31 October 2000: Mercedes-Benz has launched a version of its M-Class luxury SUV which can outperform many super sports cars. The ML55 AMG is powered by a 5.5-litre V8 outputting 347bhp, and can do the 0-100kph in 6.8secs.
The base 5-litre V8 from the Mercedes S-class is reworked by Mercedes-AMG. Aluminium pistons, special oil injector nozzles and high-performance camshafts are installed and the block is bored out to 5.5-litres capacity. Maximum torque is 510 Nm from around 2,800rpm. Large 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels with 285/50R tyres are fitted and the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) and axle are modified to cope with the increased power.
The interior has sports seats trimmed in buffalo leather and black walnut wood trim, and there are distinctive ivory dials with chrome surrounds, a wood and leather trimmed steering wheel and gearshift and a leather-covered front armrest.
The ABS includes the Mercedes Brake Assist feature to aid emergency braking. Further developments have been made to the Mercedes off-road electronic traction system, 4-ETS, which will be added to all M-class models from October at no additional cost. The system automatically brakes any slipping wheel and increases power to the remaining wheels to achieve maximum traction.
No delivery or price details for Ireland are yet available, but it will sell in the UK for Stg£49,990.
Saab development boosts performance
31 October 2000: Saab have developed an engine that can give you the economy of a 1.6-litre or the powerful propulsion of a 3-litre. And provided there is a reasonable balance of use between the two you can still look forward to fuel savings of around 30pc.
The entire plan is based on one simple fact: if you tilt something you create more space on one side.
And that's what happens with the Saab Variable Compression (SVC) engine. The top part of the engine tilts by four degrees and, as a result, makes more room for air and fuel to be burned inside when you need to accelerate, for example. So you can drive it fair and easy as you would a mid-size family saloon or you can ram your foot to the floor and power away like a super car.
On a recent test the SVC easily competed with a 3-litre V6 with the contrast in tempo and character made all the more remarkable by the speed of change. And yet it remains a 1.6-litre car, something which could offer ordinary motorists the economy associated with such an engine size while providing them with the potential to get real performance - legally of course.
If imported here, for example, it would mean lower Vehicle Registration Tax (VRT) and road tax. Not bad for a car that can roar up the scale using all its supercharged 225bhp At the core of this development is how the engine is made. The top half of an otherwise normal engine is built in such a way that it tilts up to 4degrees on demand. That increases the space in the chamber where fuel and air are burnt, and changes the compression ratio.
The engine's computer management system opens and closes the gap according to throttle and gear use. With urgent demand for speed and power the computer kicks-in a powerful supercharger to boost power.
The whole development is based on the knowledge that cars only need 30bhp (about 30pc of a 1.6-litre engine) most of the time. A 3-litre car is wasting vast amounts of fuel and energy when cruising in what they call light-engine-load conditions. it is burning a lot of fuel despite low power demands. But with the SVC engine the lower-power requirement is provided first and then, with the tilt of an engine and the boost of a supercharger - the higher demands are met.
Keep tabs on your car (and kids)
31 October 2000: A device which can tell if your car has gone over a pre-set speed limit or is not where it should be has just been unveiled on the Irish market. Called Hawkeye, it is being claimed as the hi-tech way to keep tabs on your children. Where, how and when they are driving.
Far more to the point for many, however, is its ability to pinpoint the exact location of your car ... here or abroad ... should it be stolen. Not only that but the owner can use his or her mobile phone to tell the car to keep its hazard lights flashing in an attempt to alert police.
The key element is that Hawkeye links the car to both the phone and Internet. That means its position can be tracked anywhere there is mobile phone coverage. A text message can give the car's location at any time to within a few meters
The unit an also be programmed to send a pre-set message to another mobile phone if the driver is faced with an emergency such as a crash or robbery. Distributed by mobile phone specialists Cellular World, it has been developed by Telenor Satellite Tracking.
Hawkeye retails at £999.
Honda buys into natural gas units
31 October 2000: Honda has taken the first real step towards providing owners of cars powered by natural gas with their very own home-fill-up facility. The company has bought a 20% stake in a privately held Canadian maker of natural gas vehicle refueling units.
It is seen as a major move towards making life easier for owners of cars such as its natural gas-powered Civic GX.
Honda said it will provide market research information to help FuelMaker develop an inexpensive home refueling unit for natural gas vehicles.
The new product will enable natural gas-powered vehicles to be fuelled up from a homeowner's natural gas line as well as at public refueling stations.
Most natural gas-powered vehicles are now purchased by corporate and government fleets to help meet federal energy conservation goals. These groups typically maintain their own refueling facilities.
Honda has been selling the natural gas-powered Civic GX since 1997. The company boasts it was the first automaker to sell gasoline-powered vehicles meeting California's stringent emission standards for Low Emission Vehicles (LEV) in 1995, Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEV) in 1997, and Super ULEVs in 2000.
Its Insight (above) model was also the first gasoline-electric hybrid available in America when it went on sale in December 1999.
Peugeot 607 specs and price
27 October 2000: The Peugeot 607 will go on sale in Ireland in January 2001 at an entry-level price of £26,950 for the 2-litre version.
