Fiat to extend use of winning engine

Fiat will subtantially extend the use of its twin-cylinder TwinAir engine which was this week voted as the International Engine of the Year 2011.

In addition to seeing the 85hp turbocharged unit in the upcoming Chrysler/Lancia Ypsilon, a 105hp variant will surface in a new compact MPV which will replace the Multipla.

There will also be a non-turbo version outputting 65hp under the hood of the new generation Panda, due to launch at the end of this year.

From a modest 14,000 units of the TwinAir built in 2010, Fiat expects to produce 100,000 copies of the engine through 2011.

Fiat 2-pot is 2011 Engine of the Year

Fiat Powertrain’s new TwinAir engine is the 2011 International Engine of the Year.

A jury of 76 motoring journalists and industry experts from 36 different countries also voted the two-cylinder TwinAir engine Best Sub 1-Litre Engine 2011, Best New Engine 2011 and Best Green Engine 2011.

Taking the title, it beat four BMW engines, two VW/Audi engines and even the 4.5-litre V8 that powers the Ferrari 458 Italia, although the Ferrari engine did take the Best Performance Engine and Best Engine above 4.0-litres awards.

In the New Engine category, the jurors deemed TwinAir to be superior to the Nissan Leaf’s electric powertrain, the Porsche 911’s Turbo boxer engine and the McLaren MP4-12C’s V8.

It follows in the footsteps of Fiat Powertrain’s 1.4 MultiAir Turbo which took the Best New Engine award last year.

Currently available with 85hp in the Fiat 500 and (shortly) the new Chrysler Ypsilon, a normally-aspirated 65hp version and a high-performance 105hp derivative of TwinAir will be launched soon.

Ireland’s jury member Padraic Deane, MotorShow Magazine, described the engine as 'Simplicity meets perfection – the time for a new generation of small, dynamic and frugal internal combustion engines has arrived'.

New Jetta launched here

The new generation Volkswagen Jetta has been launched in Ireland at a starting price of €21,985, writes Trish Whelan.

The car is completely redesigned and is longer, with a longer wheelbase that provides substantially increased legroom in the rear.

The car has a range of petrol and diesel powertrains, from the 105hp 1.2 TSI to a 140hp 2.0 TDI. The most efficient engine is a 105hp 1.6 TDI with a 4.5L/100km economy and an A CO2 band rating here. All engines are A or B rated.

Exterior changes bring the Jetta in line with current VW styling cues, while the interior design is now similar to the Golf, in whose segment the Jetta sells.

There are three trim levels, Trendline, Comfortline and Highline. Standard features include ESP.

Pictured below at the launch of the new VW Jetta in Ireland at Killeen Golf Club, Co Meath, were, from Volkswagen Ireland, Alan Bateson; Adam Chamberlain, Sales & Marketing Director; Anna Dawson; Niall Philips, and Steffen Nass.

Sponsorship for Topaz Donegal International Rally

A new three-year sponsorship deal announced between Topaz and the Donegal Motor Club coincides with the 40th anniversary of the Donegal International Rally.

Over 150 drivers from all over the country will take part in this year's Topaz Donegal International Rally which takes place from Friday 17th - 19th June. It is estimated the Rally, which is the only three-day rallying event in the country, is worth up to €25m to the local economy.

Clerk of the Course, Danny Gormley, has paid tribute to Topaz for their 'tremendous support' of the event. He also paid tribute to over 700 stewards and officials who will help police the event and thanked the people along the route for their support.

The Rally is expected to attract over 70,000 spectators.

Toyota tops 2011 Scrappage

Toyota is the biggest-selling car distributor here in the scrappage stakes for 2011, writes Brian Byrne, with 1,572 units sold under the scheme which ends on June 30.

Renault is second with 1,038 units, according to figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, followed by Ford (811), Volkswagen (644) and Skoda (583).

In all, more than 7,000 reclaims for scrappage have been processed so far this year, some 2,000 more than at this time last year.

Meanwhile, SIMI are today advising customers who are considering buying a new car under the scrappage scheme to order as soon as possible.

