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	PORSCHE CENTRE OPENS IN DUBLIN By Brian Foley • A new Porsche Centre opens for 2012 sales in Dublin. • Full range of new car sales, Porsche Approved pre-owned car sales, also parts and service facilities. The new Porsche Centre Dublin expands the existing Porsche Service Centre site on Rochestown Avenue and comes at a ...Continued

	NEW FORD 1.0 litre TURBO ENGINE By Brian Foley • Unique new 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine offered across Ford Focus range • Up to 125PS – same as 1.6 naturally-aspirated engine • Fuel economy of up to 58.9mpg • CO2 emissions as low as 109g/km, resulting in zero road tax (VED) in first year • Maximum eng ...Continued

	FORD’S HANDS-FREE PARALLEL PARKING IN BIG DEMAND By Brian Foley • More than 100,000 customers have placed orders for Active Park Assist, which helps drivers parallel park with the touch of a button and without ever touching the steering wheel • Ford has increased production threefold to meet demand for the ultrasonic-based sens ...Continued

	New 2013 Ford Fusion Road and Race Cars. By Brian Foley Fusion previews previews New Mondeo The American Ford Fusion (right)) is a preview of the new Ford Mondeo coming in 2013 and is pictured with a NASCAR racing version. The Fusion racer will make its debut in the famous Daytona 500 in February 2013. The new Mondeo will be the E ...Continued

	THE NEW MITSUBISHI PAJERO By Brian Foley The new Mitsubishi Pajero is the strongest, quietest, safest and smartest Pajero ever built. Now with 200BHP and a massive 441NM of torque, it has an increased towing capacity of up to 3,500kg, CO2 emissions of just 207g/km, and imore efficient in returning up to 36.2 mpg. Its Sup ...Continued

	Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 - The World’s First Diesel Electric Car PRICES ANNOUNCED By Brian Foley The new Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4, the world’s first diesel electric hybrid is now available to pre-order in Ireland with full prices and specifications just announced for the multi-award winning vehicle. Available from €36,995 plus dealer delivery related charges, the 3008 HYbrid4 will be previewed at P ...Continued

	Volvo Looking Good Going Forward By Brian Foley Great achievements and more to come • Total sales reached 449,255 cars, an increase of 20.3 per cent over 2010 • In Ireland sales improve by 35%, the 3rd fastest growing brand in 2011 • SPA - Scalable Produ ...Continued

	American Honda Display New NSX Supercar Concept at 2012 Detroit Motor Show By Brian Foley American Honda displayed the new NSX Concept for the first time at the Detroit motor Show, highlighting the design and technology direction for the next-generation supercar. Badged as an Acura in the US, the new NSX, which is expected to go on sale worldwide in the next three year ...Continued

	RANGE ROVER EVOQUE AWARDS PASS THE HALF CENTURY MARK By Brian Foley • 53rd award received: Prizes from across the globe boost Range Rover Evoque's honours collection • Prestigious 4x4 title: 4x4 Magazine awards 4x4 of The Year title to Evoque The Range Rover Evoque has added more awards to its portfolio, taking t ...Continued

	CRAIG BREEN to CONTEST WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP By Brian Foley World Academy Champion Craig Breen is to contest World Rally series in 2012. After clinching the FIA WRC Academy title on a dramatic final stage on Wales Rally GB, Craig is now set to take the next step in his 'World Rallying' career. The Irish driver will enter a full season in SWRC (Super 2000 Wor ...Continued

	Ireland’s Craig Breen Crowned FIA WRC Academy World Rally Champion 2012 By Brian Foley In a dramatic high tension climax to the FIA WRC Academy Championship, Irish driver Craig Breen was crowned World Rally Championship Academy Champion and claimed prize of €500,000 amidst jubilant scenes at the end of Wales Rally Great Britain. Breen campaigned a Ford Fiesta 1600 Sport in the series. ...Continued

	The New Peugeot 208: Re-Generation By Brian Foley Peugeot has released the first official photos of its new supermini 208, due for launch in 2012. The new car will be available in both 3 and 5-door hatchback and is a logical progression of the successful of the Peugeot 205 and 206 and the European best-selling 207 The new Peugeot 208 is smal ...Continued

	Opel Insignia for 2012: Lower fuel consumption and added luxuries By Brian Foley Opel announce further improvements to the Insignia model range for 2012, with emphasis on reduced running costs. On going engine and chassis engineering have led to impressive improvements in the fuel economy of the entire range, without any compromises in performance: The 2.0C ...Continued

	FAST FORDS FOR SALOON AN FORMULA FORD RACING By Brian Foley Of all the motor manufacturers, Ford has by far the greatest number of successes in every type of motorsport from World Formula 1 Grand Prix, World Rally and Sports Car wins and championships, Indycar and NASCAR, to saloon racing, national and club racing and rallying worldwide. As part of t ...Continued

	All Go New Opel Astra GTC By Brian Foley December 2011 will see the arrival of the all go new Opel Astra GTC - prices starting from just under €23K (ex-delivery), The GTC sports the sophisticated front suspension from the Insignia OPC, featuring Opel’s HiPerStrut (High Performance Strut), combined with the clever Watt’s link rear axle for ...Continued

	NEW TOYOTA AURIS HYBRID SYNERGY DRIVE® By Brian Foley • First and only full hybrid powertrain in the C-segment • Low cost of ownership – lowest CO2 emissions of 93 g/km and exceptional fuel economy of 4.0l/100 km • Maximum hybrid system power of 136 Bhp gives performance to match conventional 2.0 litre diesel or petrol hatchback ...Continued

	NEW 3rd GENERATION TOYOTA YARIS By Brian Foley • Maximised interior roominess and load space length • 6.1” multi-media touchscreen as standard on Luna and Sol grades • Low CO2 emissions for an annual road tax of only €104 • Added safety systems including Vehicle Stability Control and 7 airbags The new 3rd ...Continued

	Ford Focus Wagon for style, space and sheer practicality. By Brian Foley The new Ford Focus range in Ireland has been completed with the recent arrival of the striking new Focus Wagon model. The all new Ford Focus was launched in 4 and 5-door versions last March and is on track to be the top selling car in Ireland for 2011. The arrival of the stylish ...Continued

	Peugeot’s World-First Diesel Electric Hybrid Coming to Ireland By Brian Foley The new Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4, the world’s first full diesel electric hybrid, will be launched in Ireland in December 2011, in time for January 2012. The environmentally friendly, ground-breaking car introduces a combination of diesel and electric power and delivers a real breakthrough in technology ...Continued

	Volkswagen to cut costs, boost profit By Brian Foley Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn wants to cut costs and boost profits further as part of its mission to rise to the top of the automotive world by 2018 with global vehicle sales of more than 10 million units and a profit margin of more than 8 percent. "We are not just increasing volume but co ...Continued

	The New Civic due in December By Brian Foley The stylish new Honda Civic was officially launched at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show and is expected here in December.. Designed and developed specifically for the European market, the new Civic will be offered as a five-door hatchback and will compete in the C Segment. The new Civic retains much of ...Continued

	EXCITING JAGUAR C-X16 'PRODUCTION CONCEPT' Spiritual successor to the legendary Jaguar E-Type By Brian Foley • C-X16 is a bold statement of Jaguar's future design and technological intent • A compact, rear-wheel drive, two-seater, with a true sporting character, underpinned by immensely strong aluminium architecture - perfect 50:50 weight distribution • Powered by an innovative supercha ...Continued

	SUPERCARS AT FRANKFURT SHOW By Brian Foley Despite the economic turmoil in the Euro Zone and globally, the motor industry is putting on a dazzling display of new models at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September in a show of unprecedented optimism. As well as the latest small cars and family cars, compact SUV's, a plethora of electric cars, w ...Continued

	ETERNITI - a new SUPER SUV By Brian Foley Eterniti is a new British brand and a new name. Based in London, the first Eterniti model will be a Super SUV, aimed at a new ultra-luxurious high end market sector which Bentley and Lagonda are also looking at, and with potential sales from London to Asia The Super SUV and future models will com ...Continued

	NEW VOLKSWAGEN UP! MINICAR By Brian Foley The first photos of the Volkswagen up! have been released, ahead of the new small car making its debut at the Frankfurt motor show in September. Concept versions of the up! were of rear-engined design, but VWhave gone all conservative with the front-engine/front-wheel-drive production models. ...Continued

	INNOVATIVE AUDI ELECTRIC CITY CAR CONCEPT By Brian Foley • An innovative urban concept car with 1+1 seats • Sleek cockpit made from CFRP, free-standing wheels with protective plates • Elaborate suspension design, compact electric drive system for sporty performance The Audi urban concept combines elements of a racing car, ...Continued

	Kia Motors Ireland announce details of All-New Picanto By Brian Foley • Prices from €11,495 for LX Model. • EX model €12,595 • Annual Road Tax €104 – CO2 99g/km • Class leading safety equipment levels • Kia 7 Year Warranty. Kia Motors Ireland have announced the prices and specs of the All New Picanto Range The n ...Continued

	JAGUAR GOES ELECTRIC - AND JAY LENO DRIVES IT! By Brian Foley Jaguar is synonymous with power and performance. This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the iconic Jaguar E-Type which has been voted Britain's Favourite Sportscar. The E-Type was a road going development of the famous Le Man-winning D-Type. By contrast, the very idea of Jaguar going electric soun ...Continued

	CHEVROLET in SOUTH AFRICA By Brian Foley Chvrolet is currently fairly low key in Ireland, pending a new marketing strategy for a number of important new models. By contrast, Chevrolet is big in South Africa, particularly the Spark, a compact city car with stand out styling, the very smart mid-size Cruze and the Captiva SUV. Other Chrevrole ...Continued

	NEW HYUNDAI MODELS AND AWARDS By Brian Foley New Hyundai models shortly on sale are the stylish and spacious i40 saloon and Tourer, and the dramatic Velostar coupe. The i40 4-door saloon and Tourer (estate) are mid-size family cars featuring high specification and top quality build and finish. The range of low emission and fuel economy engine ...Continued

	NEW HONDA CR-V and CIVIC By Brian Foley New Honda models on the way are the CR-V and Civic. A concept version of the new CR-V (illustrated) shows the big break in styling from the current model. With the new look also will come a range of more eco friendly and economical petrol and diesel engines. The CR-V is an all-weather SUV with goo ...Continued

	FRANK KEANE RE-OPENS MAXWELL MOTORS By Brian Foley Frank Keane Holdings has bucked the trend that has seen over 100 motor dealerships close over the last three years by announcing the re-opening of Maxwell Motors and employing 18 people. This follows the purchase of the business as a going concern from Grant Thornton, the receiver appointed by Ulste ...Continued

	Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel Electric Hybrid for September debut By Brian Foley The Peugeot 508 RXH is an exclusive new all-road diesel-electric hybrid which will make its world premiere at the Frankfurt International Motor Show in September. The 508 saloon and SW (estate) were launched on the Irish market in spring, and already the new models are a familiar sight on our roads. ...Continued

	New Ford Focus ST on Track Prototype Testing Underway from Californian Freeways to Germany's famous Nürburgring By Brian Foley Ahead of its launch in 2012, the development of Ford’s sporty new Focus ST is on track as Ford engineers in the US and Europe put prototypes through a punishing regime to hone performance and driving dynamics. On two continents, Ford’s Team RS and SVT engineering teams are putting a fleet of around ...Continued

	New Audi A6 Avant combines elegance with estate car practicality By Brian Foley • Orders are now been taken for the new Audi A6 Avant, listed from €46,450 on the road price (OTRP), with first customer deliveries commencing in early October. The new estate comes with the same high levels of standard equipment as its saloon sibling, the A6 saloon which was launched ...Continued

	NEW TOYOTA YARIS By Brian Foley The Toyota Yaris is one of the all time popular superminis, and the current model will be replaced by the stylish new Yaris later this summer or into autumn. Made in France, the new Yaris will sportl several innovative features including a touch-screen dash display. There will be the usual choice ...Continued

