A war of numbers has broken out between Ford and Toyota over the American carmaker's claim that the Ford Focus is the best-selling car in the world over the first half of 2012, writes Brian Byrne.
Ford made the claim after Focus sales reached 522,821 units to end of June, apparently toppling Toyota's Corolla from its long-standing global top place.
But Toyota countered immediately with a retort that the figures didn't take into account Corolla derivatives, such as the hatchback which was renamed Auris in the European market some years ago.
Toyota puts its unit sales globally of the model and derivatives at 603,840.
31 August 2012
Motorists anticipate increase in running costs
Over half expect fuel prices to rise by 10-15 percent in the next year. And six in 10 motorists see no benefit in forecourt loyalty cards.
The survey also found that fewer motorists are filling their tank. It seems the older motorists are more savvy with the percentage choosing to fill their tanks when visiting the pump increasing with age. Only one in five of the 18-24 age group filled their tanks when they visited a filling station this year in contrast to just over half of those aged 45 plus. Men are more likely to fill the entire tank than women.
IFA member wins Peugeot 508
His name was pulled at a live draw officiated by IFA National Treasurer JJ Kavanagh on the IFA stand at the Tullamore Show.
A total of 58 people across the 29 IFA County Executives were randomly shortlisted from the IFA membership system for the competition and a name was drawn from this shortlist at the show.
Launched in September last year, the initiative marked the introduction of a new motoring partnership between IFA and Peugeot, including a €250 rebate of new Peugeot purchases plus a special €99 service for IFA members.
Des Cannon of Peugeot Ireland, said the brand's partnership with the IFA had attracted many new buyers, across all models, to the Peugeot brand and had secured new business for their Dealer workshops.
Pictured above are: Emma Toner, Peugeot Marketing Manager; Noel Donohoe, winner of the Peugeot 508; JJ Kavanagh, IFA National Treasurer; and Des Cannon, Peugeot Sales & Marketing Director.
Music to crunch by
Young drivers are almost three times more likely to be distracted by music to the point where they nearly have an accident than are the general driving population, writes Brian Byrne.
That's one conclusion from a survey by the Allianz insurance company, which also found that jazz and blues fans are the 'most easily' distracted. Classical music fans are the most cautious drivers.
Overall, one in ten drivers across the survey admitted that they had almost had an accident because they were distracted by the music they were listening to. One in three of 18-24 year-olds made the same admission.
Genderwise, men are almost twice as likely to be distracted by music as women.
Possibly more worrying, nearly one in five drivers admitted to nearly having a timpist while conversing with fellow passengers.
That's one conclusion from a survey by the Allianz insurance company, which also found that jazz and blues fans are the 'most easily' distracted. Classical music fans are the most cautious drivers.
Overall, one in ten drivers across the survey admitted that they had almost had an accident because they were distracted by the music they were listening to. One in three of 18-24 year-olds made the same admission.
Genderwise, men are almost twice as likely to be distracted by music as women.
Possibly more worrying, nearly one in five drivers admitted to nearly having a timpist while conversing with fellow passengers.
30 August 2012
Gadgets up teen accidents
The number of teenaged pedestrians injured by cars rose 25 percent between 2006-2010, and distraction by texting is being blamed.
A non-profit organisation based in Washington DC, Safe Kids Worldwide, has just released findings of its research, and cites ' the use of electronics and handheld devices while walking' as the cause of the rise, in a period when such accidents have dropped in almost every other age group.
Other research has shown that teens send and receive an average of 110 text messages daily, and in a 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics, University of Alabama researchers put 77 children aged 10 to 11 through a street-crossing simulation. When distracted by conversations, kids were less attentive to traffic and walked into more collisions and had more close calls with oncoming traffic.
A non-profit organisation based in Washington DC, Safe Kids Worldwide, has just released findings of its research, and cites ' the use of electronics and handheld devices while walking' as the cause of the rise, in a period when such accidents have dropped in almost every other age group.
Other research has shown that teens send and receive an average of 110 text messages daily, and in a 2009 study in the journal Pediatrics, University of Alabama researchers put 77 children aged 10 to 11 through a street-crossing simulation. When distracted by conversations, kids were less attentive to traffic and walked into more collisions and had more close calls with oncoming traffic.
Kia cee'd Sportwagon here in October
It will get its first showing in Ireland at the National Ploughing Championships in September, and is expected in showrooms here in mid-October.
Commercial Duster planned
A commercial version of the Dacia Duster is likely to be introduced later next year, writes Brian Byrne, but when will depend on whether there's enough manufacturing capacity for RHD versions of the compact SUV from Renault's subsidiary.
Meanwhile, interest in Ireland for the €15,000 car, which will arrive here in January, is reported to be 'exceptionally' strong, and the importers are already concerned that supplies 'might be an issue'.
"We have had more than 1,000 expressions of interest registered since the car was shown here last month," says Renault Ireland's Sales & Network Director Paddy Magee. "A significant number of these have converted into real orders, and we're getting a lot of requests for test drives in the LHD versions we have through the network at the moment."
Currently there are nine Dacia dealers in Ireland, and a number of other applications are being processed.
