Car industry hopes changed plate will change their luck

Fri, Nov 23, 2012

You may recall that a few months ago we were talking about possible changes to the Irish registration plate system. Those rumours look a bit more solid now and if the signals that the AA are getting are accurate next year’s registration plates will see the first change in format since 1987.

Volvo’s sportierV40 R-Design and Cross Country

Fri, Nov 16, 2012

Volvo Car Ireland has announced prices of the new Volvo V40 R-Sesign and Volvo V40 Cross Country.

New rules for new drivers

Fri, Oct 26, 2012

New drivers will face new rules from next year. The Road Traffic Act that is currently in preparation will have a number of eye-catching provisions and the group most affected will be young people learning how to drive.

This has been an evolutionary process. Cast your mind back 10 years or so and the situation for learner drivers in Ireland was little short of farcical.

All-new Volkswagen Golf arrives in December

Fri, Oct 26, 2012

The all-new Golf, which goes on sale in Ireland in December, will have a starting price of €19,995 for the 'Trendline' three-door 1.2 TSI (petrol) and €22,695 for the 'Trendline' 1.6 TDI (diesel) three-door, writes Padraic Deane.

Stylish and accessible new Ford B-Max arrives

Fri, Oct 19, 2012

The new Ford B-Max, featuring a unique design and new small car technology among the most advanced in Europe, has arrived in Ireland, with an entry level price of €19,170 for the 1.4 petrol and €21,840 (both ex-works) for the 1.5 diesel version. The former slots in to the current Band B for VRT and road tax, while the latter is in Band A.

Skoda new special edition Octavia Exclusive

Fri, Oct 19, 2012

Skoda Ireland tells us that their biggest selling car, the Octavia, has undergone a specification enhancement for 2013. Having made its first public appearance at the National Ploughing Championships in September, the new Octavia Exclusive has now gone on sale in both hatchback and Combi (estate) body styles.

Engine-wise, Skoda’s low CO2 diesels are retained including their current Band A, 1.6TDI, 105 bhp and current Band-B, 1.2 TSI 105 bhp direct injection petrol unit. The more power 2.0 TDI 140 bhp diesel unit is also available. And all engines are available with a seven-speed DSG automatic transmission option.

Electric cars – Are they a realistic option yet?

Fri, Sep 07, 2012

I had a long phone conversation this week with an evangelist for electric cars. With fuel gone through the roof, and neither a domestic oil industry nor a domestic car industry to keep happy, Ireland ought to be the perfect location for electric cars.

The return of traffic – don’t fall victim to road rage

Fri, Aug 31, 2012

Most of our schools will be back over the next week or so and that means an end to the holiday season and the return of commuting traffic. The towns and cities become much busier, the weather worsens and the impatience needle moves up the dial towards red.

Really special limited edition Skoda Superb

Fri, Aug 31, 2012

Skoda is celebrating its history by launching a special edition Superb L&K (Laurin & Klement). It is powered by Skoda’s well regarded 2.0TDI, 170 bhp diesel engine. The bad news is that just 40 units of this special edition Superb L&K are destined for the Irish market, writes Padraic Deane.

Stylish new Ford B-Max opens a practical world

Fri, Aug 24, 2012

I just been away to drive the Ford B-MAX, which arrives in Ireland in September with an entry level price of €19,170 ex-works. In the past decade, there have three things that I automatically expect when I drive a new model Ford for the first time. It will be among the best handling and most manouvrable cars, it will have a good sound system and finally, it will be functional. The new B-Max did not disappoint on all three, writes Padraic Deane.

The Ford easy access door system delivers new levels of convenience, access, and flexibility. It features conventional hinged front doors and rear sliding doors, combined in a new body design. This integrates the traditional central pillar structure into the front and rear doors, rather than forming part of the bodyshell itself.

Volvo V40 - Volvo’s most important car for twenty years

Fri, Aug 24, 2012

Volvo has launched its newV40, a new premium five-door, five-seater hatchback.

Vote with your feet with fuel buying

Fri, Aug 24, 2012

There is nothing like rising prices to convince people that they are being ripped off. I found this out again this week on the thorny subject of rising fuel prices.

Fuel is on the up again. As I have noted before, this is mostly down to a weakening Euro and the rising price of oil on world markets. The bad situation is made much worse by the extraordinarily high fuel taxes that we pay. These are pushing the average price for petrol up above €1.70 per litre.

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