The Irish Times - Motors

Fall in sales of vehicles with loans

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:34 GMT

MOTORING BRIEFS:The number of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has fallen to its lowest level in six years, according to a car history checking firm.

BMW's grand design

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:33 GMT

SOME OF US, it seems, are managing to cope with austerity better that others. Like the 100-odd people who bought cars such as the Audi A7 or Mercedes CLS in the first four months of the year. These are not, after all, cars designed for motoring in the practical sense. The emphasis here is on sportiness, coupe appeal and prestige. And they are not cheap.

Recalls puts owners at mercy of car makers

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:33 GMT

ALTHOUGH MOTOR vehicle recalls are an everyday fact of life, with hundreds of thousands of cars being called back in to have manufacturing defects fixed every year, there is no official monitoring of the situation in Ireland, where car companies are left entirely to their own internal devices when recalls are needed.

Audi's look of the Irish

Wed, 23 May 2012 00:05:33 GMT

WE MAY NOT BE able to boast of our own car brand or even a production plant, but Ireland can now lay some claim to a big-selling premium car. Audi’s new A3 owes its styling and design to a rising star in the car maker’s management who hails from Co Dublin.

Helpdesk

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:52:27 GMT

THIS WEEK:What does pre-registration mean to me?

A surprising, stunning and historical drive

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:52:27 GMT

IRELAND’S LAKELAND is a veritable series of surprises just waiting to be explored. There is so much to this area that it is hard to know where to begin but Lough Key, close to Boyle, is probably a good place to start.

Is the love affair about to end?

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:52:27 GMT

FOR SIX GENERATIONS (five, depending on your definition of what a generation is) we have venerated cars. We have given them the proportions of goddesses, the power of Atlas and spent the wealth of Croesus developing, designing and buying them. We don’t do this with other consumer goods.

Kia adds a real eyecatcher to the fleet

Tue, 15 May 2012 23:52:26 GMT

ROADTEST KIA OPTIMA:AS TWO HOODIE-CLAD teenagers approached the Kia in the rain-sodden Quickpark car park at Dublin airport, my first thoughts were not that this was going to be a discussion about the growing popularity of the Korean brand. It was a dirty, wet night and, with my luggage in the boot I resorted to the usual middle-aged response: frantically look for the central locking switch.

Need help scraping your car?

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:05:44 GMT

WITH CONCERNS growing over the number of unlicensed scrapyards in operation, a new website,scrapmycar.ie, has been created to help motorists legally dispose of their cars.

Super fast for the super rich

Wed, 09 May 2012 09:05:44 GMT

When the motoring world’s elite plan to spend they head straight to the Top Marques Show in Monaco.NICK HALLwent along for the ride

Helpdesk

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:31:50 GMT

THIS WEEK: What powers do Gardaí have at checkpoints?

New car market down 10.2% in 2012

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:31:50 GMT

The number of new private cars on the road has fallen by 10.2 per cent. According to figures from the Central Statistics Office 45,469 new cars were taxed for the first time between January and April, compared with 50,655 for the same four-month period last year. Figures for April show a drop of 16 per cent on the same month last year.

Opel to unveil Adam at Paris

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:31:50 GMT

OPEL HAS confirmed its new city car will be called Adam. The new car, which had been christened ’Junior’ during its development, will be unveiled at the Paris motor show in September and go on sale early next year.

Google self-drive gets its first licence

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:31:50 GMT

GOOGLE’S SELF-DRIVEN cars will soon be appearing on Nevada roads after that state’s Department of Motor Vehicles approved the first autonomous vehicle license in the US. The move came after officials rode along on drives on highways, in Carson City neighborhoods and along the famous Las Vegas Strip.

Seeking a surge but suffering range anxiety

Tue, 08 May 2012 23:31:49 GMT

Renault’s Fluence ZE may not scream its electric credentials to passers by, but it enthrals with its silent, serene progress and the immediacy of its power

Return to Ballaghbeama

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:39:48 GMT

GREAT DRIVES BALLAGHBEAMA GAP:This spectacular, winding pass in Co Kerry is worth a visit or two, writesBOB MONTGOMERY

What's driving the Irish to Germany?

