Motoring

A for effort, B for economy

Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
@galwayindo
Picture1_12.png Road Test: Ford B-Max MPV You know what, I may have given the B-Max a bit of a harsh time the first go-round. When I first drove Ford’s clever new compact people carrier, I was disappointed by its lacklustre new 1.5 diesel engine and equally disappointed by a ride quality that was just too firm and handling that felt too top heavy. And, while my criticisms of the diesel and the ride remain, having spent a bit more time with this, the 1.
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  • Supercar fondue at big Swiss show

    Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    For a country with no car industry of its own, Switzerland still manages, once a year, to play host to the most important motor show of the year. The Geneva motor show, or the Salon International De L'Auto to give it its correct title, is simply the biggest car industry bunfight of the season, with American, European, Japanese, Korean car makers meeting on neutral ground to show their latest wares to the world.
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  • Hyundai updates ix35

    Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Hyundai has brought a number of revisions and updates to its popular ix35 model, as it seeks to fend off increasing competition in the compact SUV and crossover segment. Since the original model’s sales launch in March 2010, ix35 has generated a high level of consumer demand.
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  • Subaru's hybrid hope

    Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Life has not been easy of late for either Subaru or its many fans. The strength of the Japanese Yen and the firm’s concentration on the more lucrative American market has meant that European and Irish Subaru lovers have seen something of a drought of new models.
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  • Audi names new boss for Ireland

    Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Audi Ireland has announced the appointment of Christian Gussen as the new head of Audi Ireland. Effective mid April 2013, Christian Gussen will take over from Andrew Doyle, who has moved to take up the position of Managing Director of Audi Australia.
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  • Car sales continue to fall

    Motoring Posted on 13/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    New car sales were down eight per cent in February compared to the same month last year, while sales to date are down 15 per cent overall, Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) indicate. Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HCVs) were up 16 per cent in February, while Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were down 18 per cent over the same period.
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  • Cross-dressing Crossover

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Picture1_11.png Road Test: Volvo V40 XC Any child of the eighties will remember the Matra Simca Rancho. This chunky 4x4-style vehicle was launched by a company that was teetering on the edge of being shut down by its US masters at Chrysler (it eventually was and sold off to Peugeot).
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  • Peugeot's 208 already setting production records

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Peugeot has produced the 300,000th unit of its award-winning new 208, just one year after production commenced. The 300,000th vehicle came from the PSA Peugeot Citroën production plant at Poissy.  Peugeot started building its new city car at the Poissy plant in January 2012.
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  • Citroen's 3 is the magic number

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    The new Citroen C3, set for launch on the Irish market in early summer in time for the new July registration, will make its public debut at the Geneva motor show and, Citroen hopes, will extend the success of the brand's leading model, which has sold in nearly three million units since 2002.
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  • Galway prizewinner keeps on truckin'

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Minister of State for Training and Skills at the Department of Education and Skills, Ciaran Cannon TD; Managing Director, Westward Scania, Joe Crann; Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar; and Gabriel Warde.
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  • Don't drive angry!

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Arguments and contentious conversations between couples in the car can drive them to distraction, GEM Motoring Assist, road safety organisation and breakdown cover company, has revealed. In the poll of UK motorists, 74 per cent admitted that their partner critiques their driving while they are in the car together.
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  • Heading out the door

    Motoring Posted on 06/03/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Vehicle exports out of Ireland are now at their highest level since the recession commenced, according to data expert Cartell.ie. Exports have increased by 61 per cent in the last six years. Exports in 2012 were six per cent higher than in 2011.
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  • Ever-Ready for road

    Motoring Posted on 27/02/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Picture1_10.png Road Test: Mercedes-Benz E300 BlueTec Hybrid The problem with hybrids is that they never work. OK, that may need a bit of explaining and context. Here it goes: the problem with hybrids is not precisely that they don’t work (clearly they do, as they go, stop and steer) but they never seem to work quite as well as you want them to.
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  • Breen boosts Peugeot

    Motoring Posted on 27/02/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Rally ace, Craig Breen, Irish International Driver of the Year 2012, has taken delivery of a new Peugeot 208 to celebrate his appointment as a Brand Ambassador for Peugeot Ireland. The new Peugeot 208 Active 1.
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  • Mitsubishi aims for deep space

    Motoring Posted on 27/02/2013 by Neil Briscoe
    @galwayindo
    Mitsubishi has launched the long-awaited replacement for the Colt with this, the new Space Star small car. Prices for the new model start from €11,995 and Mitsubishi promises it has been engineered to maximise fuel economy and minimise Co2 levels It delivers a claimed 70mpg with Co2 emissions of 100 g/km and under, giving you an annual road tax of just €180 in Tax Band A2.
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