Kadwahat Car

Volkswagen will show its second electric vehicle in its ID series at the Detroit International Auto Show in January, writes Brian Byrne . Following the Golf-sized ID Concept revealed at Paris this year, the second vehicle will be an MPV in format, with style links going back to the original 'Bulli' Microbus. It will be on the thoroughly modern Modular Electric Drive Kit platform, though, which underpins the first Concept. Volkswagen is showcasing connectivity, all-electric drive, and also developing autonomous driving with the platform. One aspect of the upcoming Concept is a steering wheel that retracts into the dashboard when autonomous operation is possible.

Skoda Ireland is expecting the arrival of the new 7-seat Kodiaq SUV to help boost the brand to a top five placing here in 2017, writes Brian Byrne . The car goes on sale in March. The Volkswagen-owned brand realised a 20pc increase in sales through 2016, setting a record delivery of over 9,500 new cars. Market share has now reached 6.5pc. The Irish operation dealer network is investing €12.5m in new showroom design. In financing, almost half of all cars sold through the network are purchased through Skoda Finance, with two-thirds of these using PCP options.

Gowan Distributors Limited, Peugeot Importers in Ireland, announced the 2016 Peugeot Dealer Aftersales award winners at the annual Peugeot Aftersales Conference, held at Croke Park. Peugeot Service Dealer of the Year was presented to Windsor Airside, Swords; Peugeot Parts Dealer of the Year was awarded to Holcroft Motors, Drogheda; Peugeot Accessory Dealer of the Year went to Slattery’s Garage Puckane; Peugeot Technician of the Year was given to Aidan Rock, Mongey Plunkett Motors, Dublin 11.

Maybe the present for the really keen car buff in your life? writes Brian Byrne . It’s the ultimate Mercedes-Benz E-Class, the Mercedes-AMG E63, the most powerful in the nameplate of all time. There’s a choice of V8 engines, the more powerful shaving the 3.4s 100km/h performance by a second. All-wheel drive and a 9-speed sports-calibrated automatic both feature. The car is differentiated from its normal siblings by wider wheel arches, a distinctive grille and a more aggressive stance. You can order it here, with a guide price ‘in the region of €125,000’, according the Mercedes-Benz Ireland’s Ciaran Allen. Yes, a special present indeed …

As Slovenia enters 2017 it is pushing to become a major green destination, following the declaration last September that it is the first green tourist destination country in the world. The country achieved a record 96pc level of compliance with the required sustainability criteria according to a comprehensive assessment by the international organisation Green Destinations. As the European Green Capital 2016, the country’s premier city Ljubljana (above) was at the forefront of the environmentally and socially aware European Union all year. A national Slovenia Green programme for assessing and promoting sustainability in tourism is making increasingly more recognisable as a country of sustainable tourism that is friendly to local communities and the natural environment. Slovenia is also ending 2016 with a golden vintage of its ‘green gold locally brewed beer. This year, visitors can taste this delicious brew from the first and only beer fountain in the world, located in Zalec.

Renault will be introducing the new generation Koleos and a pickup, the Alaskan, for the first time to Ireland in 2017, writes Brian Byrne . These will be in addition to the imminent arrival of the new generation Scenic and Grand Scenic. The new longer-range Zoe supermini EV will also land here, adding a further input into the growth of electric cars in Ireland, with its nominal 400-km range. There will also be a revised Clio. These follow a 2016 during which the new Megane was introduced in three variants. For the Dacia brand also owned by Renault there will be revised versions of the Sandero, Sandero Stepway and Logan MCV. Sales of Dacia in Ireland have reached almost 4,500 vehicles, of which over 2,000 are Duster SUVs. Overall, the Renault Group in Ireland is looking at a 25pc improvement in passenger cars orders for January orders compared to last year, and a 10pc growth in LCV orders, led by the new Trafic. Finishing out 2016, the Group expects to have achieved 9.4pc market share.

An Audi Q8 Concept to be revealed at the Detroit International Auto Show in January will preview a new flagship SUV for the brand, writes Brian Byrne . The company says the Concept is close to production level, and will bring the brand directly into the premium large SUV segment. Style, elegance and emotion are three keywords in the design language being used in the teaser campaign before the reveal. The Concept will have four equally comfortable seats, but the production model will likely provide three-row seating options.