The standard specification includes front, side and curtain airbags; electric windows; ABS, Brake Assist and Electronic Brake Force Distribution; A/C; Cruise Control; automatic lights; tyre pressure detector; and athermic (explain, please) windscreen.
In order to spread the word about the 607, Peugeot distributors Gowan Group have a CD available to potential customers at the Callsave number 1850-PEUGEOT.
Those of you reading this online can get the same story at www.peugeot.ie/
Or you can go along to your Peugeot dealer.
New Texaco appointments
27 October 2000: Texaco (Ireland) Limited has made two new appointments to its marketing division. Former sales manager Paddy Gallagher is now marketing manager, responsible for all of the company’s marketing, advertising and sponsorships.
Bronagh Carron has joined the company as marketing coordinator. She formerly worked with Pilsbury, the packaged food division of Diagio.
Transit expands range
27 October 2000: The all-new Ford Transit family, launched earlier this year, is being extended with the addition of a range of new low-floor, front-wheel drive versions. This marks the first time that the Transit is available in front-wheel drive.
It also marks the first time front-wheel and rear-wheel drive models have been derived from a single base platform.
The front-wheel drive version will be available in Ireland with a 2.0 litre turbo-diesel DuraTorq engine in 75PS and 100PS variants, with an 85PS version available from January. The range extends from the 260 Short Wheelbase, with a payload of 768kg, through to the 300 Long Wheelbase, with a 1182kg payload.
Prices start at £14,350 include VAT and VRT.
Specific benefits of the new front-wheel drive Transit include enhanced traction and pull-away, responsive handling, a lower load floor; the versatility of three wheelbases, and three roof heights.
The new Ford Transit was the unanimous choice of a panel of seven judges for the recent Best Overall Van 2000 award by Irish Van and Truck magazine.
Ford retrains Land Rover people
27 October 2000: Ford has sent more than 3,000 Land Rover workers for special training at Ford plants in a move to improve quality standards in its latest acquisition. The workers are from the Defender and Discovery assembly lines and 1,000 are from the Range Rover line.
While the move will mean the loss of production of about 5,000 units during the training, Ford has planned to cut Defender and Discovery production by a quarter anyway, and intends to change drastically how it builds the models.
MG Rover appoints new parts support
27 October 2000: An integrated global parts service for MG Rover Group Limited has been established following an agreement between the company and Cat Logistics.
The business is worth £250 million per annum, and Cat Logistics will assume the responsibility of providing a full range of parts product support services for a period of 10 years, beginning in March 2002. Up to that time, the MG Rover Group’s current contract with Unipart will continue.
Cat Logistics is a subsidiary of Caterpillar Inc, of Peoria, Illinois, USA.
Sleeping kills 1 in 5 in road deaths
26 October 2000: Driver Sleepiness is now recognised as a major cause of deaths and serious injuries on UK roads, particularly on motorways and trunk roads. According to research carried out in the Sleep Research Laboratory at Loughboro University in the UK, drivers who fall asleep at the wheel are thought to be responsible for 1 in 5 of road deaths on motorways and trunk roads. These figures are thought to be even higher than those caused through drink driving and are equivalent to the death of one person a day.
"We do not have reliable data on the extent of the issue on Irish roads," Professor Jim Horne told irishcar.com/ "However, the bottom line is that an accident relating to driver fatigue is a preventable accident and is, as such, relevant to ALL drivers."
The research suggests those most at risk are young people, who tend to stay up late, sleep too little and drive at night. Other lifestyle groups whose occupations put their lives at risk behind the wheel include shift workers, the emergency services and nurses in whose hands we often place our own lives, long-distance lorry drivers and coach drivers and ironically even driving instructors.
"Previous research has identified that drinking coffee can be beneficial to sleepy drivers," says Professor Horne. "However, as there are too many variables in the quality and preparation of coffee, advertising tired drivers to drink coffee as a stimulant can give them a false sense of security."
The laboratory's research is investigating the effects of caffeine-based drinks on sleepy drivers, as a scientifically quantifiable alternative to coffee. When complete it hopes it will be able to offer drivers much clearer advice on how to avoid falling asleep at the wheel.
Volvo S60 launched here
26 October 2000: The new Volvo S60 was officially launched in Ireland yesterday by Volvo Ireland's Alan Cousins. The starting price for the latest car in the Ford Premier Automotive Group, which includes Land Rover, Lincoln, Jaguar and Aston Martin, is £29,350 for the 180bhp 2-litre. The 2.4-litre version, outputting 200bhp, is selling for £32,350 and the 250bhp T5 is £33,850.
The 60 series Volvos have the usual Volvo high number of safety features, while air conditioning is standard across the range. Fuel consumption ranges from 27.4mpg to 30.7mpg. The cars are quite frisky, with 0-62mph of 8.8secs for the 2.0T and 7.6secs for the 2.4T.
Carmakers work against global warming
26 October 2000: Some of the world's leading car manufacturers' are currently in negotiations with a London-based firm to offset the cost of global warming, it has been revealed.
