30 November 2000: The first official glimpse of Rover’s new hot MG X10 shows the flagship for an entire range of performance cars to be sold under the MG banner. High-powered versions of the 25 and 45 hatchbacks and 75 saloon will also be launched, giving a total of nine new performance models in all.
According to Keith Howe, chief executive of the MG Rover Group, 2001 will be the year MG re-establishes itself as a leading global car brand. At an estimated £30,000 price in the UK, it will have a near-300bhp engine with genuine 150mph potential.
Visual changes over the Rover 75 are by McLaren F1 designer Peter Stevens. There will also be a V6 model with mild tweaks to the engine and exhaustand a more potent 200bhp 6-cylinder.
The hot 25 will come with two levels of ‘temperature’ with the top model aimed at Audi's S3. A 45 MG will be a more reserved car but with GT characteristics.
The popular MGF will continue, and will account for 25 per cent of the MG Rover Group's total yearly production target of 200,000 units.
Bill Cullen is Maxol Irish Motor Industry Person
28 November 2000: Bill Cullen of the Glencullen Group has been awarded the Maxol Irish Motor Industry Person of the Year title. He was presented with the award, which is jointly sponsored by the Irish Motor Industry Magazine, by the minister of state at the Department of Finance, Martin Cullen TD, at a special ceremony yesterday (He's pictured above with the minister, Tom Noonan of Maxol, and Paul O'Grady of the Irish Motor Industry Magazine).
The awards are in their third year, and Bill Cullen’s nomination was for his Children’s Hour initiative, which raised over £4 million through pledges by people to donate an hour’s wages to children’s charities. The idea has been copied in 23 other countries.
Accepting the award, Bill Cullen recalled his first job in the industry when he joined Walden Motors. “I was put to cleaning the petrol pumps,” he said, “and as it happened, they were Maxol pumps!”
Eight years later, he was managing director of the company.
Maxol Group chief executive Tom Noonan said the winning by Bill Cullen of the award embodied exactly what they were about: “Not only is he a successful businessman, but he is also conscious of using his role to generate benefits for the less fortunate.”
The other nominees for the overall award were Ray Clinton, former managing director of Statoil; Gerard O’Toole, executive chairman of Daewoo Ireland; Bob Prole, former assistant chief executive and secretary of the SIMI; Alan McDermott, Irish representative at the World Skills Olympics; Rosemary Smith, who founded the Think Awareness Driving Programme for schools; Walter Brennan, general manager of Keary’s Motors in Midleton; Eddie Shaw, chairman of the National Safety Council; Michael O’Carroll of RTE Sports; and Liam Connellan, chairman of the National Roads Authority.
The judges were Andrew Hamilton of the Irish Times; Cyril McHugh of the SIMI; motor dealer Brian Murphy; and Paul O’Grady of Irish Motor Industry Magazine.
Renault 'credit card' key system for Irish Laguna IIs
27 November 2000: A ‘credit card’ key system for cars will have its first outing in Ireland in the new Renault Laguna II series, which go on sale in Ireland in early February next.
The Carte Renault uses radio frequency technology and a rolling code system with 65,000 combinations. When the car ‘recognises’ the person bearing the card it opens the doors and the card is then inserted into a slot on the console. Pressing a ‘start/stop’ button then switches off the immobiliser and disconnects the electro-mechanical steering lock.
The card can’t be withdrawn while the engine is running, and the engine can’t be started except in neutral. The system allows for four ‘personalised’ cards, which also contain the car’s Vehicle Identification Number and its registration number.
Every time the car is used, the card records the fuel and oil levels, the mileage recorder reading, tyre pressures, distance remaining to next service, and an emissions check. This is likely to be very useful to fleet managers and service operators, who can read the information on a PC equipped with a Carte Renault reader.
The car was shown to Irish journalists on Friday at City West in Dublin.
Renault Ireland's website is www.renault.ie
S60 breaks 18 speed records
27 November 2000: The Volvo S60 has broken no less than 18 British Land Speed records for a production car in Class D (2- to 3-litre). The T5 version of the car broke the 24-hour record for highest average speed at the Millbrook Proving Ground in Bedfordshire, achieving an average of 135.10mph over the period.
The car was prepared by Volvo Prodrive and the drivers during the event included British Touring Car Championship contenders Anthony Reid, Rickard Rydell, John Cleland and Alain Menu.
Some of the other records broken include the 5,000 kilometres from a standing start, 50 miles from a standing start, and the flying five kilometres - the last set by Anthony Reid at a spectacular 152.02mph.
