Car and comms companies join 5G forces

Audi has teamed up with BMW, Daimler and a number of top names in the electronic, communications and computer industries to develop high-speed wireless communications for cars, writes Brian Byrne.

Under the banner of 5G Automotive Association, the partnership includes Ericsson, Huawei, Intel, Nokia and Qualcomm.

The 5G technology will support vehicle-to-everything communications and connected mobility solutions, both of which are especially applicable to connected automated driving.

Christoph Voigt of Audi has been appointed Chairperson of the Board and Dino Flore of Qualcomm has been appointed Director General of the Association.

The 5GAA will support and work with national and regional initiatives, such as the European Connected & Automated Driving Pre-Deployment Project.

Paris premiere for Skoda, 80 years ago

With the Paris Motor Show starting this weekend, Skoda thought it was apt to show us this model which premiered in Paris exactly 80 years ago, writes Brian Byrne.

It was the Skoda Popular Sport Monte Carlo, and this copy is a coupe version built in 1937 and now in the company’s own museum.

The car was produced in limited edition sporty roadsters, convertibles and coupes which are now considered among the most attractive vintage cars to have ever been produced by the brand.

Toyota C-HR here in November

The new Toyota C-HR small crossover will arrive in Ireland in November at a starting price of €26,895, writes Trish Whelan.

The car is based closely on a concept shown at the Paris Motor Show of 2014, and is powered by a 1.2 turbocharged petrol engine or a version of Toyota’s latest hybrid powertrain.

There will be three grades available, Luna, Luna Sport and Sol. The top price will be €32,950.

US truck 'platooning' exercise

A field test of truck ‘platooning’ in the US is being prepared by Munich-based transportation technology company Knorr-Bremse, writes Brian Byrne. The system could save fuel and lives, according to the company.

Similar platooning exercises have already been piloted in Europe under an EU-supported research scheme.

The idea is that convoys of trucks car drive very close to each other, each taking the efficiency advantages of ‘slipstreaming’ of the vehicle in front, while advanced radar cruise control and automatic braking systems work throughout the platoon via wireless connectivity.

The ‘electronic drawbars’ allow the vehicles to be much closer to each other than if under driver control only. The braking and acceleration of the lead truck is replicated automatically in the following vehicles.

The US exercise will gauge driver acceptance and the feasibility of fully networked truck convoys. It is being carried out by Knorr-Bremse’s subsidiary in the USA, Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC.

Three SUV debuts from Peugeot this week

Peugeot will debut its new 3008 and 5008, formerly MPVs but now designated SUVs, at this week's Paris Motor Show, writes Brian Byrne.

The 3008 DKR from Peugeot Sport will also be a debut attraction on the lion brand's stand.

A new version of the i-Cockpit instruments presentation will be there too, along with a number of mobility systems including folding electric bicycle and scooter. A docking system for these latter will recharge them while stowed in the rear of the car.

More from Paris when we're there on Thursday and Friday.

New Rexton in concept at Paris

A new SsangYong Rexton to be produced next year will retain the body on frame construction of the current car, writes Trish Whelan. This will permit greater towing capacity and better performance in rugged off-road conditions.

A LIV-2 Concept to be unveiled at this week’s Paris Motor Show is very close to the production version of the Rexton, which has been built since 2001.

The latest version of the nameplate will target a more premium buyer cohort, and will be powered in Europe by a 2.2 diesel engine.

Key target competitors include the Hyundai Santa Fe and similar.

MG production in UK to cease

Production of MG cars is to cease at its Longbridge plant in England later this year, writes Brian Byrne, ending a UK manufacturing of the brand that goes back to its inception in 1923.

The MG3, the only model now coming from Longbridge, will in future be built completely in China by the marque’s owner SAIC Motor. Current production of the car in the UK is limited to adding powertrains and lights to already-built cars brought in from China. None of the recent models from MG have been sold in Ireland.

Ownership of the MG brand went to China following the collapse of MG Rover in 2005.

A design and development centre will be retained in Longbridge.

Volkswagen refreshes up!

Volkswagen has refreshed the up! city car with new visual details and a new engine, writes Trish Whelan.

