Audi is Ireland's most popular premium brand

Audi Ireland claim total sales figures of 3,400 units for 2011, cementing its position as this country's most popular premium brand for the third consecutive year. This figure represents a significant year-on-year increase of 23 percent.

This is the third year in a row for Audi Ireland to be the country's best selling premium car brand.

Audi say they will increase their momentum throughout 2012 and are already taking strong orders for the new Audi A4 model due in early February.

In early March, the new A1 3-door will be joined by the A1 Sportback 5-door.

Worldwide, Audi AG sold around 1,302,650 cars last year beating its previous sales record by more than 210,200 units. China has now become Audi's biggest single market for the first time.

Mini Roadster debuts

BMW has debuted the sixth Mini variant, the Roadster, at the Detroit Auto Show where it showed the concept for the car two years ago.

The new 2-seat car will go on sale next month in its first markets.

It will come in three different variants, including the Cooper, Cooper S and John Cooper Works.

Cian Healy chooses a strong Defender

Cian Healy's 'day job' is rugby, playing at the very highest level. As Ireland and Leinster loose head prop he plays his rugby in different countries and continents, regardless of the weather or the conditions.

His other job, his hobby really, is when he becomes the famous 'DJ Church' and entertains dance and music fans in clubs, and at outdoor venues like Oxegen. It often means getting his sound equipment to gigs in town or in muddy fields.

Going into 2012, Cian wanted a car that performed to his standards and fitted in with his two lifestyles. He went to HB Dennis Airside, Co Dublin for advice, and specified a totally unique Land Rover Defender, a car as rugged and as all-weather as Cian himself.

Patrick Dennis at HB Dennis Airside, who delivered the Land Rover to Cian on New Year's Day, said Cian and his new vehicle were ideally matched. "Both are unique, they're both tough and built for the job, and they're impossible not to notice," he said.

Patrick is pictured handling over the keys of the Defender to Cian at HB Dennis, Airside.

More people are buying 'Rollers' than ever before.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars have enjoyed record sales results for 2011 with 3,538 cars sold around the world during the year. This represents a 31 percent increase on 2010, and is the best sales result in the company's 107 year history.

The previous record of 3,347 cars was set in 1978 during the Silver Shadow II era.

Besides their success in the UK, the company is moving into new markets like South America and also plans to develop its product range.

The company's portfolio includes the pinnacle Phantom family products - Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupe, and Phantom Coupe - and the more recently-launched Ghost range.

Rolls-Royce plans to expand its manufacturing plant at Goodwood (pictured above), starting next month, where over 1,000 people are employed on site, to help meet further growth in world wide sales.

We also show you one of the three Royce cars built, pictured in Cooke Street, Manchester, back in 1904.

Volkswagen achieved record performance for car sales in 2011

Volkswagen Ireland finished 2011 with a market share of 12.5 percent, a significant record for Volkswagen in Ireland.

This represents a 0.6 percent increase over 2010 full year sales. Volkswagen Bank was able to provide €47.4m for Volkswagen customers to support the increase in sales and market share.

Adam Chamberlain, Head of Sales & Marketing at Volkswagen passenger Cars said the Volkswagen passenger cars brand continues to achieve record market share and they already have a strong customer order book for 2012.

Volkswagen will introduce new models this year, including the small car 'up!', a 21st Century Beetle, and Cross Polo.

Citroen's C1 small car here in March 2012

New features on Citroen's C1 city car include C02 emissions from just 99g/km, LED daytime running lights, a CD audio system with Citroen's integrated Connecting Box (Bluetooth system with USB socket) writes Trish Whelan.

At just 3.44m long, the New C1 remains the most compact model in the Citroen range. Available here in both 3-door and 5-door guise from Launch, it is one of the most economical and ecological city cars on the market but can still fit four adults.

A turning circle of just 9.63 metres makes the car easy to manoeuvre in city traffic.

Powered by a 3-cylinder petrol engine developing 68hp, and equipped with a manual gearbox, the New Citroen C1 1.0i has an improved fuel economy of up to 4.3 L/100km (65.7mpg) over a combined cycle. It is the first Citroen petrol model to emit less than 100g/km of C02 and qualify for Tax and A.

At the rear, the car retains its glass tailgate but has the brand's new chevrons and badging.

Safety features include ABS with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution, Isofix anchorage points and ESP.

Body colours include Scarlet red, Electra blue, Lipizzan white, Caldera black and two grey tones - one light, Gallium grey, and one dark, Carlinite grey.

Prices have yet to be announced.

Made in China Fiats?

This could be the shape of the Fiat Bravo's replacement, and it may be built in China.

It's the new Dodge Dart to be built there for the US market, and there are reports that a Fiat-styled version could be exported to Europe from 2013.