The car was run for two hours between driver changes, each pitstop including a refuel and a tyre change.
“This extreme test is a fine testament to Volvo’s T5 heritage,” MD of Volvo Ireland Alan Cousins said. “It leaves absolutely no doubt as to the S60’s capabilities in everyday use.”
Laguna II shown in Ireland
24 November 2000: Renault’s new Laguna II will be priced from £17,990-£23,140 when it arrives in Ireland in early February, Irish journalists were told today at City West in Dublin.
The car will be available in Hatchback and Prestige forms, the latter described as a ‘fastback’ version with estate car capacity and advantages. Power units will be 1.6- and 1.8-litre petrol and 1.9-litre turbodiesels, outputting 110-, 118- and 105bhp respectively. Fuel consumption ranges from 34-39mpg.
Three levels of specification include ‘Sport’ and ‘Super Sport’. All models have ABS, emergency brake assist and a tyre pressure monitoring system. All come also with discs all round. Xenon headlamps feature as an option on Sport and standard on Super Sport version.
The interiors are bright, and the seats more comfortable and taller than in the predecessor car. An 8-speaker sound system is common to all versions, as is Renault’s own anti-intruder device. All have electric front windows, and the two upper levels provide electric rear window operation. All Renault IIs have air-conditioning, with full climate control on higher-spec models.
Renault Ireland's website is www.renault.ie
Corsa wins Irish Car of the Year
23 November 2000: The Opel Corsa has been voted the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2001 by the Irish Motoring Writers Association. The result was literally ‘by a whisker’, and the Corsa and Skoda Fabia each won 97 points and the result had to be decided by the number of first preferences.
The Fiat Multipla came third with 96 points. The other cars in the shortlist list were the Citroen Picasso and the Nissan Almera.
The winner’s trophy was presented to Opel Ireland managing director Iede Aukema (pictured above) by Semperit Ireland’s Roger Griggs, who had earlier commented on the need for Ireland’s poor road safety record to be addressed by such steps as improving road infrastructure, driving standards and increasing visibility of enforcement.
Iede Aukema said he felt ‘very proud’ standing with the award in his hands. He thanked his colleagues from Germany for designing and producing the car. “I’m convinced that many Corsas will find their way to many happy Irish customers,” he said.
Opel public affairs manager Aidan Doyle later said they hope to sell 10,000 Corsas in the next calendar year, which would give the car about a 4% share of the overall market, which for the current year is expected to be about 230,000.
IMWA chairman Brian Byrne also spoke on the safety issue in his address, saying that it was ‘immoral’ that road infrastructures and driving testing facilities were ‘grossly inadequate’ in a State which is taking more than £3 billion a year in revenue from the motor business.
The Semperit Irish Van of the Year 2001 was won by the new Ford Transit, well ahead of the Nissan Almera van, the Nissan Cabstar, Opel Movano, Renault Clio and Volkswagen Golf Van.
BMW lowers top on M3
23 November 2000: BMW has just released details of the new M3 Convertible, the latest variant in the current 'M' versions of the 3-series, following hot on the exhaust of the Coupe.
The new car won't be available until next summer, and is expected to cost more than £40,000 in the UK. It will have the same powerplant as the M3 Coupe, a straight-six 3.2-litre outputting 343bhp, and the car will do 0-60mph in 5.4 seconds.
The convertible will also have the same high performance tuned M suspension set-up and braking system, and the innovative Differential Lock. The chassis has been substantially reinforced to make up for the loss of the roof structure. The M3's hood operation takes 25 seconds to operate and folds down to store inside an automatically-operating rear tonneau cover.
The car has ABS, six airbags, a strengthened windscreen surround and protection from pop-up rollover bars. Dynamic Stability Control and Cornering Brake Control are standard equipment, monitoring the car's handling behaviour.
Hannibal runners reach Le Mans
21 November 2000: The second phase of the Alfa Romeo ‘Hannibal Run is going very well according to irishcar.com contributors taking part in the innovative Irish launch of the new 147. This morning they are doing a full circuit of the Le Mans 24-hour road race circuit in France, having driven from Geneva yesterday.
“The car is handling very well, and standing up to the run in great shape,” Austin Shinnors said this morning. “Later today we drive to Calais and the Le Shuttle through the Channel Tunnel. After a morning at Goodwood tomorrow, we’re all flying home for the Irish Car of the Year announcement on Thursday.”
The 147 has won the European Car of the Year 2001, but was not on the Irish list for the competition because it isn’t yet on sale in the market.