	NEW SUZUKI SWIFT DDiS - THE STYLISH SUPERMINI WITH COMPACT RUNNING COSTS By Brian Foley Suzuki announce the addition of the low emissions 1.3-litre DDiS model to the recently launched Swift range. The new Swift DDiS uses a new 75PS 1.3-litre engine, offers low emissions of 109g/km with combined fuel consumption of 4.2 litres of fuel for 100kms or 67.3mpg, giving an estimated driving ra ...Continued

	New Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet arrives in August By Brian Foley The new VW Golf Cabriolet is a car for all seasons, and at it's best when the sun is shining. The four-seater Volkswagen is a versatile cabriolet thanks to its practical features and the sophisticated design of its soft top which opens fully automatically in 9.5 seconds, which can be operated while ...Continued

	New Opel Zafira Tourer for September debut By Brian Foley The Opel Zafira Tourer makes its world premiere at the 64th International Motor Show in Frankfurt am Main, September 15 - 25, 2011. Of The “Tourer” in the name marks a quantum leap forward in design and flexibility. With an extensively re-designed Flex7 seating system, the third ...Continued

	The Honda Accord 2011 gets a new look; is more eco-friendly and costs less By Brian Foley The Honda Accord for 2011 gets a freshed look, improved driving comfort, lower CO2 emissions, and improved fuel economy, plus lower prices. The latest Honda Accord also features minor changes to safety, ride and handling, as well as exterior and interior refinements. Five variations of the revamp ...Continued

	WORLD CAR AWARDS By BRIAN FOLEY Nissan Leaf is the 2011 World Car of the Year The Nissan Leaf is the 2011 World Car of the Year. The Japanese all-electric car was chosen from an initial entry list of thirty-nine (39) new vehicles from all over the world, then a short list of ten, then three ...Continued

	New Mazda CX-5 Compact SUV By Brian Foley Mazda Motor Corporation announce that its all-new compact crossover SUV will be called the Mazda CX-5. The CX-5 will be the first production vehicle to incorporate ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ Mazda’s new design theme that premiered on the Mazda SHINARI concept car last year, along wi ...Continued

	PHOENIX PARK RACES CANCELLED AGAIN By Brian Foley For the second successive year the Phoenix Park motor races are cancelled. Due to have been held on August 13/14th, the main reason for the cancellation is lack of sponsorship/money. Unlike sporting events held in enclosed venues, such as football stadia, horse racing courses, golf, etc., specta ...Continued

	New Peugeot 508 Prices and Equipment By Brian Foley Peugeot has announced price and specification details for the new Peugeot 508 family car due for launch in Ireland this April.Prices start from €24,850 (plus dealer delivery related charges). Available from launch in both saloon and SW guise, three variants will be offered: Acces ...Continued

	The New Volkswagen Touareg By Brian Foley The new Volkswagen Touareg offers a combination of superior off-road capabilities, a high level of comfort and overall high efficiency. Lighter and up to 20 per cent more fuel efficient than the model it replaces, the new Touareg is sharper and cleaner and retains all the space, c ...Continued

	THE GO-FASTER MINI COOPER SD - powered by 2.0 litre Diesel Engine By Brian Foley Coming just months after the launch of the MINI Countryman and the new MINI Family, MINI has announced that the MINI Cooper SD will be the most powerful diesel variant in the MINI line-up. - - on sale in late Spring 2011. The new 2.0 litre/143hp available in all MINI body types – Hatch, Convertible, ...Continued

	TOYOTA LAUNCHES NEW GENERATION LAND CRUISER By Brian Foley 60th Anniversary of World’s Best-Selling 4WD Toyota Ireland Land Cruiserannounce the arrival of the new generation Land Cruiser, in this the 60th anniversary year since it was first introduced. The legendary Land Cruiser is the world’s best-selling 4WD with over 5 million custo ...Continued

	SNOW DRIVING IN A SEAT By Brian Foley The artic weather conditions in December are now only a memory, but for the many motorists who had to contend with the hazardous conditions of snow and ice it was a nightmare. When the first snow fell heavily in North Kildare, all roads that were not cleared and/or gritted were virtually impassi ...Continued

	The new BMW 1 Series Coupé and Convertible By Brian Foley • Increased efficiency through race-bred aerodynamic Aero Curtain technology • Lowered CO2 levels across the range • Generous standard specification • Over €1800 added value for Sport models • On sale 26 March, 2011 Not to be upstaged by the laun ...Continued

	Mazda2 gets a Facelift for 2011 By Brian Foley • Upgraded Mazda2 on sale now • 1.3-litre petrol engine now falls into Road Tax Band A • Enhancements to interior and exterior design • Specification improvements including introduction of the Sport Model • Scrappage prices from €11,895 The Mazda2 ...Continued

	FIAT IRELAND TO MARKET CHRYSLER AND JEEP IN 2011 By Brian Foley Fiat 500 TwinAir Launch The new twin-clinder Fiat 500 TwinAir is now on sale. A latest version of the little 500 is a fun car with a really sporty personality – however, not too sure about that bright blue colour, certainly not for macho male drivers! The Fiat takeover of Chrysler will begi ...Continued

	Jeep Unveils New Compass By Brian Foley • Updated Jeep Compass SUV styling takes cues from flagship Grand Cherokee model • Interior and chassis also heavily revised • New 2.2-litre diesel engine for European models • Expect in Ireland by Summer 2011 ...Continued

	Opel Ampera – Revolutionary Electric Car Starts From €42,900 By Brian Foley • Environmentally Friendly: Family car drives 40 - 80 km electrically • Freedom: Battery re-charges in three hours; endless e-driving possible • No Anxiety: Range can be extended to more than 500 km when needed • Spacious: Five-door car seats four ...Continued

	Upgrades on the Toyota Auris, Yaris and Verso for 2011 By Brian Foley Toyota Yaris, Auris and Verso models feature upgrades for 2011. Auris Sport The new Auris Sport comes in both 3 and 5 door hatchbacks comes with a rear sport spoiler, sports seat trim, rear and rear side privacy glass, 16” alloy whees and a Bluetooth mobile phone connection an ...Continued

	NEW HONDA CR-Z HYBRID SPORTSCAR By Brian Foley The Honda CR-Z is the world’s first 6-speed manual hybrid car. The dramatic looking CR-Z is a practical and versatile 2 plus 2 coupe with distinctive ‘bob tail’ rear styling. Typical of all Honda models, the built quality, finish and equipment are to the highest standards.. The 1.5 litre i-VTEC eng ...Continued

	ALL NEW MAZDA5 MPV PUTTING ON THE STYLE FOR THE FAMILY OF 2011 ! By Brian Foley • An all new Mazda5 goes on sale in January 2011, priced from €24,995* • Introduction of a 1.6-litre (115ps) Diesel Engine with 6-speed gearbox. Tax Band B • Seating for up to seven people with Sliding Side Doors for convenience and safety. • Enhanced The all ...Continued

	RENAULT RACE AHEAD WITH VALUE-FOR-MONEY CARS By Brian Foley Renault has been the big success story in Irish cars sales this year, will continue to offer the guaranteed double scrappage on all cars purchased in the month of November for 2011 registrations. So, motorists can buy a 2011 Renault NOW at today’s transaction price with double scrappage. Even if t ...Continued

	NEW FORD C-MAX and GRAND C-MAX By Brian Foley Coming shortly from Ford are the new C-Max and Grand C-Max. Both models are best described as user-friendly family cars. Compact in overall size, the C-Max comes in two distinct versions, 5-door and 7-door. As well as an increase in overall length and height, the major difference between the two is ...Continued

	FORMULA ONE NEWS By Brian Foley After 15 of 19 Grands Prix, Mark Webber leads the 2010 World Championship on 202 points.from Fernando Alonso (191), Lewis Hamilton (182), Sebastian Vettel (181) and Jenson Button (177). From winning last year’s championship Jenson Button left Brawn to join fellow Brit and 2008 champion Lewis Hami ...Continued

	World Premiere of the New Volkswagen Passat in Paris By Brian Foley Following over 15 million sales in 100 countries around the world , Volkswagen has unveiled the seventh generation of the Passat at the Paris Motor Show. The new Passat is not only the most advanced yet but also the most efficient, with both the 1.6TDI 105bhp and 2.0TDI 140bhp engines in VRT band ...Continued

	OPEL ASTRA GTC at PARIS SHOW By Brian Foley Amongst all the glitter and glitz at the Paris Show, the Opel Astra GTC stands out for style plus everyday practicality, literally upstaging all the outrageous and ultra expensive supercars. Based on the Astra platform and mechanicals, the GTC on show in Paris is a concept car - a teaser for a prod ...Continued

	NISSAN GOING FORWARD By Brian Foley Busy times ahead for Nissan going forward into 2011 with a number of significant new models. The Qashqai has been a huge success story for Nissan, and the momentum is being maintained at such a pace that the Sunderland plant in Britain is now operating on three shifts to cope with demand for the la ...Continued

	Honda Jazz Hybrid debuts at Paris Motor Show By Brian Foley The Jazz Hybrid will make its world motor show debut at the Paris Motor Show, which takes place from October 2nd to 17th further demonstrating Honda’s continuing commitment to petrol-electric hybrid technology. The Jazz Hybrid will be launched in Europe in 2011 when full details of price and speci ...Continued

	The new BMW X3 made in the USA, on sale in Ireland in November By Brian Foley Production of the first generation of the BMW X3 Sports Activity Vehicle (SAV) ceased at the plant of the Austrian production partner Magna Steyr in Graz on 1st September. Production of the new BMW X3, which will be launched in Ireland on 20th November 2010, began on the same day at the BMW Spartanb ...Continued

	ALL-NEW MITSUBISHI ASX By Brian Foley The ASX is Mitsubishi’s new versatile family car with the space of a people carrier, the styling of an SUV and the running costs of a small hatchback. Launched on September 8th, the ASX is available with two engine choices, a 1.6L petrol and a 1.8L common rail direct injection diesel ...Continued

	Mazda’s New Design Theme: ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ By Brian Foley The Mazda Shinari is an expression of Mazda’s new design theme, ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ ,. That’s how Mazda describe their latest concept car which has all the air of a practical and upmarket furure production model, to take on the high end European sports-saloons Since launching ...Continued

	CITROËN DS3 RACING – LATEST ‘HOT HATCH@ By Brian Foley Citroën has released full details and pricing for the hotly anticipated DS3 Racing, for which orders are now being taken. Developed by Citroën Racing - the winning team behind five Citroen WRC Manufacturer’s titles and six Driver’s titles - DS3 Racing has an impressive sporting ped ...Continued

	MITSUBISHI ANNOUNCE PRICING for iMiEV ELECTRIC MICROCAR By Brian Foley Mitsubishi Motors Ireland announce the launch price of the Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (i-MiEV) in Ireland. For initial orders delivered to customers from January 1st 2011, the retail price will be €28,995, which includes the €5,000 Government grant. The price is also inclusive of batter ...Continued

	TOYOTA VERSO-S debuts at PARIS SHOW By Brian Foley The all new Toyota Verso-S makes it's world debut at the Paris Motor Show in October, and is scheduled to go on sale in ireland early in 2011. The Verso-S is a hybrid featuring technology based on that of the Auris HSD (hybrid), and can be fitted with a variety of power units. It's a family f ...Continued

	NEW LEXUS IS200d DELIVERS LOWER PRICES, EMISSIONS AND ROAD TAX By Brian Foley • Reduced prices with IS200d starting from €34,68 • New 150bhp, 2.2 litre IS 200d engine with Tax Band B CO2 emissions. • Revised exterior and interior styling for a more distinctive look and character. • Newly launched F-Sport grade infl ...Continued

	NEW CITROËN DS4 – FIRST DETAILS By Brian Foley Citroën has released first details for the new DS4, the second model in Citroën’s distinctively-styled DS line. The new DS4 combines practicality with a dynamic coupé-style body, featuring a large panoramic windscreen, offering enhanced occupant visibility, illuminates the driver-focused cockpit, ...Continued

	New MG to star at MPH featuring Top Gear Live events By Brian Foley The first all-new MG in 15 years will be the star at two of the biggest motor shows in Britain this autumn when the UK specification MG6 is unveiled at the MPH featuring Top Gear Live events in November. MG6 is a 1.8-litre five-door fastback designed and engineered in the UK and w ...Continued