Frontal changes are to the bumper and headlights, and LED running lights, as well as the rear diffuser and rear lights.

New colours and contrasting roof paints are part of the changes, as are coloured alloys and new seat designs.

A new engine option in the 3-cylinder 1.0 range is a turbocharged 90hp unit, bringing the power variants to four with the 60/70hp versions and the 82hp electric up!.

A special edition up! beats will have a 300W sound system.

All-Terrain E-Class coming next year

Mercedes-Benz revealed details of its new E-Class All-Terrain  wagon a couple of days ago, and we’ll be seeing it in the metal at Paris this week, writes Brian Byrne.

Due for market launch in the spring of next year, this latest variant of the E-Class comes with AWD as standard and an increased ground clearance.

A version of the MB grille sets this off as being closer to the brand’s SUV offerings than its standard passenger cars.

The All-Terrain will be launched as an E 220 d 4MATIC with 194hp and this will be followed by a 6-cylinder diesel engine. Both models come with a 9-speed automatic transmission as standard.

Mercedes to show new GT at Paris

We’ll be bringing you our own pics of this one at the end of the week from the Paris Motor Show, writes Brian Byrne.

Produced by the AMG division of Mercedes-Benz, the new GT Roadster is powered by a double-charged 4.0 V8, with up to 550hp.

Under four seconds is claimed for the 100km/h sprint. But that doesn’t really matter, as all-in-your-face style does that even standing still.

Diesel Bentley will be a first

That a Bentley has V8 power isn’t new, but that one of its latest will have a V8 diesel is a first for the super-luxury brand, writes Brian Byrne.

The 4.0 oilburner based on an Audi unit will be triple-charged and punch out 435hp with an astounding 900Nm of torque.

The engine will be in the the Bentayga SUV and will also be the world’s fastest diesel production car with a 0-100km/h sprint capability of 4.8sec.

In addition to giving the car a 1,000km range it will mean the lowest CO2 from any Bentley model at 210g/km.

Customer deliveries will begin in Europe early next year, with entry into Russia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Taiwan planned across the rest of 2017.

Parallel parking 'a no-go for Irish motorists'

Research by Easytrip on drivers' parking behaviour and preferences has found that 74 percent of Irish drivers prefer reversing or driving forward into a perpendicular parking space over parallel parking, writes Trish Whelan. The survey of 500 motorists also found that 45 percent of those surveyed admit to driving past a free parking space to avoid parallel parking.

The research showed that half those who prefer parallel parking drive a large hatchback or saloon sized vehicle. However, in general, Irish drivers are quietly confident in their driving abilities with 86 percent stating to be 'very good' or 'good' at parking.

Almost half of those surveyed said they would prefer to take an on-street parking space with multi-storey car parks following closely behind at 41 percent, with 90 percent stating convenience and fear of running out of change for meters as the reasons for their preference. A low 15 percent preferred on-street ground level car parks while only 4 percent choose underground car parks.

Annoying parking habits revealed were taking up two parking spaces, parking too close to your car, taking forever to park the car, parking in a disabled parking space when not entitled to do so, and parking in a designated mother and baby space, without children present.

Unlike in the UK, there is currently no testing element for parallel parking in the National Driving Test in Ireland.

Irish Ferries 2015 Haven Holiday offer

Irish Ferries is reminding customers that Monday, 13 October is the closing date to book their 2015 Haven Holiday at 2014 prices at any of seven parks in Wales and beyond, where a €50 booking deposit secures accommodation.

Bookings and more information can be had by calling Irish Ferries Holidays on 0818 300 400 or online at www.irishferries.com/haven

Newmarket Motors again wins major European award

Newmarket Motors, authorised dealers for Volkswagen in Cork, has been awarded a prestigious pan European Service Quality Award by Volkswagen Europe for the third time.

Voted by individual customers throughout Europe, the dealership won the award for their long standing reputation for providing quality service as well as for the 'excellent relationship' the Main Volkswagen Dealer has with its many satisfied customers.