The cars were last week driven from Naples to Geneva by another group of Irish journalists (see above and below), in the first leg of the ‘Hannibal Run’, the event which was the brainchild of Alfa Romeo Ireland PR manager Joe Gantly.
“They must be all mad to have accepted the invitation,” he told irishcar.com in Geneva. “But I’m delighted they did, and I suspect it will become an annual event.”
Alfa 'Hannibal Run' gets under way in Italy
16 November 2000: Twelve Irish journalists have begun the innovative ‘Hannibal Run’, a four-day relay event bringing the first group of the new Alfa Romeo 147 cars from their factory near Naples to Ireland. Pictured during the lunch break are Alfa Romeo Ireland personnel who are also on the trip, brand manager Liam Holton, CEO Nicola Greco, and public relations manager Joe Gantly.
The first leg, from Naples to Firenza via Rome and Siena, was completed this afternoon with the initial impression of those taking part being very positive about the new car, which has been adjudged the European Car of the Year.
The route included a long motorway stretch which showed excellent handling and high-speed driving characteristics of the 147 in the 1.6-litre form which is the entry level. A 2-litre version will be available shortly after launch.
Other sections of the 400-plus miles travelled today were in the rolling hills of Tuscany, where some twisty parts allowed the drivers appreciate the very taut handling dynamics.
Tomorrow the journalists will take the cars on a long looping run from Firenze to Geneva in Switzerland via Bologna, Modena, Turin, Chambery (France), and Annecy (France). This will include a mountain section of the famous Mille Miglia road race where, as Nicola Greco said tonight, 'Alfa Romeo showed just what it was in terms of engineering and handling'.
This section has some 3,000 mountain bends, which will show those driving it just what today's Alfas do in terms of such a prestigious pedigree.
Ireland is one of the first countries to launch the car outside its home country, and the cars currently being used on the ‘Hannibal Run’ are the first RHD versions to be built.
Full price and specification details of the 147 will be released next week. The car is aimed strongly at the middle-upper executive market currently the preserve of BMW 3-series entry level models and the C-Class Mercedes-Benz.
With its sporty characteristics and very distinctive styling, the car is expected to follow strongly in the ‘conquest’ sales performance which the 156 has achieved in the next sector up.
Alfa Romeo Ireland expect to sell over 1,100 147s in Ireland in 2001.
Pirelli Calendar 2001 has Irish connection
16 November 2000: A Peruvian photographer of Irish extraction is the lens wizard behind the 2001 version of the sexiest datekeeper in the world, the fabulous Pirelli Calendar.
Mario Testino was born in Lima into a family which originated in Ireland, and he is responsible for the images of the second set of Pirelli stunners in the new millennium. The calendar was launched to the press yesterday in Naples in Italy, where the photographs in next year’s calendar were shot in the city which lives in the sultry shadow of Vesuvius.
These days Testino lives in London, a base from which he has photographed some of the most beautiful women in today’s world, including Madonna, Kim Bassinger, Liz Hurley, Janet Jackson, Julia Roberts, Meg Ryan, and - possibly his most extraordinary subject - Princess Diana. Also staying in the Excelsior Hotel during the calendar launch was launched was Sarah Ferguson, Duchess of York and at one time Di’s best friend.
Testino’s work appears in the world’s most prestigious magazines, such as Vogue, W, the Face and Vanity Fair.
This year’s models for the most sought-after calendar in the world include Brazilian beauty Giselle Bundchen (right), last year’s Vogue Model of the Year, pictured here in advance of the calendar’s publication.
The most consistent love of Giselle’s life is her Yorkshire terrier Vida, who guards her apartment in New York while she’s jetting the world on assignments as ‘probably the most popular contemporary model in the world’ according to Pirelli.
Irish Car of the Year short list
16 November 2000: The Irish Motoring Writers Association has announced its short-list of five cars which will be considered for the Semperit Irish Car of the Year competition.
They are the Fiat Multipla, Opel Corsa, Skoda Fabia, Citroen Picasso, and Nissan Almera. The final vote will take place next week and the result will be announced at a lunch in the Berkley Court Hotel on Thursday next.
There werre over 40 cars on the original list for the 2001 competition. Not included because they were not on sale before the end of October deadline were the new Ford Mondeo and the Alfa Romeo 147, which has been adjudged the European Car of the Year 2001.
Mondeo Irish prices announced
16 November 2000: The price of Ford’s new Mondeo will start at £17,750 for the 1.8-litre entry level saloon version, and 5-door hatchback will cost £400 more. There will be two specification grades - LX and Zetec. All models feature airconditioning and ABS as standard, as well as an ‘intelligent’ protection system with dual stage front airbags, chest protecting side airbags and inflatable side curtains.