	ALL REVVED UP FOR THE CANNONBALL RUN 2010! By Brian Foley The Cannonball Run in aid of Barretstown is back and ready to roll on September 10th 2010! In 2009 the 1st Cannonball run successfully raised over €100,000 for Barretstown to help rebuild the lives of children effected by childhood cancer. The organisers are now taking last entries for 2010 with a ...Continued

	TOYOTA COROLLA 2010 – Lower emissions and enhanced design for Ireland’s most popular C segment saloon By Brian Foley The Toyota Corolla, the 10th generation of the world’s best-selling car, now comes with more sophisticated exterior styling, further enhanced, higher quality interior design, and lower emissions with Toyota Optimal Drive technology. • More dynamic exterior design • Enhanced in ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES CLS By Brian Foley The new Mercedes-Benz CLS will make its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October. More a revamp than an all new design, the latest CLS retains the long and low-slung lines of the familiar 4-door Coupe, plus the mechanicals. New frontal styling features LED lights, also new are the flared wheel arc ...Continued

	VOLVO’S 40 YEARS OF RESEARCHING ‘REAL’ ACCIDENTS By Brian Foley For 40 years, Volvo Car Corporation's Accident Research Team has studied, documented and analysed over 40,000 traffic accidents involving Volvo cars in the real traffic environment. The knowledge gained has helped develop many of the new and innovative safety systems Volvo has launched over the year ...Continued

	Australian fans epic drive to MG Birmingham factory By Brian Foley MG fans from Australia completed an epic 13,000 mile trip half-way around the world and were flagged over the finish line at MG Motor UK’s factory in Birmingham. It marked the completion of a four month adventure through 17 countries by members of the MG Gold Coast Club. The cavalcade of classic MG ...Continued

	THE NEW BMW X3 By Brian Foley Key features of the new BMW X3 are: • New design • Significantly increased space, enhanced driving comfort, optimised functionality • Eight-speed automatic transmission, innovative suspension technology • Two new engine variants – BMW X3 ...Continued

	PHOENIX PARK MOTOR RACES CANCELLED By Brian Foley The following Press Release is sad news indeed for Irish motor racing, and indeed for Irish sport in general. "It is with sincere regret that Motorsport Ireland announces that this year’s racing event in the Phoenix Park is cancelled. The funds required to build th ...Continued

	THE ALL NEW VOLVO S60 in VOLVO DEALER SHOWOOMS from MID-AUGUST By Brian Foley • The first opportunity to see the stylish new Volvo S60 in Ireland will be from mid August, when the first cars start arriving in Volvo Dealer Showrooms around the country. • All-new Volvo S60 starts from €32,250* (D3 S) • Four luxury specification levels – S, ES, SE and SE Lux ...Continued

	October Launch for New Kia Sportage By Brian Foley • New low emission 1.7 Diesel engine • Reduced running costs and Road Tax( €156) • 1.7D 4 X 2 • 2.0 D 4 X2 & 4 X 4 • Sales of 500 units forecast for 2011 Kia Motors Ireland will launch the new Sportage in October .The new models will be available ...Continued

	NEW PEUGEOT 508 - FIRST DETAILS AND IMAGES By Brian Foley Peugeot has released the first official photographs of it's new 508 saloon and SW models, ahead of their international debut at this October's Paris Motor Show. The stylish Peugeot 508 range features choice of award-winning petrol and diesel engines, high levels of quality and safety in comfortable ...Continued

	NEW LOOK MINI MODELS By Brian Foley The MINI get a whole new look with eye-catching design modifications, also additional engine variants, an all-new selection of diesel engines and innovative new equipment features. The changes introduced for the MINI, MINI Clubman and MINI Convertible are precisely according to customer specifica ...Continued

	NEW OPEL MERIVA HAS ARRIVED IN IRELAND By Brian Foley Three Trim Levels from Meriva S to Meriva SE The innovative, f lexible and stylish new Opel Meriva has arrived in Ireland and is on sale through Opel dealerships nationwide.The all new Meriva comes comes in choice of three attractive trim levels and five engine variants. Wits it's u ...Continued

	RENAULT LAUNCHES NEW MEGANE COUPE-CABRIOLET By Brian Foley • New Mégane Coupé Cabriolet available from €31,900. • High specification level includes: 17” alloys, Bluetooth, panoramic electric glass folding roof, fixed glass wind deflector, Renault hands free keycard and fully integrated Carminat TomTom navigation system • Two diesel engine op ...Continued

	2011 Model Year Volvo S40 & V50 increases specification and value By Brian Foley • SE Lux specification price reduced by €1,215. • Improved standard & optional equipment • New and improved engine line up Extra specification at no extra price* The Volvo S40 and V50 ranges offer a combination of well sized and well specified pr ...Continued

	ULSTER RACING CAR DESIGNER JOHN CROSSLE TO RECEIVE HONORARY DEGREE By Brian Foley John Crosslé, the internationally respected racing car designer and manufacturer, will be presented with a Doctor of Science degree (DSc) from the University of Ulster on Thursday 1st July 2010, for services to engineering and manufacturing. The encomium will be delivered by the Pro-C ...Continued

	The new BMW 5 Series Touring By Brian Foley Hot on the heels of the new BMW 5 Series Saloon that went on sale in March, BMW’s large estate, the 5 series Touring, reaches the Irish market in September 2010. Initially available in four derivatives, the new BMW 5 Series Touring comes in 523i and 535i Petrol models and two diesel models, th ...Continued

	Timbaland headlines with U.S. Country Singer Michelle Branch at ‘MINI Countryman Open Air’. By Brian Foley Against the back-drop of the metropolis’ skyline and in amongst the green fields of Mudchute Farm in London, celebrations for the launch of the new MINI Countryman culminated in world-exclusive performances by megastar producer, Timbaland and U.S. country singer Michelle Branch at the ‘MINI Countrym ...Continued

	Euro NCAP crash test: 5 stars for the new BMW 5 Series. By Brian Foley The new BMW 5 Series has passed the latest Euro NCAP crash test with the top rating of 5 stars. The sixth generation of the model series performed impressively on the test with its comprehensive safety fittings as standard plus a highly effective vehicle occupant protection system for various diffe ...Continued

	NEW CITROEN C4 in 2011 By Brian Foley A new Citroen C4 is coming in 2011. Based on the very successful current C4, the new model is slightly bigger with an exceptionally large boot. It will incorporate all the high technology associated with Citroen plus some innovative features. More details to come. ...Continued

	MINI IRELAND CONFIRMS PRICING FOR ALL NEW MINI COUNTRYMAN By Brian Foley MINI Ireland announce the pricing for the new MINI Countryman, starting from €23,800 RRP (€24,400 OTR*) for the entry-level MINI One Countryman. The Countryman will be launched to the Irish market in September this year. It will not only be MINIs largest model, and the first MINI ...Continued

	LATEST FORD S-MAX AND GALAXY By Brian Foley The revised and further refined Ford MPV’s, the S-Max and Galaxy, are very keenly priced. As an introductory offer on the 7-seater S-Max, the diesel TDCi model is listed at under €30,000. This is nearly €2,000 less than the entry level S-MAX when it was introduced in 2006. And it ...Continued

	GREEN LIGHT FOR ELECTRIC MOTORING - AT WHAT COST? By Brian Foley • Irish Government, ESB and Mitsubishi Motors, MC (Automobile) Europe and MMC Commercials sign a Memorandum of Understanding to further promote ecar industry • ESB announces first ecar trial programme for Ireland in conjunction with Trinity College Dublin • Mits ...Continued

	NISSAN ANNOUNCES EUROPEAN PRICES OF NISSAN LEAF, WORLD’S FIRST MASS-MARKET, ALL-ELECTRIC ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLE By Brian Foley Price to be under 30,000 Euros after incentives in most European countries Price in UK is 23,350 Pounds (27,471 Euros) after government incentives Price in the Netherlands is 32,839 Euros (28,068 Pounds). Dutch buyers will benefit from 6,000-19,000 Euros (5,128-1 ...Continued

	LATEST TOYOTA RAV4 By Brian Foley Latest version of the popular Toyota RAV4 features a host of improvements including :stylish exterior design with refined interior quality,Toyota Optimal Drive applied to the entire engine line-up, class-lead CO2 emission for 4WD compact SUV’s, choice of 4WD and 2WD models, also choice of 6-speed m ...Continued

	ALL-NEW VOLVO S60 ARRIVES IN AUGUST By Brian Foley The all-new Volvo S60 arrives in August. Highlights are: Prices start from €32,250* (D3 S) Four luxury specification levels – S, ES, SE and SE Lux Ground-breaking Pedestrian Detection technology including ACC with Distance Alert, Queue Assist and ...Continued

	New Mazda6 on Sale By Brian Foley MAZDA6 FAQS · Available in four specification grades: Executive, Executive SE, Sport and Z-sport · Three model types: 4-door saloon, 5-door hatchback and estate. · Sportier exterior design with higher quality, premium interior ...Continued

	BMW Art Car Exhibition highly successful at 2010 Allianz Business to Arts Awards. By Brian Foley Last year’s IMMA exhibition of the BMW Art Car designed by Alexander Calder has been rewarded with the ‘Judges Special Recognition’ prize at the 2010 Allianz Business to Arts Awards. The project was furthermore Highly Commended in the category ‘Best Use of Creativity’. The BMW 3. ...Continued

	BMW 328 Touring Coupé wins the 2010 Mille Miglia By Brian Foley Seventy years after its victory in the 1940 Mille Miglia, the BMW 328 Mille Miglia Touring Coupé has once again emerged as the winner of this tradition-steeped Italian event. Giuliano Cané and Lucia Galliani authoritatively steered the Coupé through the numerous trials and clocked up the 1,000 miles ...Continued

	AUDI AG: driveline strategy for the future. By Brian Foley · Q5 hybrid to be unveiled in 2010, A8 hybrid can be ordered from late 2011 · World premiere of A1 e-tron · “e-tron” to be Audi’s brand name for electric mobility · Stadler: “An increasingly broad range of technologies fo ...Continued

	New Volkswagen TOURAN By Brian Foley Following the announcement of the new Seat Alhambra, another similar MPV from the VW Group is the replacement for the VW Touran which has been unveiled at the Leipzig Motor Show. Featuring fresh styling, pioneering technology and a range of efficient new engines, the new Volkswagen Touran is set to ...Continued

	Mazda MX-5 for summer fun By Brian Foley The Mazda MX-5 is celebrating a special 21st Birthday this year, and is listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world’s best selling two-seat sports car. Nearly a million people throughout the world have discovered what makes this car so appealing and fun to drive. The latest MX-5 i ...Continued

	Mercedes-Benz 'Shooting Break' Concept By Brian Foley In October 2004 Mercedes-Benz established a new market segment with the four-door Coupé CLS. In September 2008, Mercedes revealed a fresh and exciting interpretation of the Coupé-based design in the form of the FASCINATION concept car. Now making its premiere at Auto China 2010 is the Shooting Br ...Continued

	NEW SEAT ALHAMBRA By Brian Foley After fifteen years in production, the Seat Alhambra is finally replaced by an all new model, coming on stream later this year. The Seat streamliner is longer and wider that before, has sliding side dooprs, flexible seating from 5 to 7 people, petrol and diesel engine options and dual-clutch transm ...Continued

	VOLKSWAGEN POLO VOTED WORLD CAR 2010 By Brian Foley VOLKSWAGEN POLO DECLARED 2010 WORLD CAR OF THE YEAR & VOLKSWAGEN BLUEMOTION (GOLF, PASSAT, POLO) WINS WORLD GREEN CAR Volkswagen won major global awards at the New York International Auto Show, where the Volkswagen Polo was named the 2010 World Car of the Year, while Volkswa ...Continued

	ELECTRIC MINI CONQUERS THE NURBURGRING! By Brian Foley Taking on the infamous Nürburgring-Nordschleife circuit at race speed with an electrically powered car is an ambitious project, but the BMW Group has just become the first car manufacturer to make it happen. The MINI E Race, a modified race-spec version of the standard MINI E, completed a lap of the ...Continued