Speaking at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham, Future Forests founder Dan Morrell said Mazda and Fiat had already signed up to the `carbon neutral' scheme which takes a percentage of the revenue from car sales to grow `individual' forests all over the world.
Explaining the scheme he said: ``Over their growing life-span, the trees reabsorb the future potential threat of carbon dioxide and converts it into something tangible and beneficial.''
Customers who buy a car from a manufacturer signed up to the deal will then see a certain percentage of the sale price go into growing five trees in the first year, he added.
It is then hoped that customers will see the benefits of such a scheme and continue to contribute funds to enlarge the forest even further. ``We don't just want to highlight the problem of carbon dioxide, we also want to benefit the local community by putting something back into a degraded area and at the same time enhance the environment for wildlife and habitat.
``We want to demonstrate and enhance the ethos that the automotive industry is adapting and finding ways to become more fuel efficient and create less carbon dioxide.
``Even if you produce a car that is more energy efficient it's still going to produce some carbon dioxide so we are saying that there is something we can do about that, something that will reabsorb it. As a promotion we are giving motorists a bit of nature woodland that they can go to.
``We find that by getting people to plant trees they can start to think a lot more about the environment and we want everybody to start thinking like that,'' he added.
The company, which was founded in 1997, has 54 forests in the UK, with others in Mexico,India and Mozambique.
Fiat's Punto still Ireland's best-selling car
25 October 2000: Fiat's Punto range has retained its position as 'the nation's favourite car' at the end of September according to official statistics. So far this year over 10,400 New Puntos have been registered in Ireland, and that has allowed the Italian hatchback to hold on to its position in the face of stiff competition.
The New Punto range was launched in mid-1999 to celebrate Fiat's Centenary. It replaced an already hugely successful car, the 'original' Punto launched in 1993 and it competes in the largest, most competitive sector of Ireland's new car market.
According to Fiat Auto Ireland CEO Nicola Greco everyone who is anyone has a contender in this sector and only the very best can hope to survive there. "In this sector the improvements in safety features, in equipment levels, in on-board technology and in comfort levels are most notable," he remarked. "Once upon a time the cars of this sector were very simple and even quite basic, but now with the Punto we offer driver's airbag, electronic power steering, heat resistant glass and even follow-me-home lighting for added security all as standard across the range.
"Moving up the range you find six speed sequential gearboxes, drive-by-wire systems and even common-rail diesel engines. All that relevant, usable technology at unbeatable on-the-road prices Open Book prices keeps our Punto ahead of all the rest."
The Top Ten selling cars in Ireland at the end of September were Fiat Punto / 10,463 units; Ford Focus 10,241; Toyota Corolla 8,875; Nissan Micra 8,715; Nissan Almera 8,641; Toyota Yaris 8,623; Ford Fiesta 8,570; Opel Astra 8,333; VW Polo 7,557; Renault Megane 6,592.
Millionth Mitsubishi rolls out
25 October 2000: The one-millionth Mitsubishi car recently rolled off the NedCar factory line in Holland. It was a Space Star five-door hatchback.
NedCar was established as a joint venture with Volvo in 1991, in partnership with the Dutch state. The plant produces Carismas, Space Stars, and Volvo S40/V40s.
This year, MMC Commercials, the Irish distributors of Mitsubishi, expect to sell over 7,000 units here.
Record entry list for Irish Car of the Year
24 October 2000: The candidates for the title 'Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2001' have been announced by the Irish Motoring Writers Association. The winning car will be announced at a lunch ceremony in the Berkeley Court Hotel on Thursday, 23 November.
Pictured on left, watching the finishing touches being made to the trophy, are Roger Griggs of Semperit Ireland and the chairman of the Irish Motoring Writers Association, Brian Byrne. The award is adjudicated each year by the IMWA.
There are 46 models in contention this year: Alfa Romeo Sportwagon, Audi A2, Audi A3 (facelift), Audi TT Roadster, Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee, Citroen Berlingo Multispace, Citroen Xsara Picasso, Ford Galaxy, Ford Mondeo, Honda S2000, Hyundai Accent, Hyundai Amica, Hyundai Coupe, Hyundai Trajet, Hyundai XG saloon, Lexus RX 300, Lexus GS 430, Mazda MPV, Mercedes-Benz 'C' Class, Mitsubishi Pajero, Nissan Almera, Nissan Maxima QX, Opel Agila, Opel Astra Coupe, Opel Corsa, Renault Kangoo Kar, Renault Scenic RX4, Rover 25, Rover 45, Seat Leon, Skoda Fabia, Subaru Legacy, Subaru WRX, Suzuki Wagon R+, Toyota Celica, Toyota MR2, Toyota Previa, Toyota Prius, Toyota Rav4, Toyota Verso, Volkswagen Golf Estate, Volkswagen Sharan, Volkswagen Polo, Volvo S60, Volvo V70.
"In a year of record buoyancy in the Irish motor industry, it's little surprise that the Semperit Irish Car of the Year Award should enjoy a record entry,” comments Roger Griggs. “This is a reflection on both the rapid pace of development in the industry and the growth in product choice on the Irish market. We have models representing every category you can think of, from superminis to sports coupes to off-roaders. And once again the jurors have a difficult task ahead.”