A 2-litre diesel range starts with a 90bhp version at £19,050.
A 5-door wagon will be available next year for an additional £1,000.
Ford of Irelande boss Eddie Nolan said the new Mondeo represents ‘outstanding value for money’. “In terms of bodystyles, engines and specification levels, the range offers choice aplenty for the prospective buyer,” he said.
Alfa in Ireland projects 50% market share increase
15 November 2000: Alfa Romeo in Ireland expect that the new 147, due in Ireland in January, will increase the marque’s market share in this country to 1.5%, building on the massive increase in penetration won by the 156.
According to Nicola Greco, CEO of Fiat Auto Ireland, the brand unit sales in Ireland for 2000 will be in excess of 2,500, giving Alfa a 1% overall share. Sales have increased tenfold since 1996, when the company was only selling 250 units a year in Ireland.
Speaking to Irish journalists this evening in Naples, on the eve of the innovative ‘Hannibal Run’ (see story below), Greco said the new car will be targeted at both price competitors and the lifestyle buyers who are concerned about fashion and image as well as quality.
Details of the specification and prices of the cars are embargoed until November 23, but 1.6- and 2-litre engines will be the mainstay power units, while a 1.9-litre turbodiesel will be available from May.
On the success of the 156, Greco said that 87% of the sales in Ireland were ‘conquest’, stealing from other marques. He also said that the Sportwagon version released last summer has sold ‘as expected’ and he claimed that the estate market in Ireland will grow rapidly over the next few years, as the market grows more sophisticated.
He also revealed that Alfa is tooling up for a comeback to the North American market with the next versions of the GTV and Spyder. And a GTA version of the 156, with a 3.2-litre V6 engine, will become available in Ireland at the end of next year.
Audi A4 goes upmarket
13 November 2000: Audi is taking on BMW and Mercedes-Benz entry-level models by moving its A4 model upmarket in its latest guise.
Built on an all-new platform, the latest A4, shown to Irish journalists at the weekend, is said to be the most dynamic Audi in the 28 years it has been building cars in this segment. Pictured on right with the new car is John Hayes of the Audi Division of Motor Distributors Ltd.
A brand new 2-litre engine will help the new car to seriously challenge the 3-Series BMW and the C-Class Merc, particularly when it comes to handling and ‘sportiness’. Other engine options include a 1.9-litre Tdi outputting 130bhp, and a 2.5-litre Tdi and a 3-litre petrol. A 1.8T petrol is due two months after the planned February Irish launch. Quattro versions will be available with a number of engines, from the 1.8T up.
A ‘Multitronic’ CVT automatic will be available in the 3-litre, making it by far the largest engine so far to use CVT.
Standard equipment will include anti-lock brakes, Electronic Brake Distribution, Electronic Stability Programme, remote central locking, front side and head airbags and single disc CD player. The only cars not to have climate control will be the entry level 1.6 and 1.9Tdi.
Among the main and most noticeable improvements on the old one are: greater rear seat room, better balanced driving, more equipment, a larger stronger looking, distinctive car, more comfotable cabin, much improved instrumentation and dials.
The A4 is Audi's big seller, representing 33pc of all global sales last year. A gauge of its popularity is how well the current model has been selling in what has effectively been its run-out year. While the new one will take them into more exhalted competitive climates, the company anticipates sales will increase.
Audi is saying nothing about price in Ireland at this stage, but an increase is inevitable. The current entry level price is £22,280.
147 'Hannibal Run' for Irish journalists
13 November 2000: A novel way of introducing Alfa Romeo’s new 147 to Irish motoring journalists takes place this week.
Dubbed the ‘Hannibal Run’, the event involves the journalists driving a batch of Irish-spec demonstrator cars all the way from Naples in Italy to London. The trip is in two stages, with one group driving the 1,200km from Naples to Gerneva in Switzerland and a second group taking the cars from there.
“It is a very big logistical challenge,” says Joe Gantly, Alfa Romeo’s public affairs manager in Ireland. “But a very special car deserves a very special, even unique press launch. I hope the ‘Hannibal Run’ will be a very exciting, relevant, memorable and enjoyable way to get the journalists to test this particular new car, which promises so much for the future of Alfa Romeo.”
The second group will enter Britain via the Channel Tunnel, a route chosen because of the possibility of bad weather between France and Ireland delaying the journalists, many of whom have to be back in Ireland next Thursday for the annual Semperit Irish Car of the Year announcement, organised by the Irish Motoring Writers Association.
