A cut above the rest

Thu, Jul 14, 2011

Some Irish motorists it would seem have their rose tinted glasses firmly on when it comes to how they perceive their own driving skills, according to figures issued today by the AA.

Galway driving lessons are the cheapest

Thu, Jul 14, 2011

Galway city offers the best value in the country for teaching motorists to drive, according to the National Consumer Agency which has published the findings of its latest price survey.

Toyota Celica fastest car at Goodwood Festival 2011

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

Taking just 48.07 seconds to blast up the 1.6 mile driveway of Goodwood House, a 800bhp Toyota Celica was the fastest car overall at the famous Goodwood Festival of Speed 2011.

First new Range Rover Evoque rolls out

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

The new Range Rover Evoque passed an important milestone this week when the first production vehicle was driven off the line at Land Rover’s manufacturing plant near Liverpool.

'TwinAir' model line for Fiat 500

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

Such was the reaction to Fiat’s revolutionary International Engine of the Year winning two-cylinder TwinAir engine, it inspired Fiat Group Automobiles to create an entirely new model line to perfectly match the car's distinctive personality.

Motorists’ support for speed cameras remains high

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

Irish motorists are still strongly in favour of speed cameras and that support has strengthened since the cameras were introduced, according to an AA poll.

However, a minority remains unconvinced, and there is still some public cynicism that is a ‘money making exercise’.

Irish drivers need to do a lot better on roundabouts

Thu, Jul 07, 2011

As Galway plans to rid itself of roundabouts, a roadside survey of motorist behaviour at some of Dublin’s busiest roundabouts by Continental Tyres shows that drivers often ignore the rules of the road and show woeful levels of knowledge of correct etiquette at roundabouts.

Jazz drivers are happiest for fifth year in a row

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

Honda Jazz owners, once again, have voted they are the most satisfied supermini customers out there, topping the small car class for the fifth year in a row in the influential JD Power Customer Satisfaction Survey 2011.

New Mercedes-Benz models get thumbs up in Galway

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

Mercedes-Benz main dealer principle Niall Cunningham of Cunningham Higgins, Galway, gives the thumbs up to the latest two Mercedes-Benz models to arrive in Ireland – the new C-Class coupé and the new open-top SLK Roadster.

Audi gets five more Thatcham Security Awards

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

New and existing Audi models, including the A1 premium sub-compact, have taken five category trophies in the Thatcham Vehicle Security Awards.

Mothers more patient “driving instructors”

Thu, Jun 30, 2011

For a happier experience steer clear of driving lessons with your dear old dad is the advice being offered by the AA.

The results of a light-hearted AA membership poll, completed exclusively by parents who have dared to take their son or daughter for a driving lesson, reveals that dads have a lower patience threshold than mums when it comes to instructing their children.

New Mercedes-Benz M-Class arrives next year

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Mercedes-Benz boasts that its new third generation M-Class sets a new benchmark in the SUV world. Its enhanced fuel consumption and emission figures are especially impressive.

Petrol and diesel prices show first fall since October

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

There has been some very slight relief at the pumps in recent weeks as the latest AA fuel price survey reveals that petrol and diesel prices both fell this month. Petrol dropped by 1.6 cent to an average of 151.3 cent per litre, while diesel fell more sharply, down 3.2 cent to an average of 142.8 nationwide.

“It is a question of being thankful for small mercies,” says AA director of policy Conor Faughnan. “For the first time in eight months petrol prices did not get any worse. The small drop is helpful, but we are still dealing with record high prices overall. We still have high oil prices combined with inflated Irish taxes. With both oil prices and the exchange rate between the euro and the dollar remaining volatile, we are not out of the woods yet.”

Future Volvos to avoid collisions with wild animals

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Volvo Car Corporation tells us its engineers are taking the next step in active safety by developing a system that alerts and automatically brakes for animals on the road. The new system will be launched on the market in a few years' time.

Toyota Yaris breaks cover

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

The third generation Toyota Yaris will be launched here later this year.

Scrappage generates €86 million for Government

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

More than €86 million has been generated by the Government Car Scrappage Scheme which ends in a month.

Figures released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry show that as at the end of May, 9,360 reclaims have been made under the scheme so far this year.

Ford's new C-Max is exceeding expectations

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Ford's new C-Max lifestyle MPV is segment sales leader in Ireland with 23 per cent market-share. It is also surpassing sales expectations across Europe, recording more than 100,000 sales and orders since its launch late last year.

Peugeot unveils newly updated 308 hatchback

Thu, Jun 23, 2011

Peugeot has launched its newly updated 308 hatchback here. It features styling elements seen on the newly-launched Peugeot 508, including Peugeot’s new signature floating grille to give it a more elegant and modern look.

Two new stunning Mercedes-Benz models arrive

Thu, Jun 16, 2011

Mercedes-Benz has just introduced two stunning new premium models here. The new C-Class coupé replaces the CLK, while the new SLK also debuts to replace the previous version, writes Padraic Deane.