One month before the 2017 FIA World Rally Championship gets underway at Rally Monte Carlo, Citroen Racing officially unveils its C3 WRC in Abu Dhabi. Complying with the new FIA regulations which sees the introduction of a new generation of World Rally Cars, the C3 WRC heralds the return of Citroen with eight manufacturers’ titles and no fewer than 96 wins to the brand’s name. For the 2017 season, the Citroen Total Abu Dhabi WRT will enter between two and four C3 WRCs for its crews; Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle, Craig Breen/Scott Martin, Stephane Lefebre/Gabin Moreau, and Sheikh Khalid Al Qassimi/Chris Patterson. Citroen’s ambitions for the next few seasons are to win races in normal conditions by beating their competitors, and then go for world titles in 2018.

Pickups are a bit like the 46A Dublin Bus, writes Brian Byrne , you wait for ages for one, and then a few come along. So, following the recent outing with the Toyota Hilux, and an earlier one with the SsangYong Korando Sport, I’ve just finished time with the latest update o5 the Volkswagen Amarok. The vehicle has been around since 2010, and for the 2017 model year there have been some minor external changes to bring the look into line with the rest of VW’s range. But the big change is in the engine bay, and I’ll get back to that in a while. It’s a big car. More than 5m in length (there’s a 5.9m version in some markets, with an extended bed), and imposingly tall, the review Double Cab variant offers plenty of metal visibility. In a practical style, though, so nobody is going to buy this one for cool looks. And that’s OK, because the Amarok is a true working mid-sized ‘truck’ as they put it in the US. Though it’s not available there, ironically because of an early 60s ‘Chicken Tax’ impos

According to the European New Car Assessment Programme Euro NCAP, the ‘Best in Class’ title has gone to the Volkswagen Tiguan in the ‘Small off-roader’ segment, writes T rish Whelan . This successor to the best-seller is among the safest cars in its segment. In June, the new Tiguan  passed the demanding Euro NCAP crash test series and received the maximum five star rating. With the NCAP test standards tighten again in 2016, this year, new child size dummies formed part of the testing equipment for the first time. The new Tiguan achieved an excellent result in occupant protection for adults and children. With standard ISOFIX and Top Tether child seat anchors in combination with safety belt tensioners on the second row of seats, children and adults are very well protected in the event of any frontal or side impact. On pedestrian protection, factors included the ‘active bonnet’ feature designed to help reduce dangerous head injuries in the event of a collision. The Tiguan also imp

Sharon Crowe, from Celbridge, Co Kildare, has long been a fan of the Ford Mustang and always hoped she could drive to the Church on her wedding day in the car, writes T rish Whelan . Unknown to her, her partner, Irish Army Sergeant Peter Buckley, secretly arranged for a red convertible Mustang Fastback to collect his bride on the morning of the wedding, just before Christmas. Sharon was bowled over when she saw the Mustang pull up outside her house. “It was really a lovely surprise. I have always loved the Mustang so it made me feel really special to be chauffeured in such a stunning car on our wedding day.” Peter and Sharon married in Ballymagarvey Village, Co Meath on 15 December and jetted off to Marbella for their honeymoon. Sharon’s Wedding Day Mustang was a 2.3, 317hp EcoBoost petrol right-hand drive model. The Mustang went on sale here early this year. 

Irish Olympic silver medal winner Annalise Murphy has renewed her association with Mercedes-Benz in Ireland as she begins preparations for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo, writes Trish Whelan . As part of a ‘Tier One’ partnership arrangement that sees Mercedes-Benz retain its status as the only vehicle manufacturer supporting Annalise’s bid for further Olympic glory, the 26-year-old Irish sailing sensation will shortly take delivery of a 171 registered Vito Mixto van for use in transporting her team, herself and her equipment to events, here in Ireland and overseas. Annalise says “The support of Mercedes-Benz, so valuable when preparing for the Rio Olympics,  ensures my plans to go one better in Tokyo are off to a great start.” Set to be a familiar sight at Laser Radial sailing events, the new extra-long 119E Vito comes with five leather-covered passenger seats, chrome grille, automatic cruise control and speed limiter, reversing camera, and a spacious load-carrying interior. The most

After refreshing its standard and RS variants of the Octavia, Skoda is completing thee upgrade with the Scout variant, writes Brian Byrne . The car launches with three engine variants and all-wheel-drive technology. Ground clearance has been increased by 30 mm in comparison to the Octavia Combi, and the car can manage rough terrain, has good climbing capability, and a high towing capacity Engines will include 1.8 turbo petrol with 180hp, and two 2.0 diesels of 150/184hp outputs. New technologies available will include provision of a WiFi hotspot for passenger infotainment systems, as well as a full range of safety technology.