The platform is a wider version of that used for the Alfa Romeo Giulietta, and puts the cars based on it right up against the segment benchmark Ford Focus.

It will be built in hatch and saloon variants.

The Bravo will cease production in 2013 and the plant in Italy will transfer production to a new compact crossover.

Toyota's 'Cars for Good' programme benefits two Irish charities

Toyota Ireland have announced that Pieta House and Laura Lynn House have been chosen as the first recipients of its new philanthropic 'Cars for Good' programme.

Both charities will receive a donation of one vehicle each from Toyota Ireland, up to the value of €20,000 each. The cars can be either raffled by the charities as a means of raising funds, or registered for daily use by the charities themselves.

The initiative allows Toyota Ireland employees to nominate their top five Irish charities for inclusion in the programme, and a committee then choses the final two recipients from a short list of five drawn from all the nominated charities.

Land Rover Defender concept 100 at New Delhi Auto Expo

Land Rover's Defender Concept 100 and Defender Concept 100 Sport made their Indian debut at the New Delhi Auto Expo 2012.

These concepts investigate the potential design direction for a replacement for the iconic Defender.

According to John Edwards, Land Rover Global Brand Direction, "The Defender has always been at the heart of the Land Rover Brand and single-handedly defines our go-anywhere, can-do spirit. Our ambition is to create an all new Defender for a global market that remains absolutely faithful to its original DNA; tough versatile, durable and capable. At the same time, it will be developed for the 21st century and adaptable for the needs of future generations."

Land Rover intend to introduce the all new Defender in the middle of the decade. These concepts are just the start of the journey, and are intended to showcase the potential breath of capability for the future Defender family. Both have evolved since their unveiling at the Frankfurt Motor Show last September and now ride on optimised off-road 20-inch alloy wheels shod with Cooper all-terrain tyres.

The Defender Concept 100 re-invents the essential defender design cues for the 21st century. These include short overhangs, vertical panels, an upright windscreen and strong shoulder line for visibility, and the Defender 'face' with its signature round lamps and prominent grille, incorporating a winch.

Almost two million Defenders have been made and three-quarters of these are still doing regular duty. The Defender Concept 100 nameplate is regionally specific to India. The concepts in all other markets will continue to be referred to as Land Rover DC100 and Land Rover DC100 Sports Concepts.

Hyundai debuts its 'Hexa Space' multi-purpose vehicle concept

Hyundai Motor Company have held the world premier of its newest concept, a multi-purpose vehicle called 'Hexa Space' at the Auto Expo 2012 in New Delhi. This new concept revolutionizes the use of interior space.

Hexa Space, codenamed HND-7 carried Hyundai's Fluidic Sculpture' design language which includes bold character lines on the side panels.

The vehicle features eight slim, hexagonally shaped seats that fit together like puzzle pieces, making the most use of inside space while minimising vehicle width.

The seats offer multiple configurations - centre ones fold flat for greater comfort, the second row folds flat for more space while the back row also can fold flat for light-cargo use. In addition, seven seats fold flat for heavy hauling and all eight fold flat if you want to camp out in the vehicle. Rear doors lift out and slide back, creating wide-open entry on each side.

Hexa Space shares a platform with Hyundai's compact ix20, and is powered by the marque's Kappa 1.2 turbo GDI engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

The car is aimed at urban families in their 30s and 40s, with a demanding lifestyle in the bustling cities of the world's emerging economies.

Bridgestone develops Airless Tyre

Bridgestone has developed an airless (non-pneumatic) tyre that could prove to be a viable and more environmentally-friendly alternative to conventional tyres in the future, writes Trish Whelan.

Airless tyres have a lower impact on the environment than today's conventional tyres, but previously such concept tyres have been impractical to produce for the mass market. Bridgestone developed this technology with the aim of practical implementation.

With a unique structure of spokes stretching along the inner sides of the tyres supporting the weight of the vehicle, there's no need to periodically refill the tyres with air, meaning that they require less maintenance. At the same time, the worry of punctures is eliminated.

In addition, the materials used in the tyres are 100 percent recyclable.

"Bridgestone is investing considerable resources to help to reduce the impact of motoring on the environment and the new airless tyre is a good example of this strategy," says Colm Conyngham of Bridgestone Ireland. "While this is a development project, Bridgestone is hopeful that the airless tyre will be used by Irish motorists in the future," he added.

New Citroen C1: sharper and greener than ever

Citroen's C1 small car has been given a new look for 2012. The brand's entry-level little city car has already attracted over 620,000 customers worldwide and sold well here in Ireland since its launch in 2005 writes Trish Whelan.