Last year the title went to the Toyota Yaris.
A-Class hits half-million
23 October 2000: The A-Class Mercedes-Benz has reached the half-million mark in sales just three years since the model was introduced. In Ireland, some 2,000 units have been sold.
There are three petrol and a turbodiesel version available here, all with a common high standard of safety features.
Ford announces Mondeo line-up for Ireland
23 October 2000: Henry Ford & Son Limited has announced details of the new Mondeo range, which will be available in Ireland from next month. The line-up offers a choice of four- and five-door bodystyles, with a five-door wagon on sale from early 2001. Pictured on right with the new car are Eddie Murphy, marketing manager, and Edwin Nolan, managing director, Henry Ford & Son, Cork.
There are all-new powertrains, beginning with a petrol 1.8 with two power outputs - 110PS and 125PS. Also available is a 2.0-litre 145PS petrol, with manual or automatic transmission, and a new-generation 2.0 TDi with a choice of 90PS or 115PS. A 2.5-litre V6 from the current model, which delivers 170PS on the flagship Ghia X, completes the engine line-up.
The new Mondeo comes in LX, Zetec, Ghia and Ghia X versions. Speaking to Irish journalists at the launch of the new Mondeo, the chairman of Henry Ford & Son of Cork, Eddie Nolan, said the new Mondeo exemplifies the product characteristics that identified as the essence of 'the blue oval': dependable, contemporary vehicles with excellent driving quality.
“This is a fundamental element in our strategy for transforming Ford's business in Europe.” he said. “We assumed leadership of the segment seven years ago with the advent of the current Mondeo, and we aim to regain that leadership with its successor.'
Prices for the Mondeo range in Ireland will be made available shortly.
Citroen sales up in Ireland more than market
20 October 2000: Citroen sales in Ireland were up by 59.7% in the first half of 2000 compared to the same period in 1999 in a time when the Irish car and van market increased by 41.4%. The marque, sold here by Gallic Distributors, achieved 9.2% of the van market with 2,508 units sold, while car registrations increased by 43% to 3,663.
Worldwide, Citroen had a 12.7% increase in unit sales with 594,100 vehicle units.
Firestone recall costs Ford $71m in profits
20 October 2000: The impact of Firestone’s ongoing tyre recall has cut Ford Motor Company’s profits in the US by $71 million. Without the Firestone tire recall, profits would have been a record in the third quarter, the company says.
"Getting our customers onto good tires has been, and continues to be, more important than short-term profits," said Jac Nasser, Ford Motor Company president and chief executive officer. "This was a difficult quarter for our customers, our employees, our dealers and our shareholders and we are committed to quickly completing the Firestone tire recall. However, we also believe that these solid results demonstrate the underlying strength of our products and the company's strong fundamentals and we continue to press forward with our objective to become the world's leading consumer company for automotive products and services."
The company's worldwide automotive earnings were $391 million in the third quarter of 2000, compared to $535 million in the third quarter of 1999. Worldwide vehicle sales were 1.7 million, up 3 percent compared with 1.6 million in 1999.
Total Ford Motor Company retail sales in the United States during the third quarter were a record one million, up 5 percent from the same period a year ago. The sales pace was aided by the strong performance of the Ford Focus, F-Series and Explorer Sport Trac.
Ford Motor Company's other automotive operations, including Europe, South America and Asia-Pacific, totaled a loss of $378 million, compared with a loss of $332 million a year ago.
Ford Credit earned $386 million in the third quarter of this year, up $69 million, or 22 percent, from a year ago. The Hertz Corporation earned a record $143 million in the third quarter of 2000, compared with $139 million a year ago. Ford Motor Company's share of Hertz' third-quarter 2000 earnings was $116 million.
New Corsa arrives in Ireland
19 October 2000: Opel’s new Corsa will be available from Irish dealers from next week at an entry level price of £10,650 for the 1-litre three-door. There are also 1.2- and 1.4-litre petrol engine versions, as well as a 1.7-litre turbodiesel.
The new car’s specification includes dual airbags, ‘active’ headrests, CD player and electric power steering across the whole range. In the ‘Comfort’ level, power locks, body-coloured bumpers and mirrors, a manual sunroof and tiltable steering wheel are standard.
An ‘Elegance’ spec level is also available, and there’s a GSi sporty version. An ‘Easytronic’ transmission is going into production from January and offers automatic driving for just £650 extra.
The advantage of ‘Easytronic’ is that it is offered with the standard 1.2-litre engine, instead of having to go to the expense of a larger engine for an automatic version.
“We have set ourselves an ambitious, but acheivable objective of selling 10,000 units of this exciting and stylish new model in 2001,” managing director of Opel Ireland Iede Aukema said yesterday. He's pictured here on the left with Opel Ireland public affairs manager Aidan Doyle.
Though retaining the main styling elements of the very successful previous model, the New Corsa is substantially more ‘grown-up’ looking. The stylists have been particularly succesful in making the rear end of the car look very distinctive.