Wed, 02 May 2012 13:39:47 GMT

In the 1980s, BMW employed many Irish emigrants on their production line. Now, they’re calling again, but this time the stakes are higher, writesDEREK SCALLY

Carmakers look to China to beat sales slump

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 12:57:40 GMT

Forecasts for China’s car market expect a rise to 30 million vehicles a year by the end of the decade, with the demand for luxury SUVs forecast to climb 49 per cent, writes CLIFFORD COONANin Beijing

Helpdesk

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:43:31 GMT

THIS WEEK: VRT refund scheme for exports is on the way

Death of motoring journalist

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:43:30 GMT

THE MOTORING world bid a sad farewell to Sunday Business Post motoring correspondent Ferdia O’Dowd this week.

Mazda looks to the Sky

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:43:30 GMT

MAZDA IS betting the farm on its new frugal SkyActiv technology as it seeks to revive stuttering sales and failing finances. The Japanese car maker, which posted a $1.2 billion loss last year is introducing the new fuel-saving tech to Ireland this week in the new CX-5 crossover.

Powerful S versions pack a serious punch for Audi

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:43:30 GMT

AUDI’S HIGH-POWERED S versions of its larger models take to the road this June and follow the downsizing theme of most car makers these days. Out goes the Lamborghini-derived 5.2-litre V10 and in its place is a twin-turbo V8.

Crouching saloon, hidden mean machine

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 23:43:29 GMT

ROADTEST BMW M5:YOU NEED TO have a pretty thick skin driving around in a new supercar in the middle of a recession. Even in the leafy oases of wealth dotted across the country, green-eyed monsters lurk at every traffic light.

Helpdesk

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:26:08 GMT

THIS WEEK:Size matters in upgrade from 2005 Nissan Note

Taking the Wicklow road less travelled

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:26:08 GMT

GREAT DRIVES A WICKLOW JAUNT:PETER WANDERWIDE was the pen name of one of the regular columnists in Irish magazine, the Motor News. Almost from the founding of the magazine in 1900, Peter contributed articles about motoring and, particularly, exploring the roads of Ireland by car.

New drink-driving sanctions proposed

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:26:08 GMT

MOTORISTS CAUGHT over the alcohol limit or driving dangerously may be subject to a new range of sanctions, including retraining or the requirement to fit an alcolock or speed monitoring system to their vehicle.

Fun in the sun without sand in your sambos

Tue, 17 Apr 2012 23:26:08 GMT

IT’S HOLIDAY booking time again, and while many of us will be drawn to the sunny skies and endless beaches of the Costas or the Adriatic Coast, all I see when I look at the photos in the travel agents is sunburn, seasickness and sand in my sandwiches.

Helpdesk

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:01:56 GMT

THIS WEEK: Dealing with diesel filters

VW wants to pay your insurance

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:41 GMT

VOLKSWAGEN IS offering free insurance and motor tax for a year to anyone who buys or takes delivery of any new VW car in April. The incentive applies to any model – except the Golf R – and is open to customers aged 25 or over with a full driving licence, no more than four penalty points over the last three years and has a minimum four years no claims bonus. The insurance part of the deal is being underwritten by Allianz.

Mercedes mid-size SUV for Irish market

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:40 GMT

MERCEDES HAS confirmed its new GL mid-sized SUV will go on sale in Ireland. In one of the oddest decisions in recent automotive history, the German brand decided to only build the prevous generation of the GL in left-hand-drive, thereby ruling out several major markets. This anomaly has been rectified with the second generation model, launched last week.

NYC gets new generation of yellow cabs

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:39 GMT

NEW YORK Citys next generation of yellow cabs will be a fleet of Nissan minivans featuring sliding doors, anti-bacterial seats, airbags in the back and outlets to charge mobile phones.

Jaguar's new arrival

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:39 GMT

SOME 50 YEARS after the legendary E-Type, Jaguar is finally set to create its successor.

911 was not the favourite son

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:39 GMT

WHEN ASKED to pick a favourite car, there are many who’ll instantly answer Porsche 911.

Can diesel hybrid meet expectations?

Tue, 10 Apr 2012 23:33:38 GMT

The world’s first diesel hybrid promises power and fuel savings, but the reality is not as tempting as the idea

3's a crowd-pleaser

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:15:57 GMT

BMW 3200 SPORT:It doesn’t look much different to the previous model, and some of the expensive extras should have come as standard, but the new BMW 3 Series certainly wins out on sheer performance and is, crucially, fun to drive, writesMICHAEL McALEER, Motoring Editor

Struggling to stand out from the crowd

Wed, 04 Apr 2012 08:15:56 GMT

FIRSTDRIVE KIA CEE’D:The Korean marque has enjoyed a remarkable rise in recent years, but while this family hatchback looks the part, it fails to match its main rivals on the road, writesMICHAEL McALEER

Sales down; Toyota ahead; electric lags

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:27:54 GMT

New car sales fell by nine per cent in March, bringing sales for the first quarter down by 4.3 per cent to 45,898, a drop of 2,068 on the same period last year.