Freelander's petrol engine changed
Instead, buyers in markets where petrol engines sell can have the turbocharged 2.0 four, which has a higher output at 237hp and an 11 percent better fuel consumption.
The Freelander has this week been given a significant upgrade in finish and fittings, debuted at the Moscow Motor Show. These include an all-new fascia, an electronic handbrake, and a covered storage space where the old handbrake used to be.
The rotating knob previously used to operate the Terrain Response system has been dropped in favour of switches. Externally, the most visible changes are new LED lights front and rear.
'Ambassadors' will promote electric cars in real life
The ESB has presented 21 'Ambassadors' who will drive electric cars for the next year to show how they fit into a variety of 'ordinary' motorists' driving needs, write Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan.
They were selected from 12,000 applications made through a Facebook promotion by ESB subsidiary eCars.
All the cars used by the 21 Ambassadors in the Great Electric Drive are owned by eCars, and many have been used in other evaluation programmes with companies.
The Ambassadors will regularly post on a communal blog which will be set up on the handover day, and each car will have direct electronic links to eCars where location, charge and discharge rates can be monitored in real time.
The event is designed to see how electric cars work out for 'real' people in their daily lives, and the information gathered will add to the ESB's data and be used to further improve the charging infrastructure around the country. But it will also be another step towards increasing public awareness of EVs and how they can fit the needs of Irish motorists.
"We have held other events, including the recent EV Conference, participation in the Cannonball Run charity drive, and the Irish Times Motor Show," says head of the eCars programme Dermot McArdle. "We do surveys after the events and find that awareness is raised further each time."
Although the number of electric cars registered is still very low—so far this year 122 registrations are recorded, representing 0.17 percent of the total number of cars sold in 2012—they are becoming visible.
"We do need to keep them before the public's imagination," says McArdle. "We see our role as not just putting in infrastructure, but also generating awareness around the concept."
He said that eCars were expecting about 1,000 responses in the short window of opportunity on the Facebook competition, and were very surprised when more than 12,000 would-be Ambassador requests came in.
The subsequent selection process was designed to spread the allocation of the cars right around the country and across a wide range of age group and work/leisure backgrounds. Such as Beatrice Whelan (right) who will use her Nissan Leaf to drive to and from work every day between her home in Monasterevin and City West near Dublin.
Or Tom Fortune from Gorey, pictured below with his wife Julie in the Mitsubishi MiEV which he will drive for a year. Tom actually built a toy electric car for their son many years ago which was for a long time a feature in Gorey's St Patrick's Day Parade.
"We want the general public to see ordinary motorists driving electric cars in their everyday situations," McArdle says, adding that he is confident that the target of 10 percent of the car parc being electric by 2020 will be achieved, and if it happens a couple of years on either side of the target date, that's not an issue.
"Back in 2008 when we rolled out this programme, nobody saw the deterioration in the economic situation," he responds to a suggestion that early forecasts for EV takeup in Ireland might have been too optimistic. "But fuel prices are going to keep rising, and the financial argument for electric cars will continue to get stronger."
The two big perceived issues with EVs are the so-called 'range anxiety' and the cost. The Great Electric Drive may well help to eliminate the range concern if the 21 Ambassadors show that their electric cars work for their particular varied lifestyles.
The high cost is another issue, though one for which argument can be made if buyers can take the longer view over full-life costs of the car.
It's a long game, and the stakeholders here, including the ESB, are playing it that way.
They were selected from 12,000 applications made through a Facebook promotion by ESB subsidiary eCars.
All the cars used by the 21 Ambassadors in the Great Electric Drive are owned by eCars, and many have been used in other evaluation programmes with companies.
The Ambassadors will regularly post on a communal blog which will be set up on the handover day, and each car will have direct electronic links to eCars where location, charge and discharge rates can be monitored in real time.
The event is designed to see how electric cars work out for 'real' people in their daily lives, and the information gathered will add to the ESB's data and be used to further improve the charging infrastructure around the country. But it will also be another step towards increasing public awareness of EVs and how they can fit the needs of Irish motorists.
Although the number of electric cars registered is still very low—so far this year 122 registrations are recorded, representing 0.17 percent of the total number of cars sold in 2012—they are becoming visible.
"We do need to keep them before the public's imagination," says McArdle. "We see our role as not just putting in infrastructure, but also generating awareness around the concept."
He said that eCars were expecting about 1,000 responses in the short window of opportunity on the Facebook competition, and were very surprised when more than 12,000 would-be Ambassador requests came in.
Or Tom Fortune from Gorey, pictured below with his wife Julie in the Mitsubishi MiEV which he will drive for a year. Tom actually built a toy electric car for their son many years ago which was for a long time a feature in Gorey's St Patrick's Day Parade.
"Back in 2008 when we rolled out this programme, nobody saw the deterioration in the economic situation," he responds to a suggestion that early forecasts for EV takeup in Ireland might have been too optimistic. "But fuel prices are going to keep rising, and the financial argument for electric cars will continue to get stronger."
The two big perceived issues with EVs are the so-called 'range anxiety' and the cost. The Great Electric Drive may well help to eliminate the range concern if the 21 Ambassadors show that their electric cars work for their particular varied lifestyles.