Established for over 40 years in the motor industry, Newmarket Motors is a family run business located in Newmarket Town, close to the borders of Kerry and Limerick, yet a short drive from Cork City.

Dealers are judged not only on the quality of the service, but on all aspects of customers' experiences from the communication skills of the highly trained service team right through to value for money.

Annette Browne, Business Manager accepted the award on behalf of the Volkswagen Service Team at Newmarket Motors at a Gala Awards Ceremony in Dresden, Germany. Service Partners from 26 European countries were present at the event, the majority coming from the top five Volkswagen markets of Germany, Italy, United Kingdom, France and Spain.

Newmarket Motors is now part of an elite 'Club' of award winning dealers who can say that they are among the best in Europe.

Mazda presenting new adaptive headlight system

Mazda is showcasing its next-generation Adaptive LED Headlights system - the company's latest breakthrough in active safety technology - at the Createc Japan 2014 in Tokyo, writes Trish Whelan. The exhibition is a leading IT and electronics exhibition which opens today.

Mazda is the first Japanese carmaker to unveil such an autonomous high-beam control system to the public.

Adaptive LED Headlights (ALH) features LED array high-beam technology that splits the LEDs into four independently controllable blocks. Like High Beam Control, a related system available with all new-generation Mazdas, ALH uses a camera to detect oncoming and preceding vehicles. But instead of switching off the high beams entirely to avoid impairing other drivers' vision, ALH shuts off only the LEDs shining in their specific direction. So the high beams remain on at all times, enhancing visibility and with it safety at night when most fatal traffic accidents occur.

ALH also comes with wide-distribution low beams, which add LEDs to the sides of the headlamps to shed light where conventional headlights don't. Highway mode is another ALH feature that automatically adjusts the forward aim of the headlamps upwards when travelling at highway speeds to light up road signs and potential obstacles earlier.

Mazda is also displaying a special Mazda3 equipped with an automated driving system at the exhibition which monitors the status of the vehicle with high-precision GPS, also using motion control technology to continually observe the condition of the driver. The setup helps drivers avoid mistakes and reduces the risk of accidents.

Transit Van helps out with Bia Food initiative

Ford Ireland has provided an All-New Transit Van to help with the valuable work of the Bia Ford Initiative, writes Trish Whelan.

In Ireland, almost a million tonnes of perfectly good food is disposed of each year. And yet, people go hungry every day in Ireland and charitable organisations spend over €10 million each year on food.

However, Cork-based charity, the Bia Food Initiative, is tackling this mountain of waste by harnessing this surplus food and re-directing it to those in need. Through a national network of food redistribution centres, the Bia Food Initiative is hoping to become a one-stop-shop for food businesses to donate their surplus food and grocery products in a fast, efficient and safe way while reducing their disposal costs and making a positive and practical contribution to the communities in which these businesses operate.

The Bia Food Initiative will then pass on the surplus food to charitable groups around the country, helping them to reduce their current spend on food so they can focus all their resources on their core activities.

Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland said: "We feel that the Bia Food Initiative is such a worthy cause, it is crazy that so much food is wasted when 1 in 10 people in Ireland suffer from food poverty today." Karen Horgan, Project Manager of the Bia Food Initiative says they are 'hugely indebted to Ford for the new Transit Van'.

This Initiative has just opened its first pilot distribution centre in Cork. It has a warehouse with refrigerated and freezer units and will act as the hub for storing food prior to shipment to the organisation's redistribution centres around Ireland.

The van supplied is a New Ford Transit Jumbo 125hp 6-speed van, including full insulation and a Thermo King Chiller Unit with a highly efficient 2.2 TDCi diesel engine.

Dave O'Connell, Commercial Vehicle Brand Manager, Ford Ireland, is pictured handing the keys of the new Ford Transit to Karen Horgan of the Bia Food Initiative.

Topaz: big winner at Forecourt Awards

Topaz was the big winner at Ireland's Forecourt and Convenience Retailer Awards, claiming five of the 14 titles on offer, writes Trish Whelan.

The Company picked up the award for Best Oil Company Initiative for its Play or Park loyalty programme, while one of the company''s new flagship sites, Topaz Dublin Airport, won the Forecourt & Convenience Store of the Year (Cat 2).