SIMI Director General Alan Nolan says dealers may require a number of weeks to order and register the new car and more importantly, the old car must be scrapped before June 30th. "To ensure customers can secure the new Scrappage car of their choice, orders should be placed as early as possible.”

Opel to produce small EV, large crossover

Opel is to develop a small electric car the size of its Corsa supermini, writes Brian Byrne.

The car will extend the brand's involvement in EV vehicles beyond the Ampera extended range EV which goes on sale between summer and the end of the year.

The company has also announced that it is developing a crossover-type vehicle larger than the Insignia, targeting a section of the the premium car market.

This is despite the brand getting its tyres burned with large cars in the recent past, including the Sintra SUV in the late 1990s and the Signum in the mid-200s. The Senator/Monza built through the 1980s and into the 1990s, and the Omega built through the 90s were more successful.

New Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS

The new Porsche 911 Carrera 4 GTS in both coupe and cabriolet styles goes on sale in the UK in July priced from £83,145 for the coupe and £90,024 for the cabriolet.

It combines a 408hp 3.8-litre flat six engine with intelligent all-wheel-drive that delivers a further exhilarating dimension to the dynamics of the iconic rear-engined sports car.

The supercar is fitted as standard with a six-speed manual transmission and the coupe sprints from 0-100km/h in 4.6 seconds, the cabriolet does it in 4.8 seconds. The coupe returns 26.9 mpg for the combined cycle and emits 247g/km C02. The 320 Nm of torque comes in from as low as 1,500 rpm, but peak torque of 420 Nm comes in from 4,200-5,600 rpm.

The model broadens customer choice in 2011, building on the success of the 2WD Carrera GTS that went on sale last December.

New Audi Q3 at year's end

This is the third vehicle in Audi's 'Q' series SUVs, the Q3, and it will be goig on sale from the end of this year.

It will be available with 2.0 petrol and diesel engines outputting from 140hp-211hp, and a FWD version will offer the equivalent of 54.3mpg. It will have the 140hp TDI. Three specification grades are planned, and transmissions will include 6-speed manual, and 7-speed automatic.

No Irish prices have been revealed at the time of going to press, but in Britain the Q3 will start at £24,560.

Cork City Rally Sprint

The second running of the Darren Swanton Memorial Cork City Rally Sprint will take place next Sunday, 22 May.

The event is promoted by Cork Motor Club and sponsored by Great Stuff Catering.

The sprint will take place at the Cork Civic Amenity Centre on the Kinsale Road. The venue opens at 7.30am on 21 May between 3 and 6pm.

Spectator parking facilities will be available at Black Ash Park & Ride and when this fills up, marshals will be in place to advise on alternative parking options.

Programmes for the event are priced at €5 and are on sale from the following outlets:
 
·         Commons Inn, New Mallow Road, Cork
·         Coleman’s Car Care, Wilton Shopping Centre, Cork City
·         Esso South Link Road, South Link Road, Cork City
·         John O’Driscolls Maxol Petrol Station, Bandon Road, Waterfall, Co Cork
·         Gerry Murphy Tyre Services, R & R Tyres, Myler Industrial Estate, Ballincollig, Co Cork
 
All profits from the event will go to charity with Marymount Hospice being the main beneficiary. A map of the venue as well as other information is available on Cork Motor Club's website at www.corkmotorclub.com.

SEAT to be title sponsor of Europa League Final

SEAT Ireland is to be the title sponsor of the EUFA Europa League final which takes place at the Dublin Arena this wednesday, 18 May writes Trish Whelan.

SEAT will link up with Shamrock Rovers to provide the official team mascots ont he night, and is giving 22 children from Shamrock Rovers the once in a lifetime opportunity to accompany the two Portuguese teams, FC Porto and SC Braga onto the field.

Shamrock Rovers has a special connection to SEAT as one of the senior team's key players, midfielder Stephen Rice was recently announced as a brand ambassador.

Stephen is the proud owner of a SEAT Leon. Lorenzo Heller of SEAT Ireland said it is fitting that they are the title sponsors of the biggest soccer matcher ever to take place in Ireland, The EUFA Europa League Final.