A tale of a mystery Ka
13 November 2000: Is there a Ford Ka version out here that the company is keeping quiet about? If this story is true, then perhaps we’ll soon be seeing a lot more of the little Fords on the road.
As the story goes, a service manager had an engine part sent to him to replace a defective one in a customer’s car. When the part arrived, it wouldn’t fit, so he sent it back and asked for the correct one.
The replacement still didn’t fit, so he called up the distributor’s parts division and had a discussion about the problem. When he read out the part number over the phone, there was an apparently inadvertant ‘oh, that’s for the 1-litre ...’ and then a silence before the phone was put down.
The correct part for the 1.3-litre engine arrived without further bother. But the question now being asked is: is there a 1-litre Ka somewhere? If there is, it would make a great deal of sense, because the only thing holding back the sales of the Ka in markets like Ireland is the too-large engine for our tax regime.
This may be just another urban legend. But there are salesmen out there who say the Ka would BECOME and urban legend if they could only have one with a 1-litre engine ...
Drastic restructuring for Mitsubishi
13 November 2000: The closing of one or more plants and other drastic restructuring efforts to restore profitability are expected at Mitsubishi Motors, Japan's No. 4 vehicle maker.
But the company's new president Takashi Sonobe seems determined to maintain its independence despite DaimlerChrysler assuming a 34% stake giving it power of veto at board level and installing a number of German experts to guide the restructuring process under Rolf Eckrodt, the Japanese company's new chief operating officer.
Mitsubishi seems likely to copy some of the restructuring measures that Renault has orchestrated at Nissan, particularly in slashing procurement costs and rationalising production facilities. A complication is that there is a third element at the party - Sweden's Volvo AB which has, despite the opposition of DaimlerChrysler, firmed up its alliance with Mitsubishi's truck operations.
The plants threatened with closure include one of nine in Japan and a Mitsubishi assembly operation in Australia.
There is particular interest in Mitsubishi announcing today its earnings for the half-year to September 30. Heavy losses are expected, with depressing forecasts of the future costs of recalls resulting from the concealment of customer complaints for some 20 years.
Laguna II to come here with high safety spec
10 November 2000: The new Renault Laguna II will launch in Ireland in early February with both 1.6- and 1.8-litre petrol engines, giving the model a strong edge in the important fleet sector. A 2-litre petrol and 1.9-litre turbodiesel will be available from later in the year. A 3-litre V6 is being produced, but is an unlikely seller in the high-tax Irish market.
The Irish specification for Laguna II will include airconditioning and ABS as standard and all models will also have emergency brake assist and a number of other electronic safety features, including monitoring of tyre pressures. Other technical improvements include a ‘drive by wire’ electronic throttle linkage.
The car will be priced ‘very close’ to the outgoing model, irishcar.com has learned. It will be shown to Irish motoring journalists at the end of this month.
A ‘keyless entry’ system through which the car ‘recognises’ a coded device in the owners pocket or handbag will not be available in Ireland because the UK market has turned it down.
Laguna II is being provided in two forms - a hatchback and ‘sports tourer’ estate, and in European sales terms the company expects to gain 11% of the upper-middle ‘D’ segment in 2001.
In Ireland, Renault achieved 10% market share overall in October, and has registered 16,500 vehicles so far this year. Pictured above with Alain Margaritopol, Directeur-Charge des Importateurs, Renault, is Jerr Nolan, MD of Renault Distributors Ireland.
Toyota unveils 'hot' Celica
10 November 2000: Toyota has unveiled a hot version of its Celica, the 190. The car boasts an extra 50bhp to 189bhp and engine capacity has risen to 1,796cc.
This more potent version cuts 1.3 seconds off the basic Celica's 0-60mph sprint time, down to 7.4 seconds, and adds 13mph to the top speed, bringing it to 140mph. Ratios in the six-speed gearbox have also been clustered together more tightly.
In the UK, it costs £20,495 compared to £16,995 - but the spec includes a CD player, electric sunroof, leather trim and aluminium pedals.
No news yet on Irish availability.
Daewoo says receivership decision was 'strategic'
10 November 2000: Korean car giant Daewoo is insisting its decision to go into receivership was ``an extremely positive step'' which would serve to re-establish Daewoo as a strong and healthy company. Daewoo president Young-Kook Lee said going into receivership would speed up the transfer of the company to a new owner.
Negotiations are continuing with General Motors, which reportedly offered between $2.5 billion and $3 billion earlier this year.
Daewoo had been in the process of restructuring which would lead to a worldwide return to profitability, but the ``self rescue'' plan, involving layoffs and salary reductions, was opposed by the assembly line workers' union.