The high cost is another issue, though one for which argument can be made if buyers can take the longer view over full-life costs of the car.
It's a long game, and the stakeholders here, including the ESB, are playing it that way.
Volvo V40 is 'Europe's safest' car
In the individual measurements in the tests, the protection for adults was also the highest ever recorded, at 98 percent.
The provision of systems such as the WHIPS whiplash protection system are part of the reason for the high overall result, while in the safety assist category, the Volvo V40 scores maximum possible points.
Other systems include Pedestrian Detection and a special airbag to minimise injury to pedestrians hitting the windscreen, a Lane Keeping Aid which helps the driver stay within his or her lane, and BLIS which helps the driver detect vehicles in the offset rear ‘blind spot'.
Other cars which received the maximum 5-star rating in the latest ENCAP round of tests include the Renault Clio, the Ford B-MAX, and the Kia cee'd.
New generation 4x4 Panda
The third generation of the city car since it was launched 30 years ago, the 4x4 will operate in FWD most of the time, with all-wheel-drive kicking in as conditions require.
The car will also have an electronic locking differential as standard to improve traction on snow, ice and mud.
Power will be from the 85hp TwinAir Turbo or the 75hp 1.3 Multijet diesel.
29 August 2012
Kia cee'd gets five stars
The five-door hatchback achieved high scores for Adult Occupant Protection (89%), Child Occupant Protection (88%) and Safety Assist equipment (86%), recording the maximum possible score in the dynamic element of the Child Occupant Safety test.
EuroNCAP testers were also impressed with the inclusion of electronic stability control across the entire new cee’d range in Europe ahead of it becoming a compulsory test criteria.
New Mazda6 debuts
Deliveries of the car to Ireland are expected in early 2013, but no proces or specification levels are yet being announced for this market.
It's the third generation of Mazda's medium family car.
New Golf lighter, more efficient
Volkswagen's new generation Golf will be revealed next week, and will be up to 100kg lighter than the version it will replace, writes Brian Byrne.
Due for debut at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September, the car is built on a new platform which will cut production costs by a fifth and reduce manufacturing time by 30 percent.
The weight reductions are achieved by using strengthened steel instead of using carbon fibre or aluminium, which are favoured by some competing carmakers.
Volkswagen says the new Golf will have almost 14 percent less CO2 emissions across its range than the outgoing car.
Although Volkswagen has been very cagey about pictures of the new generation, a number of speculative renderings circulating in recent weeks show a sharper-edged car than the current one, with cues from the Scirocco.
Due for debut at the Paris Motor Show at the end of September, the car is built on a new platform which will cut production costs by a fifth and reduce manufacturing time by 30 percent.
The weight reductions are achieved by using strengthened steel instead of using carbon fibre or aluminium, which are favoured by some competing carmakers.
Volkswagen says the new Golf will have almost 14 percent less CO2 emissions across its range than the outgoing car.
Although Volkswagen has been very cagey about pictures of the new generation, a number of speculative renderings circulating in recent weeks show a sharper-edged car than the current one, with cues from the Scirocco.
28 August 2012
VW Bank lending to grow to €120m
Volkswagen Bank Ireland has provided some €100 million in vehicle finance packages for Irish consumers in the first seven months of this year, and expects lending to grow by almost 10 per cent year on year by the end of 2012 with a target of €120 million.
This finance has been provided through a range of finance packages through Volkswagen Group's five car marques: Audi, Skoda, Seat, Volkswagen, and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.
Providing vehicle finance here since 2008, Volkswagen Bank currently employs 30 staff at its headquarters in Leopardstown, Dublin 18. It has provided over €320 million in vehicle finance to the Irish market in the last three and a half years.
Volkswagen Bank Ireland also plays an important role with the 83 dealerships that currently operate across the five car marques of Volkswagen Group. The Bank is currently providing finance packages for Dealerships to purchase wholesale vehicle stock.
Opel's 50 years of compact saloons
The Opel Kadet A was launched in 1962 and was followed by 3 more generations of the car until 1991 when the first Astra name was used.
There have since been 4 generations of the Astra and the new saloon starting sales in October of this year in Ireland, will complete the current Astra line-up and is set to become a core product in Astra range.
Road test: Subaru XV
The XV is aimed in particular at young professionals who don't want to drive a mainstream car, and at families.
The XV combines city style with urban and offroad ability. But really, it's a fourth generation Impreza only higher and with more capability.
It competes in the same segment as Nissan's Qashqai (the runaway segment leader), BMW X1, Ford's Kuga, the VW Tiguan, Skoda Yeti, Audi Q3, Hyundai ix35, and Kia Sportage so you know what company it keeps. Any newcomer has to be different to make its mark in this crowded segment.
Remember the bad winters of a few years ago with snow and ice to contend with? That's where a 4WD vehicles really comes into its own.
Subarus are engineered to deliver the best possible traction and stability through the brand's AWD system. The XV scores as it has permanent four-wheel-drive while many others in the same price bracket offer only 2WD.