Tomorrow, 21 December, is the annual ‘National Be Safe Be Seen Day’ organised by the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and ESB Networks. It’s the shortest and darkest day of the year. With fewer hours of daylight and deteriorating weather conditions during the winter months, the Day aims to remind all road-users how important it is to be seen by wearing high visibility material when out walking, cycling or motorcycling, and to use dipped headlights when driving. To date this year, 182 people have died on Irish roads, 32 more than this time last year. Vulnerable road users, such as cyclists, motorcyclists and pedestrians, accounted for over a third of these deaths, with 34 pedestrians, 10 cyclists and 20 motorcyclists having died on Irish roads so far this year.

Nicole Drought, 22, was today announced as the winner of sportswomen.ie's ‘Sportswoman of the Year 2016’. Despite only having made her Motorsport debut two years ago, Nicole has enjoyed plenty of success, becoming the first woman to be nominated for the Motorsport Ireland Young Driver Award in 2015, the first woman to win in Irish Touring Cars in 2016 and qualifying on the front row of the grid for her sportscar debut in Anglesey in North Wales when she joined the Global GT Lights for a round of their championship. Her 2017 plans will be announced shortly but Nicole intends to switch to sportscars with the intention of ultimately chasing a career on the European or World stage. Nicole was a winner in Irish Touring Cars in 2016, driving her Gem Oils, IT Monkey and Stapletons Bakery backed Honda Integra. Nicole travels to France in the new year to test a 370bhp Sprint Serie machine. She may compete in selected rounds of the 2017 series, should her calendar commitments allow. A native

Skoda has increased the power output of its Octavia RS petrol model by 10hp to 230hp, making it the most powerful series-production Octavia of all time, writes Brian Byrne . This follows a refresh of the Octavia some weeks ago, and the RS has also had changes to its front styling with a wider radiator grille, additional headlamps featuring a crystalline look, and wider air intakes with a honeycomb structure. The power output of the diesel model remains the same at 184hp. There are also new premium technologies supporting infotainment, connectivity and driver assistance system. The car is available in saloon and estate formats.

Audi Ireland has released Irish pricing and specs for its new five-door coupe, the Audi A5 Sportback, writes Trish Whelan . The car will launch here with five engine variants, three TFSI and two TDI. Pricing for the diesel engine models starts at €47,350 for the 2.0 TDI 150bhp SE; while petrol engine models start at €48,010 for the 2.0 TFSI 190bhp SE.  The range will also be available in a powerful 2.0 TDI 190bhp S ironic and a 2.0 TFSI 252bhp S tronic option.  The car now weighs 15kg less than its predecessor model, making it more agile and fuel efficient and the interior boasts 480 litres of luggage capacity. Standard equipment includes Xenon headlights with LED daytime running lights and LED rear lights as well as LED interior lights that illuminate key features. The new model contains the latest infotainment features including the Audi MMI navigation system with 7-inch colour display, Bluetooth and USB charging, a dedicated smartphone interface for iOS and Android devices and a 3-

Volkswagen is to introduce a longer variant of its Tiguan SUV for sale next summer, writes Brian Byrne . With an 11cm longer wheelbase than the standard vehicle, the Tiguan Allspace will be available with up to seven seats. The move is aimed at providing a Tiguan more suitable to the needs of the US and Chinese markets, where the car will be marketed simply as the Tiguan. It will debut at the Detroit International Auto Show in January.

Meath's Cian Carey was named as the winner of the Motorsport Ireland/Sport Ireland Young Driver of The Year Award earlier this week at a ceremony in Sport Ireland's Ballycoolin Campus. The 2016 BOSS Ireland Champion was one of three finalists chosen from the original nominees, the other two being Andy O'Brien and Jordan Dempsey. Driving his Mooretown Engineering Formula Renault car, Cian won the BOSS (Big Open Single Seater) Championship this year, scoring five wins and starring at the famous Leinster Trophy meeting at Mondello, where he charged to third place, only two F3 cars ahead of his at the chequered flag. For 2017, Cian will enter the British F3 Cup and his Mooretown Engineering team have already purchased a Dallara Formula 3 car for this purpose. In fact they travelled to Silverstone in November to test the car at the Walter Hayes Trophy meeting, with Cian winning his class and finishing second overall to an Arrows F1 car after a spectacular battle. Cian began moto

Picture of Mount Baldy courtesy Sun Valley Resort. Ski enthusiasts who have tried North America as a change from the usual European venues have usually come away very impressed, writes Brian Byrne . And while more usual destinations include Bannf in Canada and Vermont in the US, Idaho is another perfect winter getaway. With 28,000 vertical feet of terrain on over 18,000 acres, Idaho offers skiers spectacular scenery, 18 world-class resorts and exceptional ski trails located within the Idaho State Parks. Start planning your unique, family-friendly winter adventure! Sun Valley Resort Sun Valley Resort is America’s first destination ski resort that offers visitors the choice of two different mountains with activities for all skill levels, from beginners to advance. Also famous as Idaho’s most luxurious resort, it offers visitors excellent snow conditions on 3,200 feet of vertical drop, 26,000-square-foot family centre with everything from lessons to rentals to themed adventure trails for