	THE RENAULT FLUENCE from JUST * €15,800 ! By Brian Foley The new Renault Fluence is a smart compact 4-door family saloon that has just arrived on the Irish car market at a very attractive €15,800 The Fluence comes in two diesel versions - 1.5 dCi 86 and 106Bhp and also a petrol 1.6 16V 110HP. An electric version of the Fluence is due ...Continued

	MERCEDES-BENZ LATEST NEWS By Brian Foley Latest Mercedes-Benz news includes the new R-Type model, which gets a major styling revamp both intside and inside, plus overall improvements for reduced emissions, reduced fuel consumption and improved driving dynamics and comfort. Mercedes report an upturn in sales, with 15% more deliveries in ...Continued

	The Mazda3 Saloon – Irish family favourite By Brian Foley Irish motorists traditionally prefer saloon cars, whilst our counterparts on mainland Europe opt for hatchback and estate models. Over a quarter of all new cars sold so far this year are in the lower/medium C-segment as Irish buyers downsize to smaller, more fuel efficient cars with lower C02 emissi ...Continued

	TOYOTA AURIS 2010 By Brian Foley First of the new Toyota Auris models for 2010 is the 5-door in three grades, Terra, Aura and Luna, to be followed by 3-door models, and in the second half of this year, a 1.8 litre hybrid. The latest engines are 1.33 litre petrol with stop-start technology and 1.4 litre diesel, featuring reduced ...Continued

	ALL NEW KIA OPTIMA By Brian Foley The all new Kia Optima was unveild at the New York Motor Show which opened on March 31st Yet another new model from the rapidly expanding Korean brand, the Optma was designed in. Germany and California. The distinctively styled luxury saloon will be sold in North America and Europe in 2011, with ...Continued

	CHINESE TO BUY VOLVO By Brian Foley FORD REACHES AGREEMENT TO SELL VOLVO CARS AND RELATED ASSETS TO GEELY - SALE EXPECTED TO CLOSE IN THIRD QUARTER Ford Motor Company has entered into a definitive agreement to sell Volvo Car Corporation and related assets to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Company Li ...Continued

	NEW CITROEN DS3 has SPORTY and STYLE APPEAL By Brian Foley The DS3 is the first model in Citroën’s brand new DS line, a range consisting of three distinctively styled models – to be followed by the DS4 and DS5 which are set to launch in 2011 and 2012 respectively. It has been said of Citroen that the French cars were invariably ‘ahead o ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE ARRIVES By Brian Foley The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Estate – the 4th model in the new E-Class Series after the saloon, coupé and cabriolet - has arrived in the dealer showrooms.The new E-Class Estate is the 5th generation of a model whose history dates back to 1977 and has sold over one million models. C ...Continued

	NEW HYUNDAI IX35 By Brian Foley The new Hyundai iX 35 2.0 litre diesel deluxe SUV is now on sale, listed at €26,995 (ex.-delivery and related charges). A 1.7 litre diesel deluxe version is due in January 2011. Standard equipment includes: ESP Six Airbags Up hill and ...Continued

ESB LAUNCHES ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGE POINTS By Brian Foley - BUT WHO IS COUNTING THE COST? The Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Eamon Ryan and ESB Chief Executive, Padraig McManus launched the country’s first Electric Vehicle charge points on March 26th. The charge points were unveiled i ...Continued

	ALL ELECTRIC MITSUBISHI i-MiEV By Brian Foley Pictured on arrival at Dublin Port is a Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the first Electric Vehicle (EV) from a mainstream manufacturer to be registered in Ireland. A further fourteen Mitsubishi i-MIEV’s will arrive in Ireland this June. But BE WARNED – the price of the little Mitsibishi electric car is likely t ...Continued

	THE NEW BMW 5 SERIES TOURING By Brian Foley The new BMW 5 Series Touring is the 4th Generation luxury estate version of the 5 Series model range. It features extensive comfort and numerous BMW safety and exclusive driver assistance systems. With its long bonnet, short overhangs, the longest wheelbase in its segment, the stretched silhouette ...Continued

	Volkswagen introduce new generation BlueMotion Polo, Golf and Passat By Brian Foley Volkswagen ntroduce three of their advanced eco-friendly models to the Irish market; the new generation BlueMotion Polo, Golf and Passat. BlueMotion represents the most efficient model in each of Volkswagen’s passenger car ranges. In each vehicle a combination of revised aerody ...Continued

	Skoda Launch New Superb Combi Estate By Brian Foley The new Skoda Superb Combi Estate is based on the Superb Saloon, and is one of the roomiest estates in it's segment , combining generous rear seat leg room with 633 litres of luggage space - expanding to 1,865 litres with the seats folded. The vast luggage area has clever luggage nets and sliding al ...Continued

	UTV DRIVE SPONSOR CIRCUIT OF IRELAND By Brian Foley UTV Drive, one of the leading Northern Ireland online car sale websites is to sponsor the Circuit of Ireland Rally this Easter weekend. The 2010 Dakar winning VW Race Touareg will play a pivotal role during the Easter Rally as it makes its first European appearance since its stunn ...Continued

	GQbyCITROËN – Designed by Citroën. Tailored by Savile Row. Made with GQ. By Brian Foley Citroën and GQ reveale a unique and exciting automotive project – the GQbyCITROËN. The GQbyCITROËN is a concept car born through a unique partnership between the UK’s market-leading quality men’s monthly and a team of Citroën designers. This is the first time a British magazine ha ...Continued

	Opel CEO Reilly Drives Ampera to Geneva Motor Show By Brian Foley · Opel electric vehicle successfully completes first long-distance test · “Preparations on schedule for start of series production at end of 2011” The first prototype of Opel’s production Ampera successfully completed its long-distance drive debut from R ...Continued

	ALL-NEW MITSUBISHI ASX COMPACT CROSSOVER By Brian Foley Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) is premiered the all-new ASX compact crossover at the 80th Geneva International Motor Show. The ASX was previewed and pictured in the Auto Ireland/permanent tsb FINANCE NEW CAR GUIDE 2009 (published Dec.2008) Irish launch of the 2WD (2-wheel-dr ...Continued

	Toyota Verso awarded 5-Star rating in 2010 Euro NCAP crash test By Brian Foley The Toyota Verso has been awarded a maximum, 5-Star rating in the 2010 Euro NCAP safety performance test programme. The Verso scored 89% for Adult Occupancy, 75% for Child Occupancy, 69% for Pedestrian Impact and 86% for Safety Assistance. New Euro NCAP regulations were introduced in ...Continued

	FIAT DEVELOP NEW TWIN-CYLINDER ENGINE By Brian Foley Fiat Powertrain Technologies have developed a new twin-cylinder 85 HP TWIN-AIR (900 cc) engine, to be introduced to the Fiat 500 range next September. Progenitor of new family of two-cylinder engines made by FPT - Fiat Powertrain Technologies, it implements a revolutionary Multiair system combined w ...Continued

	SPOT CHECK ON THE ALL-NEW FORD C-MAX RANGE By Brian Foley A quick spot check on the new Ford C-Max, prior to sale later this year: · 7-seat Grand C-MAX introduces extra space and flexibility to C-MAX line-up, with twin sliding doors and innovative ‘walk-through’ seating concept · Dynamic C-MAX 5-seat inter ...Continued

	NEW VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG and SHARAN By Brian Foley The all new Touareg is up to 200kg lighter and up to 20 per cent more fuel efficient than the model is replaces. the styling is sharper yet maintains all the same virtues of space, comfort, refinement and off-road and towing ability of the original model Touareg of 2003. The new model is lower and i ...Continued

	NEXT-GENERATION FORD FOCUS By Brian Foley FOCUS FAQS · European-developed Focus spearheads Ford’s new generation of global C-cars, and will be sold in more than 120 markets globally · A global performance version of new Focus using Ford EcoBoost engine technology is on the way. ...Continued

	WORLD PREMIER OF LEXUS CT 200h AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley The new Lexus CT200h is the first and only full hybrid vehicle in the premium hatchback segment Entering production at the end of 2010, and expected on the Irish market in early 2011, the CT 200h is Lexus’ first ever hatchback, five-door car. It marks the introduction of the fi ...Continued

	Spyker Cars finalizes the purchase of Saab By Brian Foley Spyker Cars N.V. confirms it has finalized the deal with General Motors to purchase Saab Automobile AB. The transfer of ownership took place on February 23. Prior to the close of the deal Saab exited liquidation and control was reinstated to Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile’s CEO, and his manageme ...Continued

	New high performance Audi RS5 By Brian Foley The new high performance Audi RS5 is scheduled for summer 2010 launch in Ireland. Powered by a 4.2FSI high-revving V8 engine producing 450 brake horsepower. the RS5 sprints to 100km/h sprint time in just 4.5 seconds Built by quattro GmBH, away from the main production line in a ...Continued

	NEW YORK DEBUT FOR NEW KIA MAGENTIS By Brian Foley The next generation Kia Magentis will make its world debut at the New York International Auto Show on Friday, 2nd April 2010. A fresh design from the ground up, Kia's all-new mid-size saloon is longer,lower and wider, with a significantly longer wheelbase for considerably more space ...Continued

	SPORTING NEW CITROËN DS3 RACING By Brian Foley With five Manufacturers’ titles in the World Rally Championship and six Drivers/Co-Drivers’ titles for Sébastien Loeb and Daniel Elena, Citroën has carved its name in the annals of motorsport history. The new Citroen DS3 Racing not only celebrates the marque’s WRC successes, but brings a sporting im ...Continued

	TOYOTA AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley After the recent problems over an accelerator mechanism glitch, Toyota drive forward with renewed confidence, new models and innovations at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show. Highlights are: World premiere of production-ready Auris HSD European pr ...Continued

	Peugeot Celebrates 200th Anniversary with New Look Spectacular SR1 sportscar concept on show in Geneva By Brian Foley Peugeot is celebrating 200 years of industrialisation in 2010. To coincide with this momentous occasion Peugeot has unveiled an exciting new styling direction for future models, a new corporate Lion badge and a new brand signature. The new-look Lion is epitomised by the spectacular new Peugeot SR1 c ...Continued

	New Peugeot 5008 MPV By Brian Foley The new Peugeot 5008 MP is a big brother to the 3008, and is available in three trim levels listed from €26,870 plus dealer delivery related charges (for the Level 1 SE Model).. The top-of-the-range versionl will be available from March onwards. The 5008 accommodates up to seven occup ...Continued

	CHEVROLET AT THE GENEVA MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley European debut for Aveo RS concept Orlando Show Car and Camaro also on display Five new products to follow in 2011 At the Geneva Motor Show, Chevrolet will give a preview of new arrivals in European Chevrolet showrooms over the next few years. "Aft ...Continued

	New Peugeot 308 Coupe Cabriolet By Brian Foley The new Peugeot 308 Coupe Cabriolet has been launched in Ireland in one trim level - a 308 CC Sport Pack powered with a new 1.6 HDi 112bhp diesel engine. The model retails from €33,790 plus dealer delivery related charges. 308 Coupe Cabriolet transforms from sleek Coupe to stylish Cabriolet in 20 ...Continued

	CITROËN DS HIGH RIDER CONCEPT: DYNAMIC, COMPACT AND EXCLUSIVE By Brian Foley Citroën has released first details of a striking new concept design DS HIGH RIDER to be unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show. It is basically a bumped-up version of the new DS, with higher ground clearance and 19” alloy wheels.high waistline. The front end is purposeful with gaping air ...Continued

	NEW NISSAN JUKE UNVEILED AHEAD OF GENEVA SHOW DEBUT By Brian Foley The new Nissan Juke is a smaller sibling to the hugely successful Qashqai, which will be built in Britain and goes on sale in October this year. The Juke was created at Nissan Design Europe (NDE) in the heart of London, and refined at Nissan’s Design Centre (NDC) in Japan. The Juke has the rugged ap ...Continued