27 August 2012
Fiat cautiously welcomes number plate change
Fiat Group Automobiles Ireland has cautiously welcomed the proposed changes to the number plat system which will replace the '13' prefix with '131' for the January-June period and '132' for the July-December period, amid fears that superstitious buyers will shy away from a '13' number plate.
But Fiat say the changes don't go far enough to allay concerns over the seasonality of the Irish car market which causes numerous problems for distributors, dealers and consumers alike.
Fiat say unless the year identifier is eradicated altogether from Irish number plates, they believe that 25 years of Irish car buying habits are unlikely to change and most buyers will continue to buy their cars in the first three months of the year.
They are also concerned at the 'increasingly cluttered' nature of Irish number plates. "While the likes of Germany and the UK have a maximum of seven characters on its number plates, Ireland could potentially have number plates with as many as ten or eleven characters, thereby rendering them even more difficult to read and recall."
But Fiat say the changes don't go far enough to allay concerns over the seasonality of the Irish car market which causes numerous problems for distributors, dealers and consumers alike.
Fiat say unless the year identifier is eradicated altogether from Irish number plates, they believe that 25 years of Irish car buying habits are unlikely to change and most buyers will continue to buy their cars in the first three months of the year.They are also concerned at the 'increasingly cluttered' nature of Irish number plates. "While the likes of Germany and the UK have a maximum of seven characters on its number plates, Ireland could potentially have number plates with as many as ten or eleven characters, thereby rendering them even more difficult to read and recall."
Jason aims for medals in Paralymic Games
Jason was recently unveiled as the first Brand Ambassador for Topaz, the fuel and convenience foods retailer.
He is the fastest paralympian in the world and one of the Irish Paralympic team's main medal hopes. T
Derry-born Smyth, who returned to Ireland last month from winter training with top US sprinter Tyson Gay in Florida, grew up with Stargardt's Disease, a genetic disorder, which has left him with less than 10 per cent of normal vision.
24 August 2012
WTCC resumes in September
This event will mark the championship's first visit to the United States.
In the meanwhile, cars and parts are on their way to North America. The 26 containers were shipped from the Brazilian harbour of Paranagua on 30 July on board a cargo ship currently crossing the Panana Canal. It is expected to call at Oakland, California, on 8 September. From there, the containers will be trucked to Sonoma, a distance of about 60 kilometres away.
WTCC drivers, teams and personnel are taking advantage of the break between the events in Brazil and the USA to enjoy well deserved holidays.
IVVCC planning jubilee celebrations
A Golden Jubilee Grand Tour of Ireland and a special running of the Gordon Bennett Rally are among the events being planned to mark the 50th anniversary of the Irish Veteran & Vintage Car Club next year.
The club has over 650 members and 50 affiliated clubs across Ireland. Its first president was the late Knollys Stokes who was elected to office in 1964.
A 170-page book recalling the people, cars and events that make up the club’s history will be published next October. Compiled and edited by club member Anselm Aherne, it is supported by the sponsorship of Motor Distributors Limited.
Affiliated to FIVA, the Paris-based Federation Internationale Des Vehicules Anciens, the club is part of a membership of 1.5 million spanning some 62 countries worldwide.
Amongst the most cherished vehicles preserved by IVVCC members is Ireland’s first motor car—a Benz Velo Comfortable imported here in 1898 by Dr Colohan, then owner of what is now the Grand Hotel in Malahide.
Restored to its original condition by IVVCC member Denis Dowdall, the vehicle registered IK 52 is part of a collection of historic vehicles currently in the possession of Motor Distributors Limited.
Denis is pictured here on the right in the car, with the late Bill Duffy, then (2002) Mercedes-Benz Sales Manager with MDL.
(Pic by Brian Byrne/carandtravel.ie)
The club has over 650 members and 50 affiliated clubs across Ireland. Its first president was the late Knollys Stokes who was elected to office in 1964.
A 170-page book recalling the people, cars and events that make up the club’s history will be published next October. Compiled and edited by club member Anselm Aherne, it is supported by the sponsorship of Motor Distributors Limited.
Affiliated to FIVA, the Paris-based Federation Internationale Des Vehicules Anciens, the club is part of a membership of 1.5 million spanning some 62 countries worldwide.
Restored to its original condition by IVVCC member Denis Dowdall, the vehicle registered IK 52 is part of a collection of historic vehicles currently in the possession of Motor Distributors Limited.
Denis is pictured here on the right in the car, with the late Bill Duffy, then (2002) Mercedes-Benz Sales Manager with MDL.
(Pic by Brian Byrne/carandtravel.ie)
Car prices 'to rise' in 2013
Car prices are headed for a substantial rise in 2013 according to a highly-connected Irish motoring journalist.
Speaking today on RTE's Morning Ireland, publisher of Auto Trade Journal Padraic Deane said there will be rises in VRT, and the current CO2 taxation system will be modified, to provide for four different Band A categories.
He said the move will push up prices by 'a fair bit', and that he has had the situation confirmed 'from both sides of the fence', although at Government level it has had to be unofficially.
He also revealed solid plans for a change in the system of car registration, both to even out car sales through the year and to deal with a perceived reluctance over buying a car with a '13' plate.