Civic coming in December
19 October 2000: The new Civic from Honda will be on sale in Ireland from early December, according to Honda Universal’s Frank Kennedy. He told irishcar.com that initially only five-door models will be available.“This is a really important car for us in Ireland and in Europe,” he said.
Design highlights of the new car include a short nose body, flat floor and walk-through interior, a fascia-mounted gearshift for ease of operation and improved cabin access, and new 1.4 SOHC and 1.6 SOHC VTEC-II engines.
A four-door saloon will also be available later.
S60 specifications and prices for Ireland
19 October 2000: The new Volvo S60 will be sold in Ireland at a starting price of £29,350 for the 180bhp 2-litre. The 2.4-litre version, outputting 200bhp will sell for £32,350 and the 250bhp T5 will be £33,850.
The 60 series Volvos have the usual high number of safety features, while air conditioning is standard across the range. Fuel consumption range from 27.4mpg to 30.7mpg. The cars are quite frisky, with 0-62mph of 8.8secs for the 2.0T and 7.6secs for the 2.4T.
A Special Edition of the Volvo Magazine just published is devoted to the new car. It is available from your Volvo dealer. You can also get the full Volvo S60 story at www.volvocars.co.uk
Fuel prices stay high
19 October 2000: The latest AA survey of fuel prices shows that the cost of motoring has not been made easier, with petrol and diesel costs remaining high. A litre of unleaded petrol is on average 76.2p and diesel is 74.2p. This means a family car doing 12,000 miles a year at 30mpg costs £114.30 a month for fuel alone.
But there are price variations of as much as 7p per litre between individual garages, and the AA is encouraging motorists to shop around, in order to keep prices as competitive as possible.
Firestone streamlines accountability process
19 October 2000: Firestone, embroiled in the recall of tires linked to at least 165 deaths, has just consolidated operations into four business units to speed decision-making and boost accountability at the company.
Bridgestone/Firestone the US-based unit of Japan's Bridgestone Corp says its operations will be consolidated immediately into units focusing on US commercial tyres, US consumer tyres, international tyre operations, and manufacturing and technology.
Its chairman John Lampe said the changes are ‘critical moves’ in the company’s efforts to begin to restore consumer confidence and revitalise the Firestone brands.
Firestone did not say whether any layoffs would result from the consolidation.
On August 9, Firestone recalled 6.5 million tyres on fears that peeling treads and blowouts had caused accidents linked to at least 119 deaths in the US and another 46 in Venezuela. It has replaced more than 4.2m. Most of the tyres are equipped on Ford's Explorer, the top-selling sport utility vehicle in the US.
Glitzy Dublin unveiling for Impreza WRX
18 October 2000: There hasn't been a launch quite like it in Dublin for a long time. In tandem with its unveiling at the British International Motor Show in Birmingham yesterday, Subaru Ireland showed off its latest high-powered model Impreza WRX at a glitzy affair in Dublin's Powerscourt Centre last night, to an invited audience of press, dealers and prospective customers.
The location was glitzy, so too were the non-car models all in silver, and the ... yes, the car was glitzy silver too when it was finally unwrapped by a scantily-wrapped sword-swallower doubling as the Incredible Hulk before he went out of shape.
But the shape of the WRX was definitely the star of the show. And the specifications for this on-road version of the marque's gutsy world rally car also star in rarefied constellations. Agressive styling, much improved interior quality, and the air-conditioning as standard spec are eclipsed by the performance potential of this newcomer: 0-60 in 5.9secs and a possible top speed of 143mph. It will set you back £32,000 as the ultimate Christmas present.
Full details later in the week.
Design study recalls Auto Union glory days
18 October 2000: An Audi super sports car design study recalls the record-breaking 'Silver Arrow' Auto Union cars of the 1930s in which racing drivers Tazio Nuvolari and Bernd Rosemeyer were immortalised.
The study now on show at the Volkswagen Group's Autostadt exhibition centre in Wolfsburg is based on the Audi TT and shows off technical advances which include roof and side-mounted cameras that project rear views onto a cockpit screen and an interior trimmed with fire-resistant materials similar to those found in racing cars
The car is not likely to find itself in production.
New Opel van coming in 2001
No price details yet, but we'll keep you posted.
18 October 2000: This is Opel's latest panel van, the Vivaro. It won't be trundling loads around Ireland's streets and roads until sometime next year. But it looks pretty practical as well as having a nice cabin.
Internet 'war' breaks out between major manufacturers
18 October 2000: A web war has broken out between two of the world's biggest carmakers. The first salvos are being fired today at the Birmingham International Motor Show as Ford and GM (Vauxhall) announce Internet initiatives.
Ford says that for the first time it will sell some new cars on the Internet and they would be around 5pc cheaper than current prices. Vauxhall claims its Internet new car prices would be around 3.5% cheaper than cars bought in the normal way.
Vauxhall has been selling selected models on the web for the last 12 months. Last week, the company said it would be selling all new models on the Internet from early November.