The awards, now in their ninth year, were presented at a gala reception held in the Ballsbridge Hotel, Dublin, recently and attended by over 350 guests. The event was hosted by RTE presenter Miriam O'Callaghan.

Laura Murphy, Loyalty Manager at Topaz, said the company was particularly delighted to see its loyalty programme recognised with such a prestigious award. Laura is pictured receiving the Best Oil Company Initiative from Michael Conroy from Costa Express.

Barack Obama Plaza Spar/Topaz in Moneygall, Co Offaly, won the Newcomer of the Year award; Lilley's Topaz/Centra in Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, won Best Customer Service award, while O'Sullivan's Topaz/Centra, Innishannon, Co Cork won Best use of Category Management award.

The IFCR Awards are the country's only specialist awards for the forecourt industry.

Octavia Scout to launch at National Ploughing Championships

Skoda Ireland have announced a special finance offer for IFA members, writes Trish Whelan. From now until February 2015, Skoda will contribute €1,000 towards a finance deposit on any new Skoda purchased by IFA members. This offer is exclusive to IFA members and is applicable to any new Skoda purchased on a Skoda finance plan.

In recent years, Skoda have been able to cater even more towards farmer's needs with a range of 4x4 vehicles and will be unveiling the new Skoda Octavia Scout at this year's National Ploughing Championships on 23 September with prices starting from €33,795.

The Octavia Scout can tow up to two tonnes, which is 25 percent more than before. It also has 'excellent' steep-slope capability. With greater angles of incline from 16.7 degrees at the front and 13.8 degrees at the back, the Octavia Scout can also master steeper, more demanding terrain without difficulty.

Electronic differential lock supports stable start-up characteristics at low speeds in the Octavia Scout.

James Kelly, Director of Organisation, IFA says Skoda is a popular choice of car among farmers and farm families.

Skoda driver Rozanna Purcell is pictured at Woolywards Farm to celebrate Skoda's partnership and exclusive offers available to IFA members.

For more information about this special offer, IFA members can call into their local Skoda dealer. Visit www.skoda.ie/dealers to find your local dealer.

Honda partners with Kilkenny's Eoin Larkin

Universal Honda Ltd has announced a partnership with Kilkenny Senior Hurler Eoin Larkin who will get behind the wheel of a new Honda Civic 1.6 i-DTEC Sport as a Honda Brand Ambassador, writes Trish Whelan.

Larkin has been a star in the GAA for many years with a long successful hurling career with Kilkenny. A Hurler of the Year Award winner, as well as two-time All-Star Award winner, Larkin has won 6 All-Ireland medals, 7 Leinster medals and 6 National League medals, as well as being Kilkenny team captain in 2012, making him one of the most successful hurlers of his generation.

Commenting on his partnership with Honda, Eoin said "It's a real pleasure to have the support of both Honda and Kilkenny Honda Centre. I'm very impressed with my new Civic as it's a really strong performer, being great to drive yet very easy on fuel."

Emmet Kavanagh, Marketing Manager at Universal Honda Ltd says 'the timing is particularly exciting given the recent draw between Kilkenny and Tipperary, in what will surely be remembered as one of the all-time great hurling matches'.

"When it comes to sponsorship, at Honda we look to work with those who excel in their chosen field, with a clear passion and dedication for what they do. We look forward to following Eoin and the rest of the Kilkenny team in what is sure to be another gripping game in the final replay on 27 September."

Joe Murray, Sales Executive, and Cathal O'Neill, Sales Director of Kilkenny Honda Centre are pictured presenting Eoin with the keys of the new Civic.

Audi recalls 70,000 cars for potential brake problem

Audi will recall 70,000 cars worldwide because of a potential fault with the brake booster.

Audi's A4, A5, A6 and Q7 models equipped with a 3.0 diesel engine and which were built between March and December 2012 are being recalled, Reuters reports the company said on Friday.

The brakes will still function but the brake enhancing function from the booster may fail because of a potential leak in a membrane.

We will let viewers know if any of the above cars sold here are included in the recall.