Speaking today on RTE's Morning Ireland, publisher of Auto Trade Journal Padraic Deane said there will be rises in VRT, and the current CO2 taxation system will be modified, to provide for four different Band A categories.
He said the move will push up prices by 'a fair bit', and that he has had the situation confirmed 'from both sides of the fence', although at Government level it has had to be unofficially.
He also revealed solid plans for a change in the system of car registration, both to even out car sales through the year and to deal with a perceived reluctance over buying a car with a '13' plate.
New car registration proposal
If agreed, it will also deal with a suggested difficulty over the '13' year designation, a traditional unlucky number for superstitious people.
According to Roscommon-based motor journalist Padraic Deane, the proposal involves adding a 1 or 2 to the year designation, indicating whether the car was registered in the first or second half of the year.
If implemented next year, the prefixes would be '131' and '132' respectively.
The Society for the Irish Motor Industry has been trying to develop a similar system as used in Britain, where the licence plates indicate which half of the year a car was registered.
Padraic Deane is the Irish juror on the World Car of the Year panel, and publisher of a number of auto trade magazines.
Ulster International Rally starts today
The Ulster International Rally, which is round five of the MSA British Rally Championship, starts at lunchtime today, taking in six special stages, before eight stages are tackled on Saturday ahead of the tea time finish in Antrim, writes Trish Whelan.
Some daunting strips of tarmac lie ahead, including the famous Torr Head stage, which runs right along the coast-line of the Irish Sea. You can see as far as the Mull of Kintyre from this road which runs from Ballycastle to Cushendun.
Portglenone's Desi Henry leads the Trophy standings after four rounds; Keith Cronin is second in the points' race with 58 points, while Tom Cave is in third place on 54.
The manufacturer standings after round four show 1. Citroen UK with 147 points, 2. Renault UK on 119, and Ford Motor Co with 118.
Some daunting strips of tarmac lie ahead, including the famous Torr Head stage, which runs right along the coast-line of the Irish Sea. You can see as far as the Mull of Kintyre from this road which runs from Ballycastle to Cushendun.
Portglenone's Desi Henry leads the Trophy standings after four rounds; Keith Cronin is second in the points' race with 58 points, while Tom Cave is in third place on 54.
The manufacturer standings after round four show 1. Citroen UK with 147 points, 2. Renault UK on 119, and Ford Motor Co with 118.
23 August 2012
Topaz Cashel wins food award
The Cashel site, located at Junction 8 on the M8, beat off stiff competition from 36 other competitors from all over the country to claim the 2012 Checkout Best in Fresh Award for a forecourt store.
The awards are in their seventh year and are hosted by checkout Magazine.
The award ceremony was held recently at the Four Seasons Hotel in Dublin. Andria Brabston and Rory Hyland from Topaz Cashel are pictured with their award. The Manager at Topaz Cashel is Noel Darcy. Last year Cashel was awarded the NACS International Convenience Retailer of the Year award while earlier this year at the GRAM Awards, Noel won the Forecourt Manager of the Year award.
Services on offer at the site include a hot food buffet and cafe, children's play area, wi-fi internet access, toilets and showers. The site also has a McDonald's restaurant, which is also a first motorway location for that company.
Audi poll shows most UK convertibles stay closed
Britain might be one of the world's biggest markets for convertible cars, but most owners are proving reluctant to open their soft tops according to the survey which took place in August.
Audi has four soft-top models in its portfolio, and the survey indicates that just under two-thirds of Britain's convertible owners (64%) either never or rarely take the roof down.
Almost half of the owners polled cited exotic looks rather than wind-in-the-hair driving appeal as their primary reason for choosing a soft top. Of those who do like to come out from under the canvas, women owners are actually more likely than men to drive topless.
By far the largest UK age group who drive with the top down are 25-34 year olds.
Pictured above is the A5 cabrio.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car Charity Cycle for Barretstown
The team consisting of Shauna Murphy, Ross Culligan, John Colgan and Trevor Yeomans cycled in relays for 12 hours from 6am to 6pm to raise funds for the children's charity in Co Kildare.
In total, 11 people took part in the cycle - cycling over 400 miles, and raised €1,200 for Barretstown, with more donations still due in.
Barretstown is a specially designed camp that provides therapeutic recreation programmes for children with serious illnesses and their families. It was founded by Hollywood Acvtor Paul Newman in 1994. Its mission is to rebuild the lives of these children and their families, and offers its services free of charge. It costs almost €5 million per year to run the programmes at Barretstown which covers travel costs, accommodation, food, medical care and activities.
22 August 2012
Road racing maverick Guy Martin at Bikeworld
Fresh from his win at the Ulster Grand Prix on 14 August, Martin will be visiting the store to meet and greet his fans.
Although victorious at the Ulster GP, the Lincolnshire-ace is still awaiting victory at the Isle of Man TT races.
Martin will be at Bikeworld from 11am - 5pm on Saturday. Les Griffin of Bikeworld says having Guy at Bikeworld will be a real honour.
Volkswagen main sponsor of 2012 PGA Championship
Previous winners of the Championship include Eamonn D-arcy in 2010 and the event famously had a tie when Padraig Harrington and Philip Walton couldn't be separated.