Ford today announced that from later this month it will be offering Ka, Puma, Focus and Fiesta models on the Internet ... with a full range of new cars likely to be available within six to seven months. ``Ford fully intends to be a leader in e-commerce on the Internet,'' Ford of Britain chairman Ian McAllister said
Cars will come with a three-year warranty and purchasers will be able to take advantage of an independent review of complaints through the web via the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators.
Ford also announced today that British prices for its new Mondeo (right) will be around Stg£1,300 cheaper than the existing model.
Internet to 'dramatically change' car buying
18 October 2000: The chairman of a global carmaker graphically outlined yesterday how the internet revolution is dramatically changing how customers go about buying their cars. Vauxhall chairman Nick Reilly addressed a large number of people at the Birmingham Motor Show and told them that more and more people will be buying cars from the comfort of their own homes - on the Net.
Former Opel chief in Ireland Arnold O'Byrne is already on record as saying use of internet for information on cars will increase dramatically over the next couple of years. And he has warned dealers they need to prepare to accommodate the changes.
In Britain, Vauxhall is celebrating 10 years of its used car programme Network Q at the International Motor Show by launching a fleet of nearly-new Corsas.
The special edition Corsa iQ, which is available on the car manufacturer's website, represents a further move by the company to seek new ways of purchasing cars, following the launch of the dotcom range last year. All Corsa iQs are based on the standard three-door Corsa GLS specification, and come with driver's airbag, central locking with deadlocks, power steering, sunroof, radio and cassette player, electric windows, electric door mirrors and leather covered steering wheel.
Compared with the standard specification, the new special edition Corsa iQs will also be fitted with an Irmscher body kit including `softstar' alloy wheels and rear spoiler. All cars will use the 1-litre 12-valve engine and customers will have a choice of three colours - flame red, polar sea blue or glacier white.
Lexus launch two new cars
17 October 2000: Lexus Ireland yesterday rolled out both a high-performance version of their GS car, the GS430 (left), and a luxury 4x4 - the RX300 (below) - which might well pose a threat to the current dominence of Mercedes-Benz in that rarified segment.
The GS430 has the new V8 4.3-litre engine that is also coming soon in the flagship LS series and does the 0-62 sprint in 6.2 seconds. It is aimed straight at those who buy the Jaguar S-Type in its 4-litre guise. It will sell for £69,950.
The RX300 is built on the same platform as the GS, but with an entirely new body. That allowed more refinement than the usual separate-chassis off-road build type. Everything taking care of any difficult conditions does so completely automatically. There’s an Executive version, with leather and walnut. Prices are £49,000 and £53,500 respectively. (More)
New Laguna for Ireland in new year
17 October 2000: The new Renault mid-size car, Laguna II, will be launched in Ireland on February 9. The car will be shown to dealers during November, so they can take orders from customers who want to get into what is hoped to be a key car for Renault both in Ireland and across Europe.
Gerr Nolan, MD of Renault Distributors Ireland, says the brand new car will be a very strong contender against even the newest competition in the segment, which includes Ford's new Mondeo and, also for Ireland early next year, the Citroen C5.
Ford upgrades Focus range
17 October 2000: The Ford Focus is getting an expanded choice of models and a number of improvements throughout the range for 2001. This move includes the addition of both an LX and a luxury Ghia X to the 4-door body style (right). The LX, available in both 1.6 petrol and 1.8 TDi diesel. Specification includes driver and passenger airbags, power front windows and tinted glass.
The new 1.6 Ghia X offers an enhanced specification over the existing Ghia saloon with alloy wheels, ABS, air conditioning, remote double locking, front fog lamps and CD player. The Focus 4-door 1.6 LX and Ghia X retail from £14,790 and £16,500 respectively.
“The 4-door Focus has been a very strong seller on the Irish market, with its combination of style and practicality a telling factor,” commented Eddie Nolan, Chairman and Managing Director, Henry Ford & Son Limited. “We now have a line-up that can genuinely appeal to both the price-conscious and the executive family motorist seeking a 4-door saloon.”
In the first six months of 2000, nearly 300,000 units of the Focus were achieved in Europe alone, almost 190,000 in North America and 20,000 sales throughout the rest of the world. Over 10,000 units have been sold to date this year in Ireland.
Mazda to decide on building in Europe
17 October 2000: Mazda is nearing a decision to produce cars in Europe in order to grow sales and decrease its exposure to currency variations.
A decision to build a replacement for its 323 or a new supermini at a Ford plant in Europe is expected to be made next month.
Jan Brentebraten, president of Mazda Europe, says the currency problem is hitting Japanese manufacturers hard in Europe. "We cannot charge the prices we need to charge. The production of Mazdas in Europe will be either in Cologne, Spain or some other continental country.
Some industry commentators say the 323 could share the Ford Focus platform after 2003, when the Ford is due for renewal. Mazda is scheduled to renew its 626 in late 2001. If necessary, an additional assembly area could be built at a Ford plant to accommodate Mazda.
Ford produced 121 models - rebadged Ford Fiestas - at Ford's Dagenham plant in England until earlier this year. The 121 was replaced by the Mazda Demio, which is imported from Japan.