	Kia Motors' "Ray" plug-in Hybrid concept debuts in Chicago By Brian Foley Kia Motors has unveiled its "Ray" plug-in Hybrid concept at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Following the Kia Borrego Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV), the Forte LPI Hybrid, the petrol cee'd Hybrid and the twin-turbo diesel Sorento Hybrid the "Ray" concept is a bold new collaboration bet ...Continued

	Opel at Geneva: One premiere, one vision and loads of ecoFLEXiblity By Brian Foley New Meriva, Electric Ampera, New Corsa and Concept Car Meriva The second generation Opel Meriva, which will debut at Geneva on 4th March, features FlexDoors, innovative rear-hinged rear side doors that facilitate access to its cabin – a first for a volume manu ...Continued

	New Peugeot RCZ Voted Most Beautiful Car of the Year By Brian Foley The Peugeot RCZ has been voted Most Beautiful Car of the Year 2009, at the prestigious 25th International Automobile Festival. The Peugeot RCZ was selected from votes cast by over 100,000 internet users in 62 different countries around the world. It is the fourth time Peugeot has won this prestigiou ...Continued

	New BMW X5 on sale from June By Brian Foley The new BMW X5 comes with an array of design and engine changes offering greater performance with lower emissions, plus subtle updated styling. The replacement of the twin-turbocharged xDrive35d with the new xDrive40d sees an improvement in emissions of 10 per cent, emitting only 1 ...Continued

	MacHale wins in Galway By Brian Foley Gareth MacHale drove his Ford Focus WRC to a dominant victory on the 2010 Safety Direct Galway International Rally. 20 year old sensation Craig Breen, who set some astonishing times in the brand new Ford Fiesta S2000. to finish 2nd o/a. Aaron MacHale finished third to give the MacHale Family two po ...Continued

	Audi Open New Dublin Retail Centre By Brian Foley €80 million investment set to transform Audi retail network in the next 3 years. Audi has opened the first dedicated Audi Centre in Ireland - at Ballsbridge, Dublin, opposite Jury's Hotel, in the revamped former Texaco building. This is part of a five year investment plan by Audi ...Continued

	HONDA CR-Z's EUROPEAN DEBUT AT GENEVA SHOW By Brian Foley Sporty hybrid coupe goes on sale this summer. The Honda CR-Z hybrid coupe makes its Euro debut at the 2010 Geneva International Motor Show in March. The CR-Z’s compact 2+2 coupe body and striking design is coupled with a responsive chassis for nimble handling and ...Continued

	WORLD PREMIER OF ALL NEW KIA SPORTAGE at GENEVA SHOW By Brian Foley The all-new Kia Sportage will show a dramatic shift in design direction when it makes its World Premiere at the Geneva Motor Show (March 2nd, 2010). The all-new Sportage is an in-your-face bold SUV design featuring a commanding driving position, with a heightened sense of security an ...Continued

	RENAULT MEGANE COUPE-CABRIOLET By Brian Foley The new Renault Mégane Coupé-Cabriolet combines the elegance and comfort of a coupé with all the fun of cacabriolet open motoring. Special features are: *Large folding glass roof comfortable open-top motoring thanks to the forward position of the ...Continued

	CITROËN IRELAND LAUNCH NEW MODELS ON IRISH MARKET By Brian Foley Automobiles Citroën France has established a new subsidiary in Ireland which has launched a series of new models on the Irish market in time for the first quarter of the 2010 new car sales. The new Company takes over from Gallic Distributors which ceased operations late last year. ...Continued

	New Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Edition to premiere at Geneva Show By Brian Foley New Mazda MX-5 20th Anniversary Edition to premiere at Geneva Motor Show *Enhanced new Mazda6 facelift makes its global premiere at Geneva Mazda celebrates two decades of global sportscar success with the world premiere of a 20th Anniversary Limited Edition Mazda MX-5 at the Gen ...Continued

	Insight into Honda’s new Hybrid By Brian Foley The new Honda Insight brings hybrid technology to affordable family motoring. The new Insight, which made its Irish debut on February 1st, has been designed to offer a practical five-seat family car at an affordable price with excellent fuel economy and low CO2 and other emissions. The Insight is a ...Continued

	Irish debut of All New Kia Sorento By Brian Foley Main features of the new Kia Sorento SUV are: Versatile seating for up to seven and more cabin space for all All-new ‘R2.2’ diesel engine 5-Star Euro NCAP rating, with advanced ‘active’ & ‘passive’ systems All-new 6-speed gearbox, plus choice of 2WD and ...Continued

	VOLKSWAGEN SCRAPPAGE SCHEME OFFERS By Brian Foley Volkswagen have attractive scrappage scheme offers, such as a further €1,500 discount on top of the scrappage offer on the Polo United model and the Fox is offering €1,600 on top of the scrappage deal. The competitively priced new Polo model is now available for €12,995 with the scrappage offer, whi ...Continued

	HONDA SHOWCASES NEW SMALL CONCEPT AT AUTO EXPO 2010 IN NEW DELHI By Brian Foley Honda Siel Cars India Ltd. (HCSI) unveiled a New Small Concept at the Auto Expo 2010 in New Delhi, along with plans to begin sales of a new model based on this concept in 2011. To create a highly efficient compact car with seating for five people, designers have used a wide platfo ...Continued

	IRISH FASHION DESIGNER LOUISE KENNEDY AND MERCEDES-BENZ JOIN FORCES By Brian Foley Celebrated Irish fashion designer Louise Kennedy has joined forces with Mercedes-Benz in a unique collaboration that aims to showcase the elegant design and superior craftsmanship upon which each has built their reputation. This is the first time an Irish business woman has been sele ...Continued

	Kia Extend 7 year Warranty to Entire Range By Brian Foley Kia Motors Europe is celebrating a remarkable 2009 sales performance and the start of the New Year, by offering an exclusive 7-year warranty on every new Kia vehicle sold in Europe. Following the success of the company’s unique and innovative ‘7-Year Kia Warranty’, which was fir ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS CABRIO By Brian Foley Due to arrive in lots of time for Summer 2010, and hopefully also lots of sunshine, is the all new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabrio. Based on the E-Class saloon and estate, the Cabrio will come with similar petrol and diesel engine options. The E-Class Cabriolet sports an electrically operated classi ...Continued

	SCHUMACHER DRIVES FOR MERCEDES GRAND PRIX in 2010 By Brian Foley Hot news from Germany just before Christmas is the return of Michael Schumacher to Formula 1. The all time record seven times World Champion and winner of 91 Grands Prix makes a comeback after a three years absence, to drive for Mercedes Grand Prix - the 2009 World Championship winning Brawn Team n ...Continued

	A SUCCESSFUL YEAR FOR PEUGEOT By Brian Foley Peugeot had a very successful year in 2009 on many fronts, of which the crowning glory in the Irish context was the prestigious Irish Motoring Writers' Association Continental Irish Car of the Year 2010 being awarded to the Peugeot 3008. Peugeot scored notable success in international ...Continued

	An Aston Martin City Car! By Brian Foley The Cygnet Concept is based on the Toyota iQ Aston Martin have released the first official images of the ‘Cygnet’ – a new luxury commuter concept car. The Cygnet concept represents a creative, environmentally conscious solution, being small, yet w ...Continued

	MOTION sets precedent for supercars of tomorrow By Brian Foley Kepler Motors Makes Global Debut at 2009 Dubai International Motor Show Kepler Motors, founded by World Speed Record Holder Russ Wicks, unveil its groundbreaking MOTION supercar at the 10th Annual Dubai International Motor Show, December 16-20. Infusing state-of-the-art a ...Continued

	NEW SKODA OCTAVIA 1.6TDI CR ACHIEVES BAND-A ROAD TAX By Brian Foley Skoda’s Octavia model has built its reputation on excellent diesel engines from the popular 1.9TDI to the powerful 2.0 TDI producing 170 bhp that appears in the sporty Octavia RS. Now Skoda has added its most efficient diesel engine yet. Extremely quiet, this new turbocharged 4-c ...Continued

	FIAT Welcomes Scrappage Scheme By Brian Foley Fiat Group Automobiles Ireland has welcomed the introduction of the government backed Scrappage Scheme. Fiat Ireland who were anxiously awaiting the Budget Day announcement of the Scrappage scheme will not only be participating in it, but also giving additional Eco Bonuses to customer ...Continued

	Motorsport Ireland Awards €100,000 to Young Drivers By Brian Foley Motorsport Ireland honoured their National Champions of 2009 at a prestigious gala lunch held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Dublin, and attended by personalities with a record of distinction in motorsport spanning many years. Craig Breen (19) from Slieverue in Co. Kilkenny was anno ...Continued

	PATRICK McKENNA wins DUNLOP 'YOUNG RACING DRIVER OF THE YEAR 2009' AWARD By Brian Foley Patrick McKenna (22) from Swords, County Dublin has been selected by Motorsport Ireland as the winner of the “Dunlop Young Racing Driver of the Year” title for 2009. McKenna contested the British Formula Ford Championship in a French made Mygale racing car. While an outright win prov ...Continued

	CRAIG BREEN - MOTORSPORT IRELAND 'YOUNG RALLY DRIVER OF THE YEAR' By Brian Foley Craig Breen (19) from Kilmurry, Co.Waterford is the the winner of the 2009 Billy Coleman Award for the Young Rally Driver of the Year. The other two finalists were Jonathan Cunningham from Claregalway and Kevin O’Connor from Askeaton. Driving a Ford Fiesta ST the high flying Bre ...Continued

	Pre-Christmas Launch for New Kia Venga By Brian Foley All-new, uniquely spacious and dynamic B-segment MPV C-segment type space within a B-segment type footprint Lowest entry level cost for ISG ( Intelligent Stop & Go ) technology 1.4 (90 ps ) diesel engine 117 CO2 - €104 euro Road Tax 7 year Warranty F ...Continued

	Volkswagen Polo voted European Car of The Year 2010 By Brian Foley The new VW Polo beat six other finalist to win the european car of The Year 2010 award, scoring 347 points 10 more than the Toyota iQ on 337 points, followed by the third placed Opel Astra with 221 points, Skoda Yeti (158), the Mercedes-Benz E-Class (155), the Peugeot 3008 (144) and the Citroen C3 P ...Continued

	New Peugeot 3008 wins Continental Irish Car of the Year 2010 Award By Brian Foley The Peugeot 3008 crossover has been voted Continental Irish Car of the Year 2010 by the Irish Motoring Writers Association (IMWA). The announcement was made at an awards ceremony in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry, attended by leading figures from the motor industry. In determining ...Continued

	MERCEDES-BENZ EXTENDS PRICE CUTTING DRIVE TO C-CLASS MODELS By Brian Foley Mercedes-Benz has continued its price cutting drive with the announcement that a 9 percent reduction is being applied to the entry-level C-Class diesel and petrol models. Effective immediately, the C200 CDI BlueEFFICIENCY model is reduced in price to €36,500 (ex works), a drop of €3,5 ...Continued

	OPEL CORSA RANGE REVAMPED FOR 2010 By Brian Foley Significantly improved performance, fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions Band A petrol engines joins band A diesels Enhanced chassis set up and steering calibration improves comfort and fun New trim line-up with improved specification From January 2010, the Opel Corsa ...Continued

	"RACING FOR MERCEDES-BENZ" By Brian Foley Book Review by Brian Foley "Racing for Mercedes-Benz" is a fascinating record of the 240 fastest drivers of the German marque written by Hartmut Lehbrink From the vast number of drivers who have competed for Mercedes-Benz and its ancestors in the past 115 years, legends s ...Continued

	YETI TO ARRIVE WITH WINTER SNOW! By Brian Foley The Yeti - the elusive 'Abomnible Snowman' of Tibet - is NOT coming to Ireland, and hopefully there will be no winter snow either. But the new Skoda Yeti is coming in early December in the form of a compact SUV or now a day’s more popularly known as “Crossover” The Yeti offers ver ...Continued

	New Fiat Doblò By Brian Foley The stylish new Fiat Doblo comes to Ireland in March 2010, in passenger and Cargo (commercial van) versions. The Doblo is all about space, functionality and practically - the passenger model can accommodate up to seven people. Compared to the previous version wh ...Continued