Helpdesk

Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:27:54 GMT

MICHAEL McALEERanswers readers questions

Motorists pay €29 million in traffic fines

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:58:51 GMT

THE STATE collected more than €29 million in fines from motorists last year, compared to €18 million in 2006.

Helpdesk

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:58:51 GMT

THIS WEEK:Warranty problems after missing a service

Safety features not at a premium

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:58:51 GMT

CLEARLY, IF you drive home tonight and have a major accident on the way, you are going to think that automotive safety technology is the most important thing in the world. If you’re driving a car built in the last decade, you now stand a better chance than ever before of surviving even a serious accident – and even walking away without any significant injury.

Hyundai's new funky and functional hatch

Tue, 27 Mar 2012 23:58:50 GMT

ROADTEST HYUNDAI VELOSTER:IN ITS heyday the old Hyundai Coupé was the nearest thing most Irish motorists came to owning a sports car. We might have dreamt of Ferraris, but we drove Hyundais.

Helpdesk

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:57:14 GMT

THIS WEEK:sourcing petrol cars

Electric car savings still a long way off

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:57:13 GMT

ELECTRIC CARS will not decrease in price for “some years”, according to Audi’s senior executive in charge of alternative energy development, Frank Van Meel.

Mercedes sees the light in sports

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:57:13 GMT

FIRSTDRIVE MERCEDES-BENZ SL500:SPORT UND Licht, or Sporting and Light (SL) if you prefer the translation, is not something that has really been true about the two-seater Mercedes cars that have borne the abbreviated initials, at least not since the 1950s.

State spent €30m on goodwill payments for roads

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:57:13 GMT

THE STATE spent €30 million on goodwill payments to landowners for not obstructing agricultural land sales for road projects between 2007 and 2011.

The lion roars again

Wed, 21 Mar 2012 00:57:13 GMT

FIRSTDRIVE PEUGEOT 208: PEUGEOT HAS created the prodigal son of superminis. In the 1990s, it was the small hatch that others wanted to imitate. Its 205 – albeit in GTi form – adorned the bedroom walls of petrolheads from Mullingar to Majorca. While we were less enamoured by the more feminine wiles of its replacement 206, with its softer lines, we still admired its cheeky appeal.

Helpdesk

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:09:49 GMT

THIS WEEK:Retirement wheels

All drivers in France must carry breathalysers

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:09:49 GMT

THOSE OF you travelling by car to France for a holiday this year will have yet another item to remember to bring in the car, lest you incur a fine from the ever-watchful gendarmes.

Are you Up for a city car with style?

Wed, 14 Mar 2012 01:09:48 GMT

ROADTEST VOLKSWAGEN UP! (HIGH UP GRADE):OPEL’S PETROL-ELECTRIC range extender, the Ampera, may have won top prize in the coveted European car of the year competition this year, but the top-rated conventional car in the running was VW’s Up. It’s cold comfort perhaps for the German brand, but a very credible ranking when you consider the calibre of those ranked below it on the overall scoring charts. This is, after all, a small city car that out-scored the new Ford Focus, the glamorous Citroën DS5 and the gorgeous Range Rover Evoque.

New metal battles market pressure in Geneva

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 00:37:45 GMT

AS EUROPE’S middle classes – particularly in Ireland – baulk at the financial pressure brought on by the recession, the motor industry is suffering under its own squeezed middle. The household brands from France and Germany are being hotly pursued by the ever-improving Koreans in terms of value and quality, while the premium brands have decided they want to offer a more democratic spread of products.

It's a safety first from Volvo's V40

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:18:47 GMT

VOLVO PROMISES that, by 2020, no one will be killed in or by a Volvo. It’s a mind-boggling commitment and one that raised eyebrows to the roof when it was initially announced. The first questions that arose were whether the management board were planning on retiring en massein 2019 and passing on this primed PR grenade to a new board before the deadline.

Helpdesk

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:56:57 GMT

THIS WEEK:Fitting a family in a decent car

BMW to pay $3m for safety error

Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:56:57 GMT

HARD SHOULDER:BMW NORTH America will pay a $3 million fine to settle US government allegations that it failed to promptly notify auto regulators about safety defects and recalls.