New Fiat big car under development
13 October 2000: EXCLUSIVE. Fiat is developing a large saloon in a major bid to crack a market sector where success has so far eluded them, Irish Car Online can reveal. We can bring you this news exclusively after an in-depth interview with the man charged with making Fiat a big name across all sectors.
Juan Jose Diaz Ruiz is their new dynamic vice-president of sales and he was unequivocal in warning: Either you go up or disappear in this game. There is no standing still.
In a broad hint at a much more aggressive onslaught by the Turin automaker in the wake of the recent link-up with GM, Mr Ruiz said the marque is currently delighted with the progress of the new Fiat. "It is driving exceptionally well and it looks exceptionally well," he told us at the global launch of the new Alfa 147 in Monaco.
Mr Ruiz is seen as a key player in Fiat's future since they captured him from his high-profile job at Toyota. His frank revelations about Fiat's current progress on their new mid-size car is the strongest indication to date of their intention to take on the traditional giants of the sector and could herald a period of cut-throat competition reminiscent of what they've done in the city car and supermini sectors with the Seicento and Punto.
Details of new A4 announced
13 October 2000: The new Audi A4, official details of which were only released this morning, is bigger and lighter than its predecessor, and relies heavily (no pun) on the use of aluminium to achieve that latter. An aluminium engine block is a first for Audi.
The car also has more powerful engines, with a 2-litre four and 3-litre V6 coming as options, along with the retained 1.8-litre four from the current range. A new TDi 2.5-litre diesel turbo with large torque from 1500rpm will also be available.
The body is higher waisted and has angular tail clusters, and there's a better drag coefficient of Cd .28 (improved from .30). The body itself is 69mm longer than its predecessor, 33mm wider and 13mm taller. The interior is said to be roomier, including a 41mm improvement in rear leg room.
Audi's Multitronic continuously variable automatic transmission is also a brand new option in the car, available only with front-wheel-drive A4s, including the V6-engined cars. Manual transmission choice is five- or six-speed. A new generation ESP (Electronic Stability Program) and electronic brake assistance are also features.
The new body is said to be 45 percent more rigid than the current car, and the new Sideguard head-level airbag system is standard in all models and covers both front and rear seat occupants. Thorax/pelvis side airbags are integrated into the front seat backs, and optional for the rear.
A climate control air conditioning system automatically adjusts itself according to the intensity of the sun.
New Lexus 4x4 on its way here
10 October 2000: The European version of the new Lexus RX300 will go on sale in Ireland next month.
The 4x4 contender in the luxury segment has already sold more than 73,000 copies in the US, but it has been extensively revised for Europe. In particular, suspension, soundproofing and brakes tuning have been adapted for European conditions, where more is expected of such cars in their day-to-day use than in the US.
There are also cosmetic differences, including new front and rear lights, grille, bumpers and wheels. Full details and prices will be announced at the Irish launch.
Fiat/GM looking at possible Daewoo move
10 October 2000: Fiat and General Motors are actively investigating Korean manufacturer Daewoo's affairs after Ford pulled out of its negotiations to take over the country’s second-biggest vehicle maker last month.
With DaimlerChrysler and Hyundai saying they’re not interested, a successful takeover from the Fiat/GM alliance is the only chance to save Daewoo's global motor business from being split up. Daewoo's product range and production facilities could fit in with Fiat's small and medium car and light commercial production, and this is currently being evaluated.
Fuel costs boost hybrid interest
10 October 2000: Several manufacturers around the world have brought forward plans to develope cars powered by alternative energy, prompted by the high price of oil and the proven vulnerability of motorists to matters outside their control.
DaimlerChrysler is one one of several manufacturers who have created a new engineering division to develop vehicles powered by a combination of petrol and electricity. Honda and Toyota (whose Prius is pictured here) are already in production with their versions. Ford is to bring on a hybrid version of its Escape SUV in 2003, while General Motors promises hybrid versions of the large Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra pickup trucks by a year later.
Crowds throng to see new C-Class
9 October 2000: More than 1,500 people thronged the MDL Mercedes-Benz showrooms in Dublin last week to express their interest in the new C-Class, which has just been launched on the Irish market.
Eight models are available, with either 6-speed manual or 5-speed automatic transmission, and the price range begins at £29,495 for the manual C180, powered by a 2-litre 129bhp 4-cylinder engine. Other versions include the C200 Kompressor, the C240 and C320, and a C220 Cdi turbodiesel which is more powerful than the variant it replaces.
A 5-cylinder C270 Cdi will be launched here in January. A 3.2-litre C32 AMG with a supercharged V6 engine is already available to special order.
There are three design and equipment specifications - Classic, Elegance and Avantgarde.
The overall appearance of the C-Class, now in its third incarnation since being introduced in 1993, has been improved along the lines of the current S-Class, with the remodelled headlambs being the key outward distinguising feature. The car is wider and longer and has an extraordinarily good Cd figure of .26, way ahead of the average .32 in the class.
A coupe will be introduced next summer.
Fabia estate for Ireland next January
6 October 2000: The latest version of Skoda’s much-lauded Fabia, the Combi estate, is expected to go on sale here in January. The car was shown at the recent Paris Show and is a smart-looking car indeed.