It's Huff again in Rounds 5 and 6 in Monza

The Chevrolet Cruzes swept the floor in Monza at the weekend taking a double 1-2 win at the legendary Italian circuit.

Huff won both races in his 1.6 turbo, becoming only the third driver to achieve winning both races at one event in the WTCC's history.

The double win extends his lead in the Drivers' provisional standings where he precedes team mates Yvan Muller, second in both races, and Alain Menu, who had a mixed weekend due to contact in Race 1 and who fought back to take 5th position in Race 1 from starting at the back of the grid.

Taxi trade investigated

A major investigation of the taxi industry in Ireland to be broadcast tonight will highlight double-jobbing, unroadworthy vehicles, and corruption in the NCT testing system.

The Prime Time Investigates programme followed a driver who spent his days driving a Dublin bus and his nights driving a taxi, with very little sleep.

It also reveals that there are 'rogue' multiple-licence operations which will rent a taxi to anyone for a weekend for €100, even if they have no taxi PSV licence.

And the investigating team also reports on how payment of €100 ensured the passing for NCT of vehicles which had been failed a short time before.

The programme is being broadcast at 9.30 on RTE 1.

Shumie lays down the tech line on road safety

"A good driver is somebody who drives safely, which means driving with the brain rather than showing that you drive fast."

That was a quote from Michael Schumacher on Wednesday when he launched the UN decade of action on Road Safety, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, writes Brian Byrne.

The campaign aims at reducing road fatalities by 50 percent over the next 10 years and he met MEPs from the transport and industry committees as well as European Parliament President Jerzy Buzek.

Schumacher was particularly making a pitch for 'intelligent' safety technology in new cars, which he believes can make a serious impack on the road deaths situation. "It's amazing to see what has happened in the last 10 years," he told parliamentarians and others at the launch. "Previously we only had airbags and electronically controlled systems. Now you have night vision, you can see children running across the road, you can avoid an accident that you don't see but the car does. And I feel much safer these days. We are all human, we all make mistakes … so I think technology is a great asset. If your car can help you, that's great."

The many times World Champion driver also said the rules of the road are there for a reason, and that there is no need for using high speeds on the open road. "Nobody really cares about that. There is no point, there is no prize money. You'd better take care of people, because that’s what really counts."

On the question as to whether a 300km/h driver who has been involved in a number of accidents on the race track is confortable with being an ambassador for safety, he said he was. "Because I believe that people have much more trust in my words than any politician's recommendations. I have a lot of experience and therefore, I guess, I can give very good advice."

First i40 picture

Here is the first actual picture of the new Hyundai i40 saloon, revealed today at the Barcelona Motor Show.

It follows the reveal of the wagon version at the recent Geneva Motor Show, which is already on tour in Irish dealerships prior to its arrival here.

Hyundai is expecting that the new D segment car will increase the brand sales here by giving it a realistic competitor in the very competitive fleet sales Market.

Twizy price announced

Renault's electric Twizy city car has just been given a price and will be available from the start of next year, writes Brian Byrne.

The funky-looking two-seater goes on sale from €6,990 in some markets, and in some countries can be driven without a driving licence.

That version is powered by a 4hp electric motor, the battery for which can be fully recharged in 3.5 hours.

The mainstream models are powered by a 17hp motor and is available in a choice of two finishes: Urban and Technic, which will sell from €7,690 and €8,490 respectively.

The battery will be separately leased, at a cost of €49 a month.

The Twizy is essentially open to the elements, with side deflectors to keep the occupants dry and out of the wind. More comprehensive weather protection is available as extra.

Customers can now pre-reserve their Twizy online at www.renault-ze.com. This requires a €20 deposit.

Irish arrival and prices haven't yet been revealed.

Renault offers 'goodwill' treatment of windows problem

Renault has invited all customers of Megane II and Scenic II models who have a problem with electric window mechanisms to bring their car to a Renault dealer for assessment, writes Brian Byrne.

The company says it has a 'policy of commercial goodwill' which offers the possibility of 'partial or even total' coverage of the costs of rectifying the defective mechanisms, subject to terms and conditions.