It's a pity that the SUV trend has taken over from estate cars, and also that the medium-large saloon is a declining segment, writes Brian Byrne . Because these are the formats which I think produce some of the nicest and most practical cars. Indeed, most makers of estate cars now find some different way of describing them. So we have Sportbrake, Tourer, Sportswagon. Such as the first Kia Optima Sportswagon. One of the nicest of the latest batch, actually. First, though, let’s take a look at the segment, where the medium-sized car now represents roughly 10pc of all car sales. Dominated in order by the top five models, VW Passat, Ford Mondeo, Skoda Superb, Toyota Avensis and Opel Insignia. It’s hard for the smaller makes to impact here. In Kia’s case, a registration of some 425 Optimas this year is respectable against a total of 14,500 or so medium cars in the mass-market arena. But it’s still a tough push, and they’re very glad to have the Sportage SUV as their very popular top sel

The new-generation Citroen C3 has been launched in Ireland at a starting price of €15,490, writes Trish Whelan . Available with three petrol and two diesel engines, and a petrol automatic option, the cars comes in a choice of three grades and no less that 36 colour combination options of roof and body colour choices. Marketing Director of Citroen & DS Ireland Louise Murphy says the new car will use four distinct strengths to attracts new customers to the model — design, customisation, comfort and technology. Included in the exterior design is a development of the Airbumps which were introduced on the C4 Cactus. The interior has a number of echoes from the same car, including the leather-style door handles. The new C3 has significantly more legroom for occupants, and provides a generous 300L boot. Technology includes hill start assist, lane departure warning, reversing camera, speed limit recognition, and blind spot monitoring. There's also a forward-camera which can be used to

Ford Fusion autonomous test cars in the US. Eight in ten motorists across Europe says they'd 'relax and enjoy the scenery' if they were in a self-driving autonomous car, writes Brian Byrne . The survey commissioned by Ford also shows that seven in ten would use the time in the car  'chat on the phone' and almost two-thirds would 'have a bite to eat'. Some 16pc of respondents said they'd be quite happy to send their children to school on their own in an autonomous vehicle. Ford plans to start testing autonomous cars on European roads next year, and is planning to provide autonomous vehicle ride-sharing service in the US in 2021. Ford has committed to going direct to 'Level 4' autonomy, meaning the car is able to drive unmonitored in a specific use case such as a city area.

A Donegal-based road safety programme aimed at rehabilitating dangerous drivers has won the National Supreme Award at this year’s Road Safety Authority (RSA) ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’ Awards. Run by Gary Doggett and supported by Judge Paul Kelly and Garda Inspector Michael Harrison, the Pro-Social Drivers Programme is a driver rehabilitation programme which was established in 2012 to address the high instances of anti-social driving in Co Donegal. The programme consists of four modules — Emotional Control, Social Responsibility, Driving Under the Influence and Consequences. Referrals to the programme come from the Courts Service, the probation service, solicitors, concerned parents and individuals who recognise the need for training in this area. To date, 18 programmes have been completed with a total of 180 participants. A total of 37 individuals and organisations were honoured for their commitment and dedication to road safety at the ninth annual ‘Leading Lights in Road Safety’

A new E-Class Coupe has just been revealed by Mercedes-Benz to fly a heritage flag going back as far as 1968, writes Brian Byrne . Previously known as the CLK, and before that the 'Stroke Eight Coupe', the car is based on the Irish COTY 2017-winning E-Class saloon, and adds a number of technological refinements to those of its predecessor as well as a beautiful shape. The car will with the latest Mercedes-Benz 194hp 2.0 diesel, as well as 2.0 and 3.0 petrol engines with power outputs up to 333hp. Further engines and a 4Matic AWD variant will follow later. The new E-Class Coupe offers interior space in all directions better than its predecessor, while the vehicle itself is longer, wider and has a substantially longer wheelbase. All the connecting and safety technologies of the E-Class saloon and estate are available in the Coupe variant. More information closer to the Irish launch.