Mr Lee said that lacking any other viable alternative, Daewoo Motor entered into court receivership as a strategic move to overcome the union's ‘unreasonable resistance’ to staffing reductions.
``Daewoo Motor is now solidly positioned to proceed with concluding the transition of the company to a new owner on an accelerated basis. Discussions with General Motors are ongoing.''
However, Daewoo was forced to shut down its main plant in South Korea yesterday due to a lack of parts. Company officials said operations at the plant, west of the capital Seoul, were stopped when subcontractors refused to supply steel plates and other parts and demanded cash payments.
The freeze at the plant is expected to cost Daewoo 800 cars a day in lost production.
Honda reports drop in earnings
9 November 2000: Honda Motor Company reported net income for the fiscal second quarter ended September 30, 2000 of $538 million, a decrease of 8.5% from the same period in 1999.
The company warns that although the economies of Asian countries are expected to continue to recover, it foresees consumer spending in the United States slowing and European business conditions remaining severe due to the ongoing depreciation of the euro.
The company’s unit sales of automobiles decreased by 1.9% during the quarter to 606,000 units, though a six-month tally shows an averall increase of 4% in passenger vehicle sales. Sales of automobiles increased in Asia and Japan, but there were lower sales in Europe.
Lexus LS430 Irish arrival and price
8 November 2000: The new Lexus flagship, the LS 430, will arrive in Irish car showrooms on November 15 at a base price of £79,000. According to irishcar.com’s John Reilly, who got his first impressions in the car last evening, the silence in the car is ‘uncanny’.
Lexus are calling the new car the ‘most silent, most refined and most aerodynamic passenger car in the world’.
Lexus Ireland’s Mark Teevan (right) said last night that the new car features major advances over its predecessor in many areas, including performance, chassis dynamics, styling and equipment levels.
“Journalists writing about it will have to find a new vocabulary,” he said. “Superlatives just aren’t in the language any more to describe the LS430.”
In an Irish luxury car market of some 380 cars a year, Lexus Ireland expects to sell between 60 and 75 LS430s in 2001, almost two thirds of which are targeted as ‘conquest sales’ against brands such as Mercedes-Benz and BMW. Pan European sales are expected to reach 1,500 units, compared to annual sales of 900 for the outgoing LS400.
The key element of the new car is a 4.3-litre V8 engine with a 5-speed automatic gearbox. The engine gives a 0-62mph of 6.7secs in extraordinary smooth and quiet style, thanks both to major suspension improvements and an aerodynamic CD factor of 0.25, the best of any production car.
Standard specification in Ireland includes air-conditioned front seats, a centre-dash positioned CD autochanger, leather trim, and an electric sunshade for the rear windscreen.
A satellite navigation system combined with a Mark Levinson stereo system is available at £7,370. A £5,000 ‘President’s Package’ designed primarily for chauffeur-driven owners includes an electrically adjustable rear seat, rear seat massage function, and individual rear controls for climate control and audio.
Despectacled motorists a danger
8 November 2000: Up to 30 per cent of motorists who wear glasses haven’t had their sight checked for more than four years, according to a new study by UK insurance company MasterQuote.
And a high proportion drive without their glasses at all, while more than half who drive in sunny countries don’t wear sunglasses with their official prescription.
Experts say that if a driver requires glasses to see distances, then they should be wearing their glasses at all times while driving. According to international requirements, a driver should be able to read the numberplate of a vehicle five car lengths away in roder to be allowed on the road behind the wheel.
In the UK, police can stop motorists at any time and require them to take an eyesight test, and they can prosecute anyone found driving with defective eyesight if they have an accident.
Daewoo Motor Company bankrupt
8 November 2000: Daewoo Motor company was officially declared bankrupt today after its labour union rejected a restructuring plan that calls for layoffs of 18 per cent of its membership. The company has defaulted on 87.5 billion won ($dlrs 78 million) in commercial papers for two straight days. Daewoo officials said the company has $155 million in commercial papers due this week but it has no financial resources to honor them.
After overnight talks with management broke down, the union called a last-minute meeting of its own to discuss its future course of action. That meeting ended without consent to the restructuring plan, which would have prevented bankruptcy.
Court receivership will put creditors at a disadvantage as they try to sell the troubled firm to General Motors Corp. GM has been negotiating to purchase the South Korean carmaker since September and now the American firm may offer a lower price. Earlier this year, GM reportedly offered a price of between $4 billion and $5 billion.