This year's competition will see defending champion Mark O'Sullivan (Ashbourne Golf Club), Eamonn Darcy, David Higgins (Waterville Golf Club), Damien Mooney and Francis Howley, all taking part.
The event, being held at Powerscourt for the third year, is free to enter and promises to showcase some of the finest golf Ireland has to offer. Powerscourt Golf Club is situated within the 1,000 acre Powerscourt Estate.
Volkswagen have sponsored several golfing events for men, ladies and mixed over the years, but their involvement in the Southern Championship will be the springboard for further activity in 2013 and beyond.
Pictured above are Bernard Gibbons, General Manager of Powerscourt Golf Club; Simon Elliott, CEO of Volkswagen Group Ireland; and Gavin Kavanagh, PGA Board Member.
McLaren unveils 12C Spider
McLaren Automotive showed the second model in its growing range of high performance sports cars, the new 12C Spider, in California last weekend, writes Trish Whelan.The 12C Spider is lightweight with a high-powered engine which boasts 616hp output from its bespoke 3.8-litre V8 twin turbo engine, has a unique retractable hard top folding roof system that can be lowered or raised while on the move, a carbon chassis just like the groundbreaking 12C coupe.
It will be priced from £195,500 in the UK with first customer deliveries planned for early next year. (The few lucky enough to be able to afford one!)
Baggage restrictions don't apply - Irish Ferries
Whether as a motorist or foot passenger, those travelling by ferry are unlimited in terms of the baggage they can bring.
"With shorter pre-departure check-in, the absence of body screening, the availability of club class service and the freedom to bring what you like, the experience one gets when travelling by ferry is infinitely more stress free," their head of passenger sales Dermot Merrigan said.
Bentley Speed for reveal next week
We'll do it by the numbers. A 6.0 turbocharged W12, with 625hp. There's 800Nm of torque and acceleration to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds. Top speed 331km/h. Fuel consumption 14.5L/100km (19.5mpg). CO2 338g/km.
Price ... not yet, but there are Russian potential owners who won't even bother asking.
21 August 2012
Audi Galway opens in September
The dealership will be one of the largest Audi showrooms in the country.
Audi Galway's €1m investment in the showroom will create 25 new jobs over the next three months. It is part of a plan which will see Audi invest €80m in their dealer network, creating around 200 jobs here.
Dealer Principals are Neil and Kevin Connolly who already have existing Audi dealerships in Ballina and Sligo.
Leaseplan & VW support Guide Dogs
The money was raised at a star-studded night held in Dublin's Aviva Stadium by Leaseplan, provider of fleet management services and Volkswagen Ireland.
The event was designed to showcase the extensive range of Volkswagen Passenger and Commercial Vehicles and also featured an on-stage interview with former Manchester United and Ireland Captain Roy Keane. An auction for the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, which included a VIP trip to the Heineken Cup Final, raised €2,300 for the charity which is particularly close to Roy Keane's heart.
Each dog costs €38,000 during the course of its working life.
Three Ferraris for $16.5m
The 1960 California 250 LWB Spider Competizione is one of only nine ever built and was sold for that figure at Pebble Beach to an anonymous collector.
The car was sold from the Sherman M Wolf collection, which had bought it from its first owner in 1979.
At the same auction other Ferraris from the same collection came under the hammer, including a 1985 288 GTO, sold for $1m and a 340 MM Spider for almost $4.5m.
20 August 2012
RWD X3 coming by year's end
BMW Ireland has released details of a RWD version of the X3 SUV, which goes into production on 1 October, writes Trish Whelan.
The X3 sDrive 18d will have a 143hp engine, and offer in excess of 55mpg, with CO2 tax rating B, or C for the automatic version.
The manual offers a 0-100km/h performance of 9.9secs.
Pricing will be revealed closer to launch.
The X3 sDrive 18d will have a 143hp engine, and offer in excess of 55mpg, with CO2 tax rating B, or C for the automatic version.
The manual offers a 0-100km/h performance of 9.9secs.
Pricing will be revealed closer to launch.
4WD Jaguars on the way
Jaguar is getting back into the 4WD business, preparing to offer AWD variants of its XF and XJ saloons from next year, writes Trish Whelan.
The company's last AWD car was the X-Type, which was dropped in 2008.
Most of Jaguar's competition in the prestige market, such as Audi and BMW, offer 4WD cars.
The company's last AWD car was the X-Type, which was dropped in 2008.
Most of Jaguar's competition in the prestige market, such as Audi and BMW, offer 4WD cars.
New Auris revealed
Toyota has revealed first pictures of its new generation Auris, which will be built at the company's plant in Britain, writes Brian Byrne.
The new car is longer, lower and lighter than its predecessor and incorporates the latest version of Toyota's front end design, with elements similar to that on the current Avensis.
The profile view is also much sleeker than the current Auris, and is likely to make the model much more interesting to younger owners.
Toyota says it expects a third of sales in Europe to be petrol-hybrid. The other powertrain options are petrol and diesel.
Mulsanne Convertible Concept teased
Bentley Motors have revealed first sketches of their Mulsanne Convertible Concept, based on the saloon which debuted in 2009, writes Brian Byrne.
