will be attended by celebrities from the worlds of fashion, design, film, music and art.

The new model is based on the LRX concept car, and is aimed at bringing the Range Rover brand into one of the most important segments for premium cars.

A 2WD option (in addition to the 4WD derivative) for the new compact Range Rover will emit less than 130g/km of CO2 – making it the lightest, most fuel efficient Range Rover ever.

New engines, detail changes for Mini

New design features on the BMW Mini brand's products will show on cars for sale from August, including the model's first sub-100g/km diesel engine with fuel economy equivalent to over 74mpg.

The Mini Convertible will be available with diesel power for the first time.

Of the 26 core model variants in the Mini range, 23 of them emit under 160g/km.

RSA appeal on children

The Road safety Authority has issued a special appeal to motorists to watch out for children on the roads during the summer holidays.

The organisation is also asking parents to teach their children the importance of road safety, and to ensure that younger children are supervised when out walking or cycling.

AA calls for no-VAT toll commitment

If the State insists on charging an extra 21 percent VAT on the use of the West-Link and Dublin Port Tunnel toll facilities it will represents 'an act of utter bad faith', according to motorists organisation AA Ireland.

The VAT is required to be charged under an EU regulation, but the National Roads Authority has said it will absorb the tax for the moment. AA Ireland wants an undertaking from the State that it will never be charged.

The AA's argument is that the VAT charged on the West-Link when it was a privately-owned facility was never dropped when the toll came into public ownership, but simply retained as part of the new toll charges.

“The NRA is appealing the Revenue Commissioners’ decision, and good luck to them,” says AA Ireland's Conor Faughnan. “However it does not make a blind bit of difference to motorists which arm of the state is picking their pocket. The effect is the same. The state cannot add VAT, change the description to a state charge and then add VAT again.”

M50 Toll Charges: a history of double-dealing

Ten years ago, the charge for the West-link toll was IR£0.80. It was then announced that this charge would be subject to VAT at 20% (16p). This brought the charge up to 96p, which was rounded up to IR£1.00. Hence a 21% VAT meant a an increase of 30% to the motorist. When the Euro was introduced, £1.00 became €1.27, which was then rounded off to €1.30, an abuse of the currency transition. This toll then rose to €1.50 in 2004, €1.80 in 2005 and €1.90 in 2007. In theory VAT should have been removed when it came into State ownership in August of 2008: in fact it went up to €2. Now you can only get the €2 price if you also pay for a toll tag (others pay €2.50 with a video account, €3.00 if no account has been set up), and it is now proposed to add VAT again.

Moscow debut for refreshed Mondeo

Showing the importance of the Russian market to its future growth, Ford will debut its refreshed Mondeo at the Moscow Motor Show in August.

In addition to a number of external and internal styling upgrades, the company says the car will also have enhanced quality throughout.

Among the powertrain changes are a new 200hp 2.2 diesel engine, and the availability of a double-clutch automated transmission.

Safety technolology additions include Technologies includes Lane Departure Warning system, Auto High Beam, Driver Alert and Active Grille Shutter.

Key changes include distinctive new grilles featuring a bolder lower trapezoid and a slim opening above, plus an changed bonnet profile. New front bumpers include LED daytime running lights, and re-designed rear lights also employ LED technology. Additionally, a new rear deck lid treatment matches the revised rear light profile.

Mazda3 is top JD Power compact

Mazda3 was awarded first place in the European compact class on the latest customer satisfaction study conducted by the US research institute J D Power.

In the largest survey of Germany’s automobile market, Mazda3 scored 85.6 percent for overall customer satisfaction – ahead of the Mercedes A-Class with 84.8 percent and the Hyundai i30, which scored 84 percent.

Sat-nav 'other woman'?

Do you have another woman in your car? Having used a GPS navigation system extensively on the Continent for the last two weeks, we are quite taken with this piece from the New York Times.

(We didn't use the voice facility on our trip!)

New MD designate for Peugeot importers

George Harbourne is to become the new MD of Gowan Distributors Ltd, the Irish importers of Peugeot cars.

He will replace David McConnell, who retires in February.

George Harbourne joined Gowan in 1985 and headed the parts business and aftersales division during his career with the company.

Merc is J D Power top cat

Mercedes-Benz has come out tops amongst German car owners in a survey of customer satisfaction carried out by research agency J D Power in association with Germany’s Auto Test Report.

The study measured customer satisfaction based on an evaluation of sixty-seven attributes grouped under four key headings – vehicle appeal, quality and reliability, ownership costs and dealer service satisfaction levels.

Mercedes-Benz ranked highest with a score of 838 points, pipping BMW and Dacia (who tied for second place with 836 points) and Mazda and Nissan (who tied for third place with 831 points).

The survey was carried out over the period January–March this year and included interviews with over 16,300 motorists after an average of two years car ownership.

Price cut, more spec, for Volvos

Volvo in Ireland has cut its price for the SE Lux versions of its S40 and V50 cars by €1,215, to €30,095.

The company is also claiming improved standard and optional equipment across the range of the cars. The 1.6D diesel engine now outputs 115hp, and the SE Lux specification includes Active Bending Lights, a headlight cleaning system, power folding mirrors and leather upholstery.

Site on holidays

Please excuse limited posting at the moment, as the Editor is on holidays in place with scarce internet. Normal service next week. BB

Mazda6 facelift arrives

Mazda have made some very significant mid-life changes to their family-sized Mazda6 saloon, their largest passenger car.

The facelift includes a front redesign, extra passenger comforts, new levels of standard features, lower emissions and improved performance.

The interior has also been upgraded with improved trim, as well as new dials.

Improvements have also been made to the chassis and suspension.

Customers can choose from three body styles - saloon, hatchback and wagon.
Specifications include four grades; Executive, Executive SE, Sport, and Z-Sport.

Saloon prices start at €25,485; the 2.2D hatchback is from €25,985; while the estate is priced from €27,985.

The line-up includes a 2.2D 129ps diesel version while petrols are a 1.8 and a 2.0-litre.

The 2.2D emitting 138g/km is in Band B for road tax (€156) while the petrols are in Band C and E respectively. TW

Alfas will dominate Classic Car Show

The annual Classic Car Show scheduled for this coming weekend at Mondello will feature one of the biggest gatherings of Alfa Romeo cars ever seen in Ireland.

As part of the centenery celebrations of the Italian brand, Alfas will be the centrepiece of the show and all of them will take part in the final parade.

Cars of various vintages are expected, from pre war racing cars to iconic sixties classics such as the Alfa Spyder and more modern sporting saloons such as the GTV and 75, with the display topped off by a selection of cars from the current Alfa range.

Three groups of high speed track sessions for performance cars will start the day off and will be followed by races for historic saloons and sportscars, Pre 1955 race cars and historic single seaters. The track activity will be rounded off by one of the most popular parts of 'Classic Car Live', the parade laps, where show exhibitors get the chance to take their cars for some slow laps of the circuit.

Tickets for the event are priced at €10 for adults with under 16s admitted free.

Warning on 'laundered' diesel damage

AA Ireland has again issued a warning to owners of diesel cars to buy fuel only from reputable sources.

The organisation says it has 'anecdotal' reports of an increase in the use of 'laundered' diesel in recent months, in some cases resulting in costly repairs.

One motorist is reported as having been quoted over €1,600 for the replacement of a fuel injector pump after it was damaged.

'Laundering' the low-tax marked gas oil used for agriculture is done with chemicals which can adversely affect fuel systems.

AA Ireland says the increase in the problem may be due to prices rises for fuel in recent months.