If Daewoo is put under court receivership, its 550 main subcontractors could collapse in a chain reaction. Receivership would install new management and freeze all debts.
Daewoo could provide an easy way for foreign auto giants to crack open South Korea's car market and serve as a stepping stone into nearby China, one of the fastest-growing car markets in Asia. The company has the capacity to make 2 million vehicles a year at home and abroad.
TH!NK for Ireland?
6 November 2000: Ford has just announced it may make its battery-powered Th!ink car in right hand drive drive. This follows the sale of three left-hand drive versions to customers in Britain. If the company follows through on the idea, the car should also be on sale in Ireland at some stage.
A Ford spokesman said. ``We are exploring the potential of the market with tests to see how well the car could actually do if it was put into production. If we are going to bring it to the UK we have to make a significant investment in a right hand version so we need to be sure about its potential.”
Made of 425 parts - a fraction of the number used to build the conventional vehicle - the left-hand drive version is being assembled in Denmark and Norway, where the car was seen on the roads for the first time in November 1999. And the model is expected to be available to customers in France, Italy and the Netherlands in the next six months.
The Th!nk has a top speed of 50mph and can accelerate to 30mph in seven seconds. It has a range of around 53 miles between recharges.
Irish motorists pay more taxes than most
6 November 2000: A NEW EU study has found that Irish motorists are paying more taxes than most of their European counterparts. Several major countries go easier on their motorists and only four tax them more heavily, the independent survey found.
Researchers compared motoring taxation costs in all the 15 EU nations as well as Norway. The factors took car purchase taxes, car ownership taxes and road tolls etc into account. But they did not factor in such major outlays as driver insurance and fuel costs.
When they put all the relevant costs together they averaged them out and found our drivers pay a lot more than the British and as much as three times more than those lucky enough to drive cars in Luxembourg.
This survey is among the first of its kind in attemmpting to put the annual tax-related bill for motorists in different EU countries into perspective.
Denmark's drivers are worst off. There, average-sized 1600cc cars pay Stg£1,761 a year or an average overall of Stg£2,966. Drivers of bigger 2000cc cars in Denmark pay a crippling Stg£5,627 a year in tax, compared with Stg£2,217 here and Stg£1,590 in the UK. The western European average annual tax for a 1600cc vehicle is Stg£1,222.
Consultants Colin Buchanan and Partners found that 1600cc drivers pay Stg£1,753 a year in Finland, Stg£1,509 in the Netherlands, Stg£1,400 in Norway, Stg£1,380 in Ireland, Stg£1,272 in Portugal
and Stg£1,227 in France.
Lightest taxes were found in Luxembourg, where motorists pay an average of Stg£433 a year to drive a 1,000cc car, Stg£596 for a 1,600cc vehicle and Stg£863 for a 2,000cc model.
The study was commissioned by the British Government before the current fuel prices began to rise.
'Build your own' Internet vehicle project
6 November 2000: A new company has been formed with substantial Japanese financial backing to enable customers to use the Internet to have real input into the design of vehicles that they can order on-line.
Model E - which claims to be the world's first Internet build-to-order automotive company - has unveiled Project Ironman, a new concept vehicle designed and built in 90 days using Computer Aided Industrial Design (CAID) techniques that eliminate the need for traditional clay modelling.
The SUV-type vehicle has a centre driver seating position and exoskeletal frame design. It was created with real-time input from customers through Model E's online Virtual Design Centre.
Model E has been showcasing Project Ironman at last week's Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show in Las Vegas - the world's largest automotive aftermarket expo.
Project Ironman features a V8 engine with automatic transmission predicted to give it acceleration of 0 to 60 mph in less than six seconds.
Model E is currently using its Internet build-to-order methodology to customise a portfolio of existing vehicles, including BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Porsche units. Project Ironman will be a limited-edition offering.
Irish journalists drive Tribute
2 November 2000: Some 400 Mazda Tributes will be sold in a full year after they go on sale in Ireland from February, according to Robbie Dunne of the Mazda Division of Motor Distributors Ltd. He was speaking to a group of Irish journalists yesterday in Alba in Northern Italy, where they were taking part in the European launch programme of the new 4x4 car.
Pictured below at the launch are John Coffey, MD of MDL's Mazda Division; Thomas Hajek, director, Mazda Motor Europe; Robbie Dunne, MDL (in car); Tetsu Owari, PR director Mazda Motor Europe; and Dave Moran, MDL.
Initial sales will be limited by supply rather than demand, he said, but there has already been strong customer interest in Ireland from some dealer propostions of the vehicle.