	SUZUKI ALTO ACHIEVES 141 MPG IN CITY DRIVING By Brian Foley COMPLETES 1,900 MILE AUSTRALIAN FUEL CONSUMPTION CHALLENGE AVERAGING 72MPG After a successful New Zealand North-South drive at an average of 64mpg last month, the highly fuel efficient Suzuki Alto has taken part in a further MPG marathon, this time down through Australia, managi ...Continued

	All-new Mazda3 wins Scotland’s Best Family Car 2009 By Brian Foley · All-new Mazda3 scoops ‘Best Family Car’ category at The Association of Scottish Motoring Writers Scottish Car of the Year Awards 2009 · Mazda3 is awarded for comfort, style, performance and economy The Mazda3 has scooped the ‘Best Family Car’ categ ...Continued

GM DECIDES TO KEEP OPEL By Brian Foley Given the improving business for General Motors in the USA over the past few months, and the importance of Opel//Vauxhall to GM’s global strategy, the GM Board of Directors has decided to retain Opel and will initiate a restructuring of its European operations in earnest. For the Americans to los ...Continued

	FEBRUARY ARRIVAL FOR NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS ESTATE By Brian Foley The third new model in the Mercedes-Benz E-Class range - the E-Class Estate - goes on sale in February 2010. Now in its fifth generation with a pedigree that dates back to 1977 - since when more than one million models have been sold - the new E-Class Estate is a worth addition to the ...Continued

	New Peugeot 5008 MPV Prices and Specs. By Brian Foley The Peugeot 5008 will be launched in Ireland in early 2010, listed from €26,995 to €30,995 (plus dealer delivery related charges). The 5008 will accommodate up to seven occupants and their luggage. The driver benefits from a raised driving position giving excellent visibility, combined with ergon ...Continued

	BMW and VOLVO CUT PRICES By Brian Foley The price cutting war is hotting up not only with the supermarkets, but also in the motor trade. BMW Group Ireland has made sensational price cuts across the BMW and Mini model range. Likewise Volvo Car Ireland announce price cuts to encourage sales across the range of seven models. The two BMW new ...Continued

	New Jaguar XJ and the 2010 model range line-up By Brian Foley The stylish and sporty all-new Jaguar XJ saloon is constructed using Jaguar’s aerospace-inspired aluminium body technology, which makes the XJ lighter than its rivals by at least 150kg. Proven Jaguar dynamic technologies are taken to new levels in the new XJ with air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics (v ...Continued

	New Peugeot 3008 Prices and Equipment Announced By Brian Foley The new Peugeot 3008 goes on sale at Peugeot Dealerships nationwide from the end of October, listed from €24,900 ( plus delivery and related charges. The Peugeot 3008 is 'crossover' with a lot going for it, from the comfort of a saloon, to the practicality of a hatchback and the versa ...Continued

	NEW TOYOTA CONCEPTS AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley A new Toyota sports car concept that will break cover for the first time at the Tokyo motor show later this month. The five-seat FT-86 goes back to the fundamental qualities of the classic sports car with its rear-wheel drive configuration, compact dimensions, low centre of gravity an ...Continued

	NISSAN'S NEW 'THAI CAR' ! By Brian Foley Nissan Motor Co. reveals sketches of its global compact car. This model will be first launched in Thailand in March 2010 and will be available in more than 150 countries. If it becomes available in Europe will Nissan label it the 'Thai Car' ? The model will qualify as Thailand’s fi ...Continued

	HONDA TO DISPLAY LATEST CR-Z CONCEPT AT TOKYO MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley Sporty hybrid coupe debuts alongside other EV and hybrid concepts The latest version of Honda’s sporty hybrid concept will be revealed at October’s Tokyo Motor Show. The CR-Z Concept 2009 is the most recent prototype of a compact, agile coupe using Honda’s IMA tec ...Continued

	PETER CULLEN – MUCH MISSED MOTOR INDUSTRY PERSONALITY By Brian Foley A personal tribute by Brian Foley Peter Cullen (68), who tragically died on September 20th following an accident, was a well known and popular person for many years in the Irish motor industry. One of his first jobs was washing cars in a London gar ...Continued

	IRISH MOTORSPORT SUCCESSES By Brian Foley Irish competitors have won major rally championships in Britain and Italy and a Meath driver is the favourite to take an American racing title. Keith Cronin from Bantry and his Limerick co-driver Greg Shinnors scored their third International win of the year, the Trackrod Rally in North Yorkshire, t ...Continued

	LEXUS LS 600h for 2010 By Brian Foley The luxury Lexus LS600H gets redesigned seating, updated equipment, a new ECO driving mode and new brakes for 2010, also the LS 600h and the long wheelbase LS 600h L achieve advances in comfort and driving dynamics.The full hybrid Lexus Hybrid Drive system that powers the LS 600h has a new ECO mode, ...Continued

	PEUGEOT BB1 - Mobility for the future By Brian Foley The Peugeot BB1 concept, unveiled at the 63rd Frankfurt Motor Show, is a full electric vehicle measuring just 2.5m long. With a 3.5m turning circle, allowing the driver to maneuver into tight corners and to park head-on to the pavement, the BB1 is perfect for city motoring. Compact and great fun, th ...Continued

	LEXUS INTRODUCES THE 2010 GS 450h By Brian Foley Lexus’s full hybrid GS 450h luxury sports saloon is being freshened up for the 2010 model year with styling changes, new colours, revisions to the Pre-Crash Safety system and more sophisticated navigation and audio packages. The Pre-Crash Safety system in the GS 450h has been revised ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPÉ ARRIVES By Brian Foley The new Mercedes-Benz 2-door E-Class Coupé has arrived on the Irish market. The sporty model is equipped with all of the driver appeal, comfort features and technical advances present in its saloon car sibling. From its sporty radiator grille, with twin-louvres design and Three Pointed Star inset, t ...Continued

	TOYOTA'S NEW GENERATION LAND CRUISER By by Brian Foley World debut at Frankfurt Motor Show All-new Land Cruiser builds on six decades of worldwide success Advanced, user friendly technology increases off-road capability and driver assistance More refined on-road performance Improved equipment specifications UK range to ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES-BENZ SUPERCAR By Brian Foley Not to be upstaged by rivals Ferrari, Porsche and McLaren, Mercedes-Benz will debut a new supercar at the Frankfurt Show. The new Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG features the 'gull wing' doors made famous by Mercedes with the 300SL back in the early 'fifties. Supercar performance is delivered by the AMG 6. ...Continued

	LEXUS LF-Ch CONCEPT By Brian Foley World debut for new hybrid power compact concept car at Frankfurt The Lexus LF-Ch full hybrid concept is Lexus’s first approach to the competitive European premium compact segment.It reflects the growing demand for cars that are smaller and more fuel and CO2 efficient, but with no co ...Continued

	NEW McLAREN SUPERCAR By Brian Foley The McLaren MP4-12C is the first in a range of high performance cars from the home of the famous racing car company. The new McLaren supercar is set to re-write the rules of sports car design through Formula 1-inspired engineering, revolutionary chassis architecture, and absolute focus on efficienc ...Continued

	PEUGEOT TO LAUNCH NEW ELECTRIC VEHICLE IN 2010 By Brian Foley Peugeot is the number one manufacturer of electric vehicles Range of 80 miles On sale at the end of 2010 World Premiere at the 2009 Frankfurt Motorshow Peugeot will introduce at the end of 2010 a new edition to its comprehensive model range, the i0n “zero-emissions” electric vehicle. This ve ...Continued

	Peugeot RCZ to star at Frankfurt Motor Show By Brian Foley Peugeot unveiled their 308 RCZ concept at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and just two years later, the production RCZ will be unveiled at this month's Frankfurt Motor Show, ahead of its sales launch in Europe late next spring. The dramatic compact 2+2 coupé has a number of key styling ...Continued

	FRANKFURT DEBUT FOR ALL-NEW FORD C-MAX By Brian Foley The all-new Ford C-MAX will make its global debut at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Ford C-MAX takes its design cues from the stunning iosis MAX concept car unveiled at this year’s Geneva Motor Show, and brings new levels of style and desirability to the compact multi-activit ...Continued

	HYUNDAI'S ECO-INITIATIVES ON VIEW AT FRANKFURT SHOW By Brian Foley Blue Drive, Hyundai’s eco-initiative, will move into high gear at the Frankfurt show. Hyundai has created a special Blue Drive Zone where it will exhibit a wide array of its new eco-friendly technologies and products demonstrating its commitment to lowering emissions and improving the fuel economy ...Continued

	WORLD PREMIERE OF TOYOTA AURIS HYBRID CONCEPT AT THE FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley World premiere of the Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept New Prius Plug-in Hybrid Concept European Premiere of new Land Cruiser iQ show cars (iQ for Sports and iQ Collection) The Toyota Auris HSD Full Hybrid Concept will take centre stage for Toyota at the 2009 Frankfurt M ...Continued

	REVOLUTIONARY NEW CITY CAR by FORMULA I DESIGNER GORDON MURRAY DESIGN REVEAL T.25 CITY CAR SEATING LAYOUT By Brian Foley Gordon Murray Design’s T.25 City Car is not only designed around a central driving position but an MPV package offering 6 internal layouts within the same vehicle, each layout being easily achieved within 30 seconds. The T.25 City Car has been packaged to accept three 95th percentile ...Continued

	Toyota lead the hybrid race By Brian Foley Cumulative hybrid sales in Europe top 200,000 vehicles Toyota Motor Europe (TME) confirm that cumulative hybrid sales in Europe have topped the 200,000 mark, with 50% of sales recorded in the last 24 months. A total of 202,126 Toyota and Lexus hybrids hav ...Continued

	The NEW VW GOLF GTI By Brian Foley Latest version of the iconic Volkswagen Golf GTi, the original 'hot hatch', is now on sale in Ireland. At the heart of the GTI is an advanced new 2.0-litre TSI engine producing 210 BHP, available linked to either a six-speed manual or DSG gearbox. Despite the rise in power output, th ...Continued

	‘Uniquely spacious’ New Kia Venga By Brian Foley Kia Motors Corporation has confirmed that its all-new, uniquely spacious B-segment MPV will be named ‘Venga’ when it goes on sale across Europe later this year. Designed, engineered and manufactured in Europe, the 4,068 mm long Kia Venga features an unusually long (2,615 mm) wh ...Continued

	Toyota & Hino to Test Breathalyzer Ignition-interlock System By Brian Foley TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) and Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) announce that, as part of their efforts to eradicate drunk driving, they will jointly test a breath-alcohol ignition-interlock system* under development by TMC. The system, aimed to aid companies and organizations better manage their fl ...Continued

	Fiat Punto Evo to feature “Blue&Me – TomTom” By Brian Foley Fiat Group Automobiles and TomTom have jointly developed an integrated portable navigation solution: Blue&Me – TomTom. This solution, which is the result of a partnership between the two companies, will be showcased for the first time in the new Fiat Punto Evo at the upcoming IAA Motorshow in Frankf ...Continued

	LEXUS TO REVEAL PREMIUM COMPACT CONCEPT AT FRANKFURT MOTOR SHOW By Brian Foley Lexus has unveiled the first official sketch of a concept car that will be showing at the forthcoming Frankfurt Motor Show. The concept will demonstrate a mix of technical innovation and ground-breaking design that promises to raise the bar in the premium compact segment. ...Continued

	MINI Coupe Concept to star at Frankfurt Show By Brian Foley The first classic Mini was presented to the public on 26 August 1959. Exactly fifty years on and nearly a decade into the life of new MINI, the public will see the MINI Coupe Concept for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show from September 17th to 27th, 2009. The MINI Coupe C ...Continued

	2011 INFINITI M MAKES VIRTUAL DEBUT AT CONCOURS D’ELEGANCE By Brian Foley Infiniti provided an advanced look at the all-new 2011 Infiniti M performance luxury saloon at the 59th Annual Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California. This is the third generation of Infiniti’s popular M and the first to be sold across all of Infiniti’s 32 markets around the world, includin ...Continued