Now, with new styling, improved levels of equipment and a more frugal engine, the C02 emissions are from just 99g/km.

At just 3.44m long, the car remains the most compact model in the Citroen range. Available in both 3-door and 5-door, it is able to transport four adults. Boot volume can be adjusted as the rear seats fold and ranges from 139 litres to over 700 litres.

The new C1 is powered by a 3-cyl petrol engine developing 68hp and has a fuel economy of up to 65.7mpg over the combined cycle.

Features include LED daytime running lights, a CD audio system with Bluetooth, an an Electronic Gearbox System with steering-mounted paddles.

The New Citroen C1 will make its world debut at the Brussels Motor Show on 10th January. It will go on sale across the Pond from April 2012. Irish launch date has yet to be announced.

Volvo XC60 Plug-In hybrid concept for Detroit Auto Show

The Volvo XC60 Plug-In hybrid concept will be unveiled within days at the 2012 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

This is an electric car, a very economical hybrid and a powerful high-performance petrol car all rolled into one.

At the touch of a button, the driver decides via three buttons on the instrument panel, how the available power from the combination of the high-performance petrol engine and the electric motor is to be utilised.

Volvo say 'no other manufacturer has succeeded in delivering fuel economy and electrical range on this level in a capable, spacious performance car with 350 horsepower on tap'.

The car's electric range is 28 miles. C02 emissions are just 53g/km (2.3 L/100km) which translates into fuel economy of over 100mpg. The car has a total operating range of up to 600 miles (960 kms).

The electric motor's instant torque delivery contributes to the car being able to accelerate from 0-100kms in 6.1 seconds.

The electric 4WD in teh XC60 Plug-in hybrid concept is activated by pressing the AWD button. Power is distributed between the petrol-driven front wheels and the electrically driven rear axle. The electric 4WD system has been designed to provide better traction when starting and when driving on slippery road like in snow or mud.

The car is painted in a special white colour and the 21-inch wheels enhance the muscular appearance.

Russian car maker AVTOVAZ to return to FIA

Russian car manufacturer AVTOVAZ has confirmed their plans to return to the FIA World Touring Car Championship with the Lada Sport Team and the Lada Granta Sport car.

The programme is due to kick off with the participation in two events in 2012: at Budapest's Hungaroring on 6th May and Estoril on 3rd June. The aim is to test the Granta racing car in view of a probably involvement in the world championship from 2013.

The Russian squad is currently working to build a Super 2000 version of the car.

The Lada Sport Team had previously taken part in WTCC in 2008 and 2009 running three Lada 110 cars and then switching to the Lada Priora. Their best results were a couple of sixth places at Imola with James Thompson.

There are only two weeks left before the 2012 FIA World Touring Car Championship kicks off at Monza on 11th March.

Upgraded Mazda3 now on sale

The upgraded 2012 Mazda3 has gone on sale priced from €19,795. The small family car is expected to be the marque's biggest seller for this year, writes Trish Whelan.

It is available as a 4-door saloon or 5-door hatch in four grades: Comfort, Executive, Sport and the new Sport SE grade.

Main features include enhanced exterior and interior styling, improved chassis for a more direct driving experience, a cleaner 1.6 diesel engine as well as new Sports SE model for Ireland. C02 emsissions have fallen to just 115g/km (Band A) while improved fuel economy delivers 4.3 L/100kms (or 65mpg).

The new version looks more striking, and is visually a sportier more aerodynamic model. The front end design combines with new allow wheels. Inside, Mazda report a higher quality feel than before with new materials and colours along with improved ergonomics in the cockpit and dash.

Bluetooth connectivity, Cruise Control, Air Conditioning, and Alloy Wheels are all standard on the most popular Executive Grade.

The Mazda3 carries the maximum 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating.

Don't wait for final whistle - Irish Ferries urges fans

Don't wait until the final whistle before making your Euro 2012 travel booking.

That's the advice that Irish Ferries is giving to Irish football supporters who may be planning to travel overland in support of Ireland's Euro 2012 bid.

According to the company, early indications are that an exodus of fans travelling to Poland and Ukraine in camper vans is expected and already bookings are being made.

With games fixed to overlap with the main summer travel season, fans are being urged to reserve their sailing dates before the rush gets under way.

Fans can choose between direct services to France and overland routes through the UK with the result that they benefit from the extra space available, even though certain sailings will fill up quickly, an Irish Ferries spokesman said.

Information on sailing dates and bookings can be had online at www.irishferries.com or by calling 0818 300 400.

Toyota top selling car brand in Ireland in 2011

The figures released today by The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show Toyota was the top selling car brand here last year with 11,812 units sold, followed by Volkswagen with 11,247, Ford (10,511), Renault (8,580), Nissan (6,763), GM Opel (6,387), Skoda (4,651), Hyundai (4,011), Audi (3,464) and BMW (3,433).