There are few details of the vehicle, except that the company claims it will be the ultimate in 'contemporary design, prestige and exclusivity'.
The interior will also reflect that of 'high-powered powerboats'.
The engine in the current Mulsanne saloon has 505hp output from its 6.75 litre V8 petrol engine.
Give L a chance, says Semperit
Irish drivers don’t have much consideration for learners, according to a survey by tyres maker Semperit, writes Brian Byrne.
And they forget that when they were drivers themselves, they felt very intimidated by the more experienced drivers around them. So seven in ten said.
Bottom line, we with our full licences don’t come across as nice people. And Semperit Ireland’s Paddy Murphy is appealing to us to have a bit more cop.
The survey found that three in ten of us consider learner drivers ’just about bearable’ as long as they don’t get in our road.
Four in ten felt learners don’t get the ’basics of driving’ right. Stalling in traffic, not indicating for turns, sloppy lane discipline. Listen, how many of us long-term full-licence drivers do all these things too?
Almost half of respondents said they’ll do their best to get past a learner as quickly as possible. And 8 percent admitted they had driven recklessly in the past to do so.
Semperit’s Murphy says he’s ’dismayed’ by the findings.
So are we. Look, we all have to learn everything we do, whether it’s nappy training or riding a rocket to space. For those and everything in between, there’s a need for patience from those of us who have learned already.
If those before us hadn't had that patience, none of us would ever have got the hang of even not messing our pants.
Cool the anti-L attitude, guys. That was you once. And smelly too.
17 August 2012
Singing in the car not good
Do you sing in the car? If you do, your reaction times are slower than if you drive along in silence, according to Australian researchers.
They also found that singing drivers drive at more varied rates, though overall more slowly. They also showed less movement within lanes than those driving without musical accompaniment either from themselves or the radio.
The researchers are Genevieve M Hughesa, Christina M Rudin-Brown, and Kristie L Young from the Department of Psychology, Monash University.
They also found that singing drivers drive at more varied rates, though overall more slowly. They also showed less movement within lanes than those driving without musical accompaniment either from themselves or the radio.
The researchers are Genevieve M Hughesa, Christina M Rudin-Brown, and Kristie L Young from the Department of Psychology, Monash University.
Underwater Beetle for shark viewing
Fancy a drive in a Beetle among the sharks? Well, Volkswagen has helped build a special version to do just that.
B-MAX price point revealed
The small MPV vehicle, currently on international launch in Munich, will be available with three petrol and one diesel engines, including the innovative 1.0 Ecoboost recently made available in the Focus. Transmissions include an automatic.
The 1.0 petrol and 1.5 diesel both have Band A emissions at 119g/km.
16 August 2012
Scooting along on a breeze
What about this Airpod being developed by Indian carmaker Tata? Yes, they're the ones producing the Nano microcar, as well as the high-tech Land Rover and Range Rover vehicles.
They've been working on this one for a couple of years, having bought the Indian rights to build cars using compressed air engines developed over the last two decades by Luxembourg firm MDI.
The prototypes are 3-seaters, and a €1 charge of compressed air will, they claim, last for 125 miles. The top speed is 40mph or so, perfect for a little city 'zip' car?
We'll see. But remember, Tata bought an ailing and loss-making company, Jaguar Land Rover, from Ford and turned it into a highly successful and very profitable company in short order. This should be a (compressed) breeze.
Daimler drops Maybach early
German carmaker Daimler has ceased production of its Maybach super-luxury saloon, six months earlier than planned, writes Brian Byrne.
The dropping of the model was announced last year, with a plan to keep it going until the arrival of the next Mercedes-Benz S-Class. The company now says it built the last one at the end of June.
Originally devised as a challenger to BMW's Rolls-Royce and Volkswagen Group's Bentley, the car was named after engine designer Wilhelm Maybach who worked with Gottlieb Daimler in the 1890s. The original Maybach premium brand was launched during the 1920s.
Daimler launched their car in 2002, in 5.7-metre and 6.2-metre lengths, giving them the suffixes 57 and 62.
It was never successful, and failed to ever reach the original target of 1,000 copies a year. Only 46 were sold last year.
The car was built on the same line as the M-B S-Class and CLS.
Taxman targets supercar owners
If you drive a Ferrari or other supercar in Italy these days, you're more likely than ever to be stopped by police, writes Brian Byrne.
Not for speeding, but to see if you have paid enough taxes to support a Ferrari-owning lifestyle. Finance police are likely to pull you over on the road, at your favourite holiday resort, or even when travelling with a supercar owners group on an outing.
The result is that used Ferraris, Maseratis, Porsches and other high-priced cars are being sold out of Italy at a rate never seen before.
The spot tax checks are proving worthwhile. One Ferrari owner was found to have evaded €8m in taxes over the last six years, another had neglected to pay €3m.
On top of that, an austerity tax on supercars has seen annual taxes on the vehicles shoot up by €6,600 a year, to €8,400.
For those abroad who can buy, there are deals to be had. One Ferrari 458 owner put his €224,000 machine up for sale for little more than half that, after buying it less than a year ago.