	New Mazda CX-7 at Frankfurt Motor Show By Brian Foley The wraps come off more new models at Frankfurt International Motor Show - latest being the Mazda CX-7, featuring Mazda’s new ‘family face’ as seen on Mazda6 and Mazda3. Also offering a bolder stance, the new Mazda CX-7 is powered by a high-output diesel engine. Under the bonnet, t ...Continued

	Putting on the style - the all-new Kia Sorento By Brian Foley The all-new stylish seven-seater Kia Sorento makes its European debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. The new Sorento is longer and lower than the current model and incorporates Kia’s new design DNA into its ‘stand-out’ looks, while featuring a much more spacious and luxur ...Continued

	NEW LOOK KIA cee'd By Brian Foley The new look Kia cee'd makes it's debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. A new ECO-dynamics model will be added to the range when the latest cee'd goes on sale in Ireland towards the end of the year or early into 2010. The cee’d is Kia’s top-selling model in Europe and has be ...Continued

	NISSAN UNVEILS “LEAF” - THE WORLD’S FIRST ELECTRIC CAR DESIGNED FOR AFFORDABILITY AND REAL-WORLD REQUIREMENTS By Brian Foley Nissan Motor Co., Ltd has unveiled Nissan LEAF, the world’s first affordable, zero-emission car. Designed specifically for a lithium-ion battery-powered chassis, Nissan LEAF is a medium-size hatchback that comfortably seats five adults and has a range of more than 160km (100 miles) to satisfy real- ...Continued

	INNOVATIVE NEW FERRARI V8 SUPERCAR By Brian Foley The Ferrari 458 Italia is the latest development of the mid/rear-engined 'berlinetta' and will undoubtedly be one of the star attractions at the Frankfurt Motor Show Ferrari describe the new 458 Italia as "a massive leap forward from the (company’s) previous mid-rear engined sport ...Continued

	FORMULA 1 REPORT By Brian Foley • MASSA INJURED • SCHUMACHER RETURNS • BMW ANNOUNCE WITHDRAWAL • McLAREN BACK ON TRACK • BRAWN OFF THE PACE • RED BULL ON TARGET The last week in July saw some major shocks in Formula One, just as it appeared that peace was about to break out betwe ...Continued

	FIRST IMAGES OF ALL-NEW KIA MODEL By Brian Foley Kia Motors has released the first images of its new premium saloon due to go on sale in Korea at the end of the year. The new model, currently known by its code name VG, was shown in concept form at the Seoul Motor Show earlier this year and is set to replace the existing Opirus model ...Continued

	ORDER BOOKS OPEN FOR NEW AUDI A5 SPORTBACK By Brian Foley The order books have now opened for the new Audi A5 Sportback, for delivery in October. The Sportback is the newest member of the A5 family, joining the Coupé and Cabriolet models. At launch in Ireland, six advanced engines will be on offer: – 2.0-litre TFSI (petrol) with both 180B ...Continued

	NISSAN'S ELECTRIC VEHICLE PLATFORM By Brian Foley All-electric car goes to market in U.S. and Japan in 2010 Nissan Motor Co., Ltd previews its electric vehicle EV platform on a Tiida-based prototype to demonstrate the driving characteristics of a pure zero-emission vehicle. It also showcases a sophisticated EV-IT system develop ...Continued

	RENAULT-NISSAN ALLIANCE TAKES INITIAL ZERO EMISSION MOBILITY MOVE IN EUROPE By Brian Foley NISSAN INVESTS IN TWO BATTERY MANUFACTURING PLANTS IN THE UK and PORTUGAL Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., within the Renault-Nissan Alliance, have announced together with the governments of the United Kingdom and Portugal plans to build two plants for the production of its advanced ...Continued

	Irish Rally Crew Danny Barry & Martin Brady win Mitsubishi British Championship By Brian Foley In the Swansea Bay Rally, Daniel Barry (Enniskerry) and Martin Brady (Navan) recorded their fifth win out of six events in the Mitsubishi Ralliart Evolution Challenge to win the British 2009 Evo Challenge Championship. With their main rivals Simon Hughes/Craig Parry not contesting th ...Continued

	Getting in Gear for the Cannon Ball Run! By Brian Foley The first ever Cannon Ball Run to be held in Ireland will take place on September 11th – 13th and is in aid of Barretstown Gang Camp at Ballymore Eustace, Co.Kildare. At the Dublin launch of the event a selection of supercars including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Mercede ...Continued

	KIA GOES GREEN By Brian Foley Kia Motors has launched its first commercialised hybrid electric vehicle, the Forte Liquid Petroleum Injection Hybrid, onto the Korean market. We will not get this model, but Irish motorists will be able to buy Kia hybrid vehicles under the company’s Eco-dynamics brand within three years.The Forte L ...Continued

	Gerard Quinn heads up motorsport for Ford Europe By Brian Foley Ford of Europe has appointed Gerard Quinn as Senior Manager, Motorsport, replacing Mark Deans who has retired.. Quinn works alongside Malcolm Wilson, BP Ford Abu Dhabi World Rally Team Director and owner of M-Sport, Ford of Europe's partner for its main motorsport activity, the FIA World Rally Cha ...Continued

	Sneak preview of new Kia cee’d By Brian Foley Kia Motors has released the first pictures of new cee’d, revealing a much improved and updated look including the new ‘family face’ of the brand.This mid-life change unusually includes sheet metal changes to the bonnet plus alterations to the bumper, grille and light clusters. There have been some ...Continued

	NEW JAGUAR XJ By Brian Foley The new Jaguar XJ is a premium class four-door saloon with a strong family likeness the XF. The aerospace-inspired aluminium body has an innovative panoramic glass roof. It comes in standard and long wheelbase models with air suspension, with three engine options: 3.0 litre V6 diesel, 5.0 litre V8 ...Continued

	NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS AT €43,600 By Brian Foley The new Mercedes-Benz E-Class has been launched in Ireland. First version to arrive is the 4-cylinder, 170bhp E220 CDI a high spec and prestigious premium model listed at a very competitive at a €43,600 (ex works). The 2.2-litre, bi-turbo, common rail direct injection diesel engine ...Continued

	New diesel power for BMW 7 Series By Brian Foley BMW’s flagship 7 Series is to be offered with its most powerful diesel engine ever in the 740d model, at the same time as the popular 730d comes with a revised powerplant offering improved fuel economy and emissions figures. These models can be ordered immediately for delivery from September. Powe ...Continued

	The BMW 1 Series Coupe in the 2010 Mdel Year Now with New Engine Variants By Brian Foley Two additional, extra-economical low-emission engine variants are added to the BMW 1 Series as of September 2009. The new BMW 120i Coupé is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder diesel engine developing 170 hp at 6700 rpm and peak torque of 210 Newton-metres/155 lb-ft at 4250 rpm, ...Continued

	NEW AUDI TT RS COUPE and ROADSTER By Brian Foley The new high performance Audi TT RS Coupe and Roadster are available to special order, listed at €83,000 and €88,500. Both models come with all the advanced high tec features associated with the Audi marque In common with many high performance Audi models, the TT RS is electronically limited to a to ...Continued

	The new BMW 316d ES Saloon By Brian Foley Most fuel efficient and cleanest ever BMW 3 Series Band A VRT ranking & €104 Road Tax The BMW 316d ES with CO2 emissions of just 118g/km is the most fuel efficient and cleanest BMW 3 Series the marque has ever produced. The 1995cc four-cylinder diesel engine records 4.5 l/ ...Continued

	THREE NEW FERRARI SUPERCARS By Brian Foley Three excitiong Ferrari supercars are the California, Scuderia Spider 16M and 599 GTB Fiorano (with HGTE package). The Ferrari California is the Prancing Horse’s first front-engined V8 which has been classically styled to echo one of the greatest designs from Ferrari’s history, the 2 ...Continued

	PEUGEOT 1-2 in LE MANS 24 HOURS By Brian Foley Peugeot finished first and seconds this year's thrilling Le Mans 24-Hour Race in the diesel-powered 908 HDi FAP's. The three-car Peugeot entry monopolised the race to take first place, second place, sixth place and posted the fastest lap of the race. The winning Peugeot finished seven laps clear o ...Continued

	TONY COLLEY – A TRUE GENTLEMAN AND A MOTORING LEGEND By Brian Foley The death has occurred of Anthony William Pomeroy Colley (Clondalkin), aged 58, after a long fight against cancer. He was in his usual great form last Christmas as he chatted about more motorsport and motoring adventures this year, but little did we know then that we would be attending the Thanksgi ...Continued

	PEUGEOT 5008 - A NEW AND INNOVATIVE PEOPLE CARRIER By Brian Foley The Peugeot 5008, a new compact people carrie reintroduces the Number 5 back into the Peugeot range. Available in both five and seven seat versions, the new model shares the famous "5" series name with the legendary Peugeot 504 and the Peugeot 505. In its day, the Peugeot 505 Family Estate was the ...Continued

	OPEL - BUSINESS AS USUAL By Brian Foley GM Europe Secures Bridge Financing Commitment/Magna MOU and Continues Normal Operations · GM Europe not included in U.S. filing for court-supervised process · GM Europe secures Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with Magna Internation ...Continued

	THE FASTEST AND MOST EXTREME LANCER EVOLUTION EVER By Brian Foley The Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X FQ-400 is the fastest and most extreme version of Mitsubishi’s motorsport derived machine. With 403bhp and 387lb.ft of torque on offer from its advanced, lightweight aluminium 2.0-litre turbocharged MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control) petro ...Continued

	THE NEW BMW 5 SERIES GRAN TURISMO By Brian Foley The new BMW 5 Series Gran Turismo combines a coupé-like silhouette with the luxurious interior of a BMW 7 Series, while at the same time giving the functionality of a BMW 5 Series Touring or X5. The 19th distinct model shape to be offered in the BMW range has a vehicle length nearly o ...Continued

FORD SLASH THOUSANDS OFF MONDEO MODELS By Brian Foley Ford Ireland has announced a limited new offer on Mondeo models with reductions of up to €3,000.The entry level Mondeo 1.6 petrol Style price now starts from €22,925. The new Mondeo reduction offer covers the full range and specifically allows for reductions of €3,000 off petrol m ...Continued

	ALL-NEW OPEL ASTRA - FIRST OFFICIAL PHOTOS By Brian Foley Opel have released the first official images of the all new German-engineered Opel Astra, which will make it's public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show on September 17th. The five-door hatchback sports strong family links to the Insignia, the current European Car of the Year award win ...Continued

	DUBLIN'S NEW LIFFEY BRIDGE ARRIVES FROM HOLLAND By Brian Foley The Dublin City Council commissioned Samuel Beckett Bridge (measuring 120 metres long; 48 metres high) arrived on a barge into Dublin Port at 10.30am on May 11th, having charted its way across the English Channel and Irish Sea. The superstructure began its odyssey at Graham-Hollandia JV Shipyard in ...Continued

	NEW HIGH PERFORMANCE SPORTS MODEL OPEL INSIGNIA ‘OPC’ By Brian Foley The new high performance Opel Insignia OPC (Opel Performance Center) goes on sale this summer,in hatch and saloon models, followed later in 2009 by the Sports Tourer (estate). The go-faster Insignia is Opel’s first OPC model to adopt 4X4 technology, and has undergone an extensive test programme at ...Continued

	IRELAND WIN WORLD CUP OF MOTORSPORT By Brian Foley Adam Carroll totally dominated the final rounds of the World Cup of Motorsport at Brands Hatch to score outright A1GP championship victory for A1 Team Ireland. The Ulsterman started both sprint and feature races from pole, winning the sprint race from Narain Karthikeyan (India), with Salvador Dura ...Continued

	SEPTEMBER LAUNCH OF THE NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS COUPÉ By Brian Foley September is the launch month for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class Coupe. The Coupe is a 2-door model based on the latest E-Class saloon, and size wise is substantially longer and wider, with more interior roominess and greater boot capacity than the CLK model it replaces. Its sporty ...Continued