The Tribute will be brought into Ireland with both the 2-litre four engine and the 3-litre V6. There are ‘no plans’ to provide a diesel option, according to Thomas Hajek.
While prices have not yet been finalised, irishcar.com understands that the 2-litre will sell for something around £25,500 and the 3-litre for about £30,700. The SUV market in Ireland is growing, according to MDL’s Dave Moran. With some 4,500 vehicles in the segment sold this year to date.
The Tribute’s engines are supplied by the company’s partner Ford, but Mazda Motor Corp’s platform general manager Yoshihito Nagamoto stressed that Mazda’s contribution to the development of the Tribute included powertrain improvement and package design. A sister vehicle will be marketed by Ford as the new Maverick.
There will be a full report on the first drive impressions by the irishcar.com team in the coming days.
October car sales down
2 November 2000: While new car sales in October were down by almost 1,000 units compared to October 1999-from 7,279 to 6,318 - this is by far the best ever year for Ireland's motor industry. At the end of October a total of 225,747 new cars had been registered, an increase of 35% on the same period last year when 167,210 new cars were bought.
Commenting on the result to date, Fiat Auto Ireland CEO Nicola Greco said that he was confident that the final total for the year would exceed 230,000 units. “A truly remarkable figure when you look back on the Irish market even five or six years ago,” he said.
However Greco again pointed to the huge increases in Government revenues generated by these extra sales and said he hoped some of the estimated £32 billion surplus would go to improve the lot of drivers and their cars.
Speaking of his own company's performance he said that both Fiat and Alfa Romeo were enjoying record-breaking years. “Fiat has consolidated its 6th place on the leader board and the Punto (right) remains the nation's best seller so we will be aiming for even better results next year. Alfa Romeo is firmly established as an Elite Brand and the car of first choice for over 2,500 discerning people and we expect our new Alfa 147 will bring us further success.”
The 'Top Ten' for October: VW, Totota, Renault, Nissan, Ford, Fiat, Peugeot, Opel, Skoda, Mercedes-Benz.
Honda scraps UK build for small car
2 November 2000: Japanese car maker Honda yesterday scrapped plans to start building a new small car at its Swindon plant from next year, saying the high pound and weak euro were making it difficult to export profitably to eurozone countries.
Other Japanese companies including Toyota, Nissan and Panasonic have also been hit badly by the weakness of the euro.
However, Jaguar, said yesterday it planned to increase the proportion of cars sold in Europe when its new small car, the X-type, goes on sale next year. Unveiling the new Halewood-produced X-type for the first time, Jaguar said that the new model would lift total production to 200,000 cars a year in 2002, more than half of which would be sold in Europe for the first time.
Honda had planned to begin production of the new "super-mini" sized car next summer at a second plant being built adjacent to its existing factory at Swindon. But the company has now decided to bring supplies in from Japan instead.
At the same time, however, Honda will step up production at Swindon of its CR-V sports utility vehicle for export to the United States. Output of the Civic and Accord models will also increase.
A Honda spokesman said: "We haven't given up on the idea of small car production in Europe but given the high pound and weak euro we don't believe it makes sense at the moment.
He denied that the move put Honda's commitment to the UK in doubt and said it still intended to hire an additional 1,000 workers in addition to the 3,000 already employed at the 31bn Swindon works.
Honda also maintained the decision to expand CR-V output would enable it to meet its target of producing 250,000 cars at Swindon by mid-2002 - six months earlier than plannned.
Jaguar opens its X-File
1 November 2000: Jaguar has released preliminary details of its ‘baby’ car, the X-Type, which will be launched in Europe next summer.
The new car is aimed at increasing Jaguar’s sales from its current 75,000 units a year to some 200,000 units in the first full year after the X goes into the showrooms, and is targetted directly against BMW and Mercedes-Benz in the important small car segment of the luxury market. The 3-Series and C-Class from those makers will have watched today’s announcement with some interest.
The X-Type, which will be the first Jaguar of this size since the 240 series of the 60s, is expected to sell for around 30,000 euros when it hits the streets. It will be powered by 2.5- and 3-litre engines, both V6s.
Jaguar owners Ford are hoping the new car will change the age profile of buyers of the ‘big cat’ brand, which is currently bought mostly by people with money aged 60-69. The rather larger S-Type introduced last year has already done quite well for the marque, as a first step to change its 'fuddy duddy' image..
Ford has invested over 500m euros in the development of the X-Type, and is currently spending a similar amount in its Merseyside plant to build the car. Further investment to revamp the whole Jaguar range is promised from the mass-market owner, which itself has forecast a loss on its activities in Europe for the current year.
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