This follows adverse comment on last week's 'Consumer Show' on RTE about how the company has reacted to complaints on the issue.

"We invite any Renault customer who has a window mechanism issue on this previous model Mégane to take their car to a Renault dealer to be assessed," the company says in a statement on its website. "Your Renault dealer will then inform you of the eligibility of your specific case for coverage under this policy. You will find your nearest Renault dealership on www.renault.ie.”

The company says it issued the statement in advance of the airing of the show, but that it wasn't used, a matter which the company 'regrets'.

'The Consumer Show' has published the statement on its own website.

Renault says both the Irish and UK distributors have been providing goodwill coverage on the window mechanisms of the Mégane II models since 2006.

Mondello this Sunday

Mondello Park hosts a Motorsport Ireland National Championship Car race event this Sunday, with drivers competing on the full 3.5KM International Track for the first time this year, writes Fergus Brennan.

The line-up for the Count Kildare Motor Club's ten race event includes races for Formula Vee, the Irish Touring Car Championship (ITCC) and a visit from the Northern Irish Sevens, alongside a number of other championships.

Saturday at Mondello Park will also have a competitive element to it as for the first time pre race testing will be combined with a round of the Mondello Park Time-Attack championship. The Time-Attack competitors will have their first chance of the year to compete on the International track and Saturday's event will be round two of their six round series.

Sunday's event gets underway with qualifying at 09:00 with the first race set for 11:00. Admission is €15 for adults with accompanied under 16s free of charge and all admission prices include a complimentary programme. Discount Ticket offers are available by visiting www.mondellopark.ie/specials.

Win gained a Land Rover Defender

Texas Jack's flying finish to land the €100,000 Goffs Land Rover Bumper at Punchestown also won a brand new Land Rover Defender for Fergal O'Donnell of Dungarvan as the vendor of the horse at last year's Goffs Land Rover Sale.

Trained by Noel Meade, Texas Jack was purchased for just €12,000 by bloodstock agent Margaret O'Toole at the 2010 Land Rover Sale.

The Goffs Land Rover Bumper has established itself as a superior race with a proven track record for producing top class National Hunt performers such as Glencove Marina, Hardy Eustace and Newmill, while the off-road Defender is a popular choice for towing horse boxes.

Pictured at the presentation of the vehicle in the parade ring at Punchestown are: Goffs Chief Executive Henry Beeby; Fergal O'Donnell, vendor of Texas Jack; and Eddie Kavanagh, General Manager Land Rover.

Audi Sligo to create 20 New Jobs

Audi Ireland have today turned the sod for a new Audi dealership in Sligo scheduled to open at the end of the year, writes Trish Whelan.

Audi Sligo will be owned and operated by Kevin and Neil Connolly who have invested €5 million in the dealership which hopes to create 20 new jobs in the Sligo region.

The future Sligo dealership is a major part of a five year investment plan by Audi in Ireland which highlights the company's drive to become the number one prestige car brand in Ireland by 2015.

Audi is undertaking a restructuring of their franchise retail network with a collective investment of €80 million over the next three years, resulting in a nationwide network of 10 dedicated Audi dealerships servicing the whole country.

Dealer Principal Kevin Connolly said the family has been in the motor business since 1939 and he and his brother Neil are third generation.

Faichney Ringwood join Peugeot Dealer Network

Peugeot in Ireland have announced the appointment of Faichney Ringwood, Sandyford Business Estate in Co Dublin to the 34-strong Peugeot Dealer Network.

The new appointment will see Peugeot located in a new showroom at the existing premises on Maple Avenue in the Sandyford Business Estate.

Faichney Ringwood was established by Peter Faichney and Roy Ringwood in 1985 when they were appointed Main Saab Dealers, relocating from Rathgar to Sandyford in 2003. Two years later they became part of the OHM Group.

Pictured above at the announcement are from left: George Harbourne, Peugeot Managing Director and Peter Faichney, Managing Director of Faichney Ringwood. Back row: Gerard O'Farrell, OHM Group Director at Faichney Ringwood, and Des Cannon, Peugeot Sales & Marketing Director.