	The new BMW 760Li arrives in September By Brian Foley New flagship model with first ever BMW twin-turbo V12 engine and first eight-speed automatic transmission BMW’s new flagship model will be launched in September and will feature two world debuts - an all new 5972cc twin-turbocharged V12 engine and the first BMW production car ...Continued

	THE COUNTDOWN BEGINS FOR THE ALL-NEW JAGUAR XJ By Brian Foley An all-new Jaguar XJ will make its public debut this July. Speaking at Auto Shanghai 2009, Jaguar Cars Managing Director, Mike O'Driscoll confirmed that: * The all-new XJ will go on sale at the end of 2009 - but will officially be revealed on July 9th in London. ...Continued

	CIRCUIT OF IRELAND By Brian Foley Eugene Donnelly in a Skoda Fabia WRC scored a 48.4 seconds victory over Eamonn Boland (Subaru WRC), with Gareth MacHale third in a Ford Focus WRC in the two-day Larsen Circuit of Ireland. The two day's Easter event was run out of Dundalk, with all stages in the Northern Counties of Down and Armagh. ...Continued

ULSTER AC LARSEN CIRCUIT OF IRELAND INTERNATIONAL RALLY By Brian Foley (ROUND 2 OF IRISH TARMAC CHAMPIONSHIP): 1 Eugene Donnelly/Paddy Toner (Skoda Fabia WRC) 1h 55m 01s, 2 Eamonn Boland/Mick Morrissey (Subaru Impreza WRC) 1h 55m 50s, 3 Gareth MacHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) 1h 56m 06s, 4 Tim McNulty/David Moynihan (Subar ...Continued

	Volkswagen Golf is 2009 World Car of the Year By Brian Foley At the New York International Motor Show , the new Volkswagen Golf was declared World Car of The Year 2009. The Volkswagen Golf VI was chosen from an initial entry list of fifty-one (51) entries nominated by fifty-nine (59) World Car jurors from twenty-five (25) countries througho ...Continued

	Mitsubishi To Increase Electric Vehicle Production By Brian Foley Two-Month Irish Trial To Start April 10th Mitsubishi Motors is planning to double production capacity for the iMiEV electric car to 20,000 units a year by 2011. Mitsubishi had originally planned to produce 2,000 plug-in electric c ...Continued

	IRISH DRIVER WINS IN MALAYSIA By Brian Foley Sixteen-years old Gary Thompson (Dublin) scored a sensational motor racing debut win in the first race of the 2009 Formula BMW Pacific Championship at Sepang, Malaysia. Thompson started from pole in the first round of the championship, dropped to fourth at the start but soon retook the lead befor ...Continued

	Peter Dempsey races for Star Mazda title in the USA By Brian Foley Peter Dempsey (Ashbourne), winner of four races in last year's Star Mazda Championship, got off to a solid start at Round One at Sebring,Florida on March 20th. Arriving in the USA from Ireland and going straight into a new car, new team and trying to develop new parts was always going to be a toug ...Continued

	NEW OPEL INSIGNIA SPORTS TOURER NOW ON SALE By Brian Foley The new Opel Insignia Sports Tourer is the estate version of the Insignia saloon and hatchback, and comes with all the class-leading innovation of the Inisgnia model range, such as FlexRide, Intelligent AFL and Adaptive 4X4. With ample room for five occupants and plenty of headroom for rear seat p ...Continued

	JUNE ARRIVAL FOR NEW MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS By Brian Foley June has been fixed as the launch date in Ireland for the new Mercedes-Benz E-Class range. In appearance, the new E-Class is significantly different (from the previous model), with it's wedge-shaped profile, new twin-lens headlight design, front daytime running lights set below ...Continued

	The first BMW Art Car by Alexander Calder comes to IMMA By Brian Foley The BMW 3.0 CSL, with which Alexander Calder laid the foundation stone for the BMW Art Car Collection in 1975, will be on display at the Irish Museum of Modern Art from I April – 21 June 2009. The car will be displayed alongside a collection of Calder’s jewellery which the artist designed between th ...Continued

Ford Iosis Max Concept By Brian Foley The Ford iosis MAX features a striking exterior and interior treatment based on a fresh interpretation of Ford’s 'kinetic design form language'. It is a Multi Activity Vehicle (MAV) with new levels of efficiency and flexibility.. it features new door opening concepts, lightweight materials, advance ...Continued

World Premiere of “Le Crossover” Peugeot 3008 By Brian Foley Peugeot staged the world premiere of its new “crossover” vehicle, the Peugeot 3008 at the 79th Geneva Motor Show. The Peugeot 3008 is a compact and spacious vehicle which is an alternative to the compact SUV. The 3008 will introduce new technology such as: grip control, dynamic ...Continued

	Kia Motors Ireland Announce Olympic Council of Ireland Sponsorship By Brian Foley Kia Motors Ireland has become the exclusive vehicle provider to the Olympic Council of Ireland from now up to and including the London 2012 Olympic Games . During the sponsorship term Kia Motors Ireland will provide logistical support to the OCI for their day to day work and will ...Continued

	The Opel Ampera Star of the 2009 Geneva Motor Show By Brian Foley Electrically propelled vehicle with over 500 kilometres autonomous range The revolutionary Opel Ampera was one of the highlights of the Geneva Motor Show. It will be the first emission-free, electrically propelled automobile in Europe suitable for everyday driving. ...Continued

	The New Lexus RX Hybrid By Brian Foley First full size crossover with Band C emissions The new Lexus RX Hybrid made its European debut at this year’s Geneva Motor Show. Using breakthrough hybrid technology, the new RX hybrid emits just 148g/km CO2 without any compromise in power, luxury or size ...Continued

Autopoint Articles

PORSCHE CENTRE OPENS IN DUBLIN By Brian Foley

NEW FORD 1.0 litre TURBO ENGINE By Brian Foley

FORD’S HANDS-FREE PARALLEL PARKING IN BIG DEMAND By Brian Foley

New 2013 Ford Fusion Road and Race Cars. By Brian Foley

THE NEW MITSUBISHI PAJERO By Brian Foley

Peugeot 3008 HYbrid4 - The World’s First Diesel Electric Car PRICES ANNOUNCED By Brian Foley

Volvo Looking Good Going Forward By Brian Foley

American Honda Display New NSX Supercar Concept at 2012 Detroit Motor Show By Brian Foley

RANGE ROVER EVOQUE AWARDS PASS THE HALF CENTURY MARK By Brian Foley

CRAIG BREEN to CONTEST WORLD RALLY CHAMPIONSHIP By Brian Foley

Ireland’s Craig Breen Crowned FIA WRC Academy World Rally Champion 2012 By Brian Foley

The New Peugeot 208: Re-Generation By Brian Foley

Opel Insignia for 2012: Lower fuel consumption and added luxuries By Brian Foley

FAST FORDS FOR SALOON AN FORMULA FORD RACING By Brian Foley

All Go New Opel Astra GTC By Brian Foley

NEW TOYOTA AURIS HYBRID SYNERGY DRIVE® By Brian Foley

NEW 3rd GENERATION TOYOTA YARIS By Brian Foley

Ford Focus Wagon for style, space and sheer practicality. By Brian Foley

Peugeot’s World-First Diesel Electric Hybrid Coming to Ireland By Brian Foley

Volkswagen to cut costs, boost profit By Brian Foley

The New Civic due in December By Brian Foley

EXCITING JAGUAR C-X16 'PRODUCTION CONCEPT' Spiritual successor to the legendary Jaguar E-Type By Brian Foley

SUPERCARS AT FRANKFURT SHOW By Brian Foley

ETERNITI - a new SUPER SUV By Brian Foley

NEW VOLKSWAGEN UP! MINICAR By Brian Foley

INNOVATIVE AUDI ELECTRIC CITY CAR CONCEPT By Brian Foley

Kia Motors Ireland announce details of All-New Picanto By Brian Foley

JAGUAR GOES ELECTRIC - AND JAY LENO DRIVES IT! By Brian Foley

CHEVROLET in SOUTH AFRICA By Brian Foley

NEW HYUNDAI MODELS AND AWARDS By Brian Foley

NEW HONDA CR-V and CIVIC By Brian Foley

FRANK KEANE RE-OPENS MAXWELL MOTORS By Brian Foley

Peugeot 508 RXH Diesel Electric Hybrid for September debut By Brian Foley

New Ford Focus ST on Track Prototype Testing Underway from Californian Freeways to Germany's famous Nürburgring By Brian Foley

New Audi A6 Avant combines elegance with estate car practicality By Brian Foley

NEW TOYOTA YARIS By Brian Foley

NEW SUZUKI SWIFT DDiS - THE STYLISH SUPERMINI WITH COMPACT RUNNING COSTS By Brian Foley

New Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet arrives in August By Brian Foley

New Opel Zafira Tourer for September debut By Brian Foley

The Honda Accord 2011 gets a new look; is more eco-friendly and costs less By Brian Foley

WORLD CAR AWARDS By BRIAN FOLEY

New Mazda CX-5 Compact SUV By Brian Foley

PHOENIX PARK RACES CANCELLED AGAIN By Brian Foley

New Peugeot 508 Prices and Equipment By Brian Foley

The New Volkswagen Touareg By Brian Foley

THE GO-FASTER MINI COOPER SD - powered by 2.0 litre Diesel Engine By Brian Foley

TOYOTA LAUNCHES NEW GENERATION LAND CRUISER By Brian Foley

SNOW DRIVING IN A SEAT By Brian Foley

The new BMW 1 Series Coupé and Convertible By Brian Foley

Mazda2 gets a Facelift for 2011 By Brian Foley

FIAT IRELAND TO MARKET CHRYSLER AND JEEP IN 2011 By Brian Foley

Jeep Unveils New Compass By Brian Foley

Opel Ampera – Revolutionary Electric Car Starts From €42,900 By Brian Foley

Upgrades on the Toyota Auris, Yaris and Verso for 2011 By Brian Foley

NEW HONDA CR-Z HYBRID SPORTSCAR By Brian Foley

ALL NEW MAZDA5 MPV PUTTING ON THE STYLE FOR THE FAMILY OF 2011 ! By Brian Foley

RENAULT RACE AHEAD WITH VALUE-FOR-MONEY CARS By Brian Foley

NEW FORD C-MAX and GRAND C-MAX By Brian Foley

FORMULA ONE NEWS By Brian Foley

World Premiere of the New Volkswagen Passat in Paris By Brian Foley

OPEL ASTRA GTC at PARIS SHOW By Brian Foley

NISSAN GOING FORWARD By Brian Foley

Honda Jazz Hybrid debuts at Paris Motor Show By Brian Foley

The new BMW X3 made in the USA, on sale in Ireland in November By Brian Foley

ALL-NEW MITSUBISHI ASX By Brian Foley

Mazda’s New Design Theme: ‘KODO – Soul of Motion’ By Brian Foley

CITROËN DS3 RACING – LATEST ‘HOT HATCH@ By Brian Foley

MITSUBISHI ANNOUNCE PRICING for iMiEV ELECTRIC MICROCAR By Brian Foley

TOYOTA VERSO-S debuts at PARIS SHOW By Brian Foley

NEW LEXUS IS200d DELIVERS LOWER PRICES, EMISSIONS AND ROAD TAX By Brian Foley

NEW CITROËN DS4 – FIRST DETAILS By Brian Foley

New MG to star at MPH featuring Top Gear Live events By Brian Foley

ALL REVVED UP FOR THE CANNONBALL RUN 2010! By Brian Foley

TOYOTA COROLLA 2010 – Lower emissions and enhanced design for Ireland’s most popular C segment saloon By Brian Foley

NEW MERCEDES CLS By Brian Foley

VOLVO’S 40 YEARS OF RESEARCHING ‘REAL’ ACCIDENTS By Brian Foley

Australian fans epic drive to MG Birmingham factory By Brian Foley

THE NEW BMW X3 By Brian Foley

PHOENIX PARK MOTOR RACES CANCELLED By Brian Foley

EXCITING JAGUAR C-X16 'PRODUCTION CONCEPT'
Spiritual successor to the legendary Jaguar E-Type By Brian Foley