Total passenger car sales in 2011 came to 89,900, up slightly on 88,446 in 2010.

The majority of new passenger cars by C02 showed 43,168 Tax Band B units sold last year, with 37,852 in Band A, and 4,634 in Band C. Band D saw 2,538 sales, Band E 1,003, Band F 500, and 192 people bought cars in the highest Tax Band G.

SIMI's figures also show that the hatchback ranks as the favorite body type followed by saloons, MPVs, estates, and Jeeps. Sports coupes attained 1,430 sales and convertibles 256.

Some 64,007 buyers opted for diesel run cars, followed by 23,944 for petrol. Just 46 electric cars were sold while 552 Hybrids found owners. Flexible fuel sales were down drastically with 1,350 units sold compared to 3,066 in 2010.

Silver/Aluminium external colors just pipped the traditional black for top choices, followed by grey and blue.

Most new cars in 2011 were bought in Dublin (34,373), followed by Cork (11,301), Kildare (3,461) and Limerick (3,269).

Hyundai retains Auto Bild award for quality

Hyundai has been awarded the top position in leading German motoring magazine Auto Bild's 'Auto Bild Qualitatsreport' for the second year running beating all other manufacturers, including German and Japanese brands to take the honours.

The award was based on a comprehensive analysis of reliability, long-term quality and customer satisfaction.

Hyundai improved on its winning score from last year to take the title.

All newly-launched Hyundai models in Ireland come standard with Five Year Triple Care which provides a five-year manufacturer backed unlimited mileage warranty, five years' roadside assistance and five years of vehicle health checks as standard.

Ford Focus was best selling car in 2011

Ford Focus was the best selling car in Ireland last year with 4,242 units sold according to figures released from The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) writes Trish Whelan.

In second place was Volkswagen's Golf with 3,980, followed by Toyota Avensis on 3,661, Renault Fluence with 3,016, Volkswagen Passat Saloon on 2,975, Ford Fiesta with 2945, Nissan Qashqai on 2,653, Toyota Corolla on 2,592, Renault Megane with 2,530 cars sold, and Toyota Yaris with 2,311.

Sales of the Ford Focus increased in 2011 by 8.44 percent on last year's figure of 3,912. Golf sales also increased by 5.29 percent, Avensis by 2.06 percent, and Renault Fluence by a whopping 135.07 percent. Volkswagen's Passat Saloon also performed better last year than in 2010 with a 68.36 percent increase.

Sales of Qashqai, Fiesta, and Megane were down considerably on the 2010 figures by 24.16 percent, 21,02 percent, and 36.42 percent respectively. Sales of Toyota Yaris were also down on 2010 figures.

Ford image of the week: RS200 Group B rally car

To celebrate the centenary of Ford of Britain in 2011, the company has explored its photo archive to reveal rarely seen images.

Rallying is a tough, and sometimes cruel, sport. Designed as a Group B rally car, the RS200 was turbocharged, mid-engined, light, 4-wheel driven, and fast on any surface. As regulations demanded, 200 examples were built in the UK with production starting in 1986.

Its rallying career was cut short when the FIA reacted to a number of serious accidents by banning aerodynamic devices on Group B cars and then calling a half to the entire class from 1987. As a result, the RS200 was transformed from stark rally car to a more luxurious road car specification, albeit one that was still cramped, noisy, high-revving and physically demanding to drive.

Despite such setbacks, Ford has maintained its commitment to rallying and it recently announced its continued participation in the FIA World Rally Championship for 2012 and 2013.

The Fiesta RS World Rally Car will continue as Ford's WRC flagship this year (2012) and next year.

The climax of the World Rally Championship in the UK saw the Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car claim eight of the top 10 positions. This is the only time a single manufacturer has achieved this feat since the championship was created in 1973.

New Year resolutions for drivers

Driver training specialist IAM Drive & Survive's Simon Elstow this week offers tips on ways to improve your driving for the new year.

* Look out: Observe what's happening on the road ahead to give yourself more time to identify and respond to hazards.

* Anticipate what the traffic around you may do especially at traffic lights, roundabouts and junctions.

* Room: Make sure you keep space around your vehicle to leave you more time to deal with hazards.

* Refuel: When embarking on longer journeys, take a break every two hours.

* Don't presume: Never assume that another motorist has seen you or will react in the same way you might.

* Learn: Be open minded and realistic about your limitations and always be prepared to learn from any errors you make.

"The new year is a common time for people to sit back, reflect and revaluate. Why not begin by making changes to your driving to make you safer on the road in 2012."