Sales of supercars this year are expected to be half the 1,100 or so sold last year in Italy. Fiat's profits from the activities of its Fiat and Maserati subsidiaries in the first half of this year was €175m, making the supercar business a seriously profitable end of an otherwise troubled auto business.
Route 66 Challenge off on September 20
The Route 66 Challenge event has been run every two years since 2002 and takes in 4,000km of the old route, raising money for Temple Street Childrens Hospital.
Past Challenges have raised a combined €3m which has been used in the refurbishment of the Accident/Emergency Unit, the Renal Unit, the purchase of a new CT Scanner and the building of a dedicated isolation unit for Cystic Fibrosis.
The participants this year hope to raise a further €300,000.
New platform for new Sorento
The third-generation Kia SUV will be aiming to build on a global owner base of some 620,000 customers for the previous version, launched in 2009.
A stronger structure, more premium perceived quality, and better aerodynamics are a few of the features of the new vehicle.
Engines will include an upgraded version of the 2.2 diesel used in a number of Kia models around the world, with 197hp and CO2 emissions of 153g/km.
There will be 2WD and 4WD versions, depending on market.
Strokestown Park has much to offer Heritage Week
The museum provides the background to an event that not only shaped the country we have today, but also is why the Irish became such an important ethnic, political and business part of other countries.
But there's a lot more to see there too, and Strokestown is playing host to a number of features for the National Heritage Week that begins this coming weekend.
Diarmuid goes Mitsubishi
Part of the deal is a new L200 pickup, a good looker that's also very practical for a guy in his line of work.
Fans will get a chance to catch up with Diarmuid and his new L200 at the Mitsubishi Motors stand at the Ploughing Championships, taking place from September 25-27 in Heath Park, New Ross.
Special Superb on sale
The car has been produced to mark the memory of Skoda's founders Vaclav Laurin and Vaclav Klement, who set up their factory in 1895 and by 100 years ago had become the largest carmaker in the then Austro-Hungarian Empire.
Skoda can claim to be the third-oldest automotive manufacturer in the world.
The Superb L&K is powered by a 170hp 2.0 diesel and is available with automated DSG gearbox and with AWD. The van be had in both saloon and estate formats. The limited edition model has 18” Sirius alloy wheels and Laurin & Klement plaquette on the front fenders.
The car also also features SunSet extra tint glass and rear LED lights. The interior is dressed with brown shade leather embossed with the founders L&K logo.
15 August 2012
New Rangie revealed
The new version uses a lighweight aluminium body structure that's 39 percent lighter than the structure on the outgoing model, helping towards overall weight savings of 420kg when the two are compared.
The company says handling has been improved without any sacrifice of the comfort for which the model has always been appreciated.
The body style is an evolution of the traditional Range Rover shape and design cues. There's more legroom for rear passengers, fixing a criticism of the current car.
Powertrains are V8 petrol, and V6 and V8 diesels. More details on specifications and arrival when we have them, but initial deliveries to customers will be in the early part of 2013.
Big Brother Google is watching you walk, cycle, drive
Ireland is one of the countries around the world where Google is monitoring real-time traffic speeds via users of its Android system smartphones, writes Brian Byrne.
The surveillance is mostly in Dublin, but also on stretches of the motorway system outside the capital. A much more extensive operation is being done in the UK and other European countries as well as many locations in the US and South America.
If you look at this Google map you'll see the extent of this activity.
It's all based on the fact that when you use a Google map system on your Android smartphone to see where you are, you're telling Google where you are too.
And with some 400 million users of Android phones, there's enough real-time data streaming back into Google's servers to provide fairly accurate traffic conditions in those areas being monitored.
Ever get the feeling that you're being followed?
The surveillance is mostly in Dublin, but also on stretches of the motorway system outside the capital. A much more extensive operation is being done in the UK and other European countries as well as many locations in the US and South America.
If you look at this Google map you'll see the extent of this activity.
It's all based on the fact that when you use a Google map system on your Android smartphone to see where you are, you're telling Google where you are too.
And with some 400 million users of Android phones, there's enough real-time data streaming back into Google's servers to provide fairly accurate traffic conditions in those areas being monitored.
Ever get the feeling that you're being followed?
B-MAX to attract downsizers
Engine options include Ford's new 1.0 Ecoboost petrol unit and a new 1.5 diesel.
The B-MAX is built on the same platform as the Fiesta, and offers yet another alternative in the very crowded small car segment.
It has an innovative sliding rear doors system with no B-pillars, making access to the rear much easier.
It will also be the first European Ford to offer the company's 'Sync' in-car connectivity system. It can automatically transfer contact information from a connected Bluetooth device to the vehicle, allows calls to contacts to be activated using straight-forward voice commands and reads text messages aloud from compatible phones connected using Bluetooth.
Active City Stop, first launched on the Focus, will also be available.
Trax for Paris debut
The 5-seat vehicle offers a chunky style and car-like handling, and is just over 4.2 metres in length.
On-demand 4WD will be available, as will automatic transmission.
The Trax will be powered in Europe by a choice of 1.4 or 1.6 petrol units, the smaller one turbocharged, or a 1.7 diesel. The auto and AWD will be available with the 1.4 and 1.7 engines.
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