Owners of older vehicles, not fitted with daytime running lights, are being urged to leave their dipped headlights on during daytime, writes Brian Byrne . This advice is triggered by Continental Tyres Ireland, noting that the shortest day of the year is approaching on 21 December. "A lot of newer cars come with day-time running lights as standard," says Tom Dennigan of Continental Tyres Ireland. "This means they have lights on once the engine is running even during daylight time. This is a huge boost to road safety as the old adage for pedestrian safety: 'Be safe, be seen'! is equally true for motorists and other road-users. "However, there is a significant amount of older vehicles on our roads and many of these cars and vans do not have daytime running lights, so for the drivers of those vehicles our advice is to drive with dipped headlights all day long.  If motorists take this small step of always driving with their lights on, day and night, we believe it

Renault Ireland will sponsor Ireland's first ever Dancing with the Stars which begins on 8 January 2017 on RTE One, writes Trish Whelan . The marque's New Renault Megane Grand Coupe will feature in stings around the show which sees 11 well known faces take to the dance floor in the ShinAwil production. The celebrities will pair up with their professional dancing partners to test their twinkle toes. Each pairing will have a different dance to master every week from the cha-cha to mambo to tango and will have just seven days to perfect their routine before performing live. The line-up includes dietician Dr Eva Orsmond, sports commentator Des Cahill, Kerry footballer Aidan O'Mahony, reporter Teresa Mannion, Big Brother's Hughie Maughan, comedians Katherine Lynch and Des Bishop,  Fair City and The Fall actress Aoibhin Garrihy, and Red Rock - Love/Hate actress Denise McCormack. Amanda Byram and Nicky Byrne will present the first series. Paddy Magee, Country Operations Manage

The Toyota Dealer of the Year 2016 title has been awarded to Erne Motor Works, Co Cavan, writes Trish Whelan . In addition to the accolade, Erne Motor Works received a cheque for €5,000 which will be used to reward the staff for their excellent achievement. The ceremony took place in Dublin earlier this week. The annual Awards recognise the excellence achieved by Toyota Dealers and their staff who worked to ensure the success of the Toyota brand both locally and nationally. The Award for the Highest New Vehicle Sales in 2016 went to Toyota Long Mile, Dublin, who also took the Sales Dealer of the Year gong; the Hybrid Retailer of the Year 2016 went to Carroll & Kinsella Blackrock, Dublin; Part Sales Performer 2016 went to Tadg Riordan Motors Ashbourne, Co Meath; Accessory Sales Performer 2016 went to Kellys Sales & Service, Mountcharles, Co Donegal, while After Sales Performer of the Year 2016 went to Hugh Boggan Motors, Wexford. All the award winners are pictured above

The Megane family is growing with the introduction of a four-door version, the new Megane Grand Coupe available now to order from Renault’s 28 dealerships, writes Trish Whelan . Prices are from €21,990.  Its arrival completes Renault’s offering in the C-segment. The car was developed in tandem with the all-new Megane and benefits from the same features, technology and engine variants as its five-door sibling, but with added ‘record-breaking’ roominess for its class.  The generous level of space for all onboard is down to the car’s longer wheel base. The boot is larger than that in the Renault Fluence.  Other features, more commonly associated with the next segment up, include a colour head-up display, a 7-inch TFT colour screen instrument display and the R-LINK 2 multimedia and navigation tablet available in two formats (7-inch landscape or 8.7-inch portrait) as well as MULTI-SENSE technology which allows users to personalise their driving experience.  The car also benefits from many h

Earlier this week, a prized LaFerrari was sold at auction in Florida for $7 Million to benefit the reconstruction of Central Italy in the aftermath of the devastating earthquakes of 2016. The auction was held in conjunction with RM Sotheby’s and in collaboration with the National Italian American Foundation's Earthquake Relief Fund. The price achieved represents a record for the most valuable 21st Century automobile ever sold at auction. All proceeds from the auction will go toward the reconstruction efforts in the areas affected by the earthquake. RM Sotheby’s has graciously donated their expertise to raise the highest amount possible. The decision to donate a LaFerrari from the company’s own collection for this cause  was announced on 31 August 2016 on the occasion of the bilateral talks between the Italian and German governments that took place at the Ferrari factory in Maranello, Italy. The LaFerrari boasts a unique livery with a distinctly Italian theme: a red exterior with a

Opel has released the first full pictures of the new Opel Insignia Grand Sport, writes Brian Byrne . Key elements of the new car include the styling of a large coupe, overall lighter by 175kg over the current Insignia, AWD, and new generation intelligent LED lights. It is slightly longer, lower and has a wider track, and a longer wheelbase which improves both the ride quality and the interior space. The aerodynamics will be class leading with a CD number of 0.26. A full range of safety technologies will include a 'bird's eye' camera system. lane keeping assist, rear cross traffic alert, and more. The car will be revealed to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March and will then go on sale.