A full five seater, the Combi is longer than the hatchback which is becoming an increasingly familiar sight here. A seats-up carrying capacity of 426 litres almost trebles when the rear seats are folded.
No prices are available yet.
Octavia gets new look
6 October 2000: The car that changed the image of Skoda in Ireland - the Octavia - has been given a new look with some cosmetic changes to the front and rear ends. There have also been detail changes to the interior.
The visual improvements up front include a redesigned air intake area in the bumper, clear glass headlamps, and a modified radiator grille with more chrome. New wheel trims and a side guard rail update the side view of the car, and those whom it passes out will note new rear lamps.
Inside the car, the first changes are to the instrument panel, while new trim cloths jazz up the seats and doors.
Immediately noticeable when you sit in the back is extra legroom for passengers ... one of the few shortcomings of the earlier version. There’s a full 22mm extra thanks to a new seat design, which means that the famous boot space has not been compromised.
The Octavia now also has new safety features, including a third rear seatbelt and headrest, better side impact protection, and automatic fuel cut-off. Servicing costs are reduced too, with 20,000 miles service intervals for petrol and 30,000 for diesel models.
Three equipment levels are designated by Classic, Ambiente and Elegance. Depending on choice, equipment such as ABS and EDS will be included. Options include electric adjustment for the driver’s seat and xenon headlights and rain sensing wipers.
There are five engine versions, with a new 1.4-litre option broadening the entry level for the car. The engine, a 75bhp unit, is surprisingly nippy in such a sizable car, and should definitely bring in a number of new buyers looking for good value in size/price with quality. The 1.6-litre has received a couple of extra bhp, and the 2-litre 115bhp and the amazing 150bhp 1.8-litre turbo are still available. There are 1.9-litre normally aspirated and turbocharged diesels.
Meanwhile, Skoda has reached the critical two per cent of market share in Ireland, a level beyond which niche marques are considered established.
Lexus tune suspension in Ireland
6 October 2000: Suspension testing of the new Lexus 430, to be launched here in November, were carried out by Japanese engineers in Donegal earlier this year. The tests were part of a suspension tuning programme for the European market.
The car had distinguishing badges and details taped out so that the final look of the new car wouldn’t be revealed until its launch. The car will feature a V8 4.3-litre engine, more powerful and torquey than the current unit but giving better fuel economy.
According to Lexus Ireland, the new car will be more comfortable and quieter than the present model, but will handle in a way that can be appreciated by those who like their driving.
Rover goes for childrens' safety
5 October 2000: Rover Ireland has launched a new safety initiative with stick-on reflective badges for jackets and schoolbags.
The ‘Be a Bright Spark’ campaign will also urge motorists to be more aware that children are on the roads during the school term. The Bright Spark stickers are available from Rover dealers.
“More child pedestrians are killed in Ireland than in any other European country,” says Breda Martin, public relations manager of Rover Ireland. “We believe that promoting vigilance to both children and motorists is vitally important.”
Pat Costello of the National Safety Council has applauded the initiative, which he says will help to reduce the number of young deaths on Irish roads.
Pictured at the launch of the Rover Bright Spark road safety campaign are lollipop lady Ann Crowley from Finglas with Sam Manweiler-Quinn, aged 7; Breda Martin, public relations manager Rover Ireland; and Ciara Tunstead, aged 8. TW
Nissan introduces two new commercials
5 October 2000: A new 3.2-tonne Cabstar and a special version of the Nissan Patrol commercial are aimed at strengthening the marque’s position in the sector.
The Cabstar E90 and E110 are powered respectively by 2.7- and 3.-litre turbodiesels. Payloads are 1.7 and 1.9 tonnes. Extended service intervals have been introduced for both versions, and there’s now a 90-litre fuel tank. Prices range from £13,219-£14,045.
The ‘S’ Grade Patrol will have a new 3-litre 156bhp engine and will include ABS, driver and passenger airbags, electronic stabiliser and power windows. The recommended price will be £27,500 (including VAT).
ENCAP results show bigger is better
4 October 2000: The better design of newer cars showed in safety terms with the publication of the results of the ENCAP crash testing programme for superminis. It also showed that generally, bigger is better.
Seven of the 20 cars tested in the segment achieved four stars (out of a possible five), including Fiat’s Punto (right), Peugeot’s 206, Renault’s Clio, Skoda’s Fabia, Toyota’s Yaris, and VW’s Lupo and Polo. Three stars each went to the Daewoo Matiz, Daihatsu Sirion, Ford Fiesta and Ka, Hyundai Atos, Opel Corsa (outgoing model) and the SEAT Ibiza. The Citroen Saxo, Nissan Micra and Fiat Seicento each achieved two stars.
The Daihatsu Sirion was the first car ever to receive a three-star pedestrian safety registration since the inception of the Euro ENCAP. When the testing regime began in 1997, no supermini achieved a four-star rating.
AA public affairs manager Conor Faughnan said the latest results were a ‘fantastic’ improvement, but that child seat safety performance has given ‘significant cause for concern’.
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