irishcar.com February 2001 News

27/28 February 2001: Perhaps the Jaguar X-Type (above) came as close as any car at the Geneva Motor Show this year to earn the title Star of the Show. But there were many others, most of them all clearly born of passion of varying degrees, including Fiat's Stilo, the Peugeot 307, the Skoda Montreaux, and the exotic Mazda RX-8.

Opel's neat Astra Cabriolet and the Audi A8 L with its massive V12 6-litre engine represented achieveable and unachievable dreams respectively at least for the Irish market, while we could look to the future in real terms, with the experimental fuel cell-powered Ford Focus.

And there was lots more, which we recorded in leg-wearying traipsing around the Palexpo Exhibition Hall in Geneva over these last days. We also talked to several people in the international and the Irish motor industry, and we'll bring you more about what they had to say in the coming days. Meantime though, enjoy the pictures. BB & TW

26 February 2001: The very funky Opel Speedster will be available in Ireland from July at a price of £33,000. Only five Opel dealers in Ireland will sell the car - DG Opel and Kenilworth Motors in Dublin, Ennis Road Motors in Limerick, Johnson & Perrot in Cork, and McChesney Motors in Clontibret, Co Monaghan.

The car was driven by Irish motoring journalists in Faro, Portugal, yesterday (Sunday). It was developed by GM-owned Lotus with Opel and is powered by an Opel 2.2-litre Ecotec engine outputting 147bhp. The aluminium chassis and composite body gives a very strong power/weight ratio allowing a 0-62mph of 5.9secs.

The car is the first mid-engined Opel, with a front/rear weight balance of 47/53% and handling characteristics which are as close to a full-blooded racing car as you can get on the open road, according to Irish racing driver Hugh Maguire.

“Even in its presentation it is like a racing car, with minimalist trim and furniture,” he told irishcar.com tonight. “I found the handling as close to best balance as I’ve found in any car destined for road use.”

Just 3,000 Speedsters will be produced a year by Lotus in the UK for Opel. In most markets in Europe it will sell for the EURO equivalent of around $30,000, or some IR£25,000, considerably less than in Ireland with our draconian car tax regime.

Because of its light weight, no power steering is needed for the very direct steering characteristics.

The weekend also gave Irish journalists the opportunity to drive the Opel Astra Cabriolet in advance of its Geneva Motor Show premiere tomorrow. With 1.6- and 1.8-litre engine options, this soft-top version of the Bertone-designed Astra Coupe will come to Ireland in the summer. According to Opel Ireland’s Aidan Doyle, prices have not yet been agreed. Around 100 units of the cabriolet are expected to be sold in Ireland.

Throughout Europe, up to 8,000 units of the Astra Cabriolet are expected to be sold this year, and twice that next year. In Europe, the cabriolet market has improved from 150,000 in 1995 to 240,000 last year.

Germany is the biggest market for soft-tops in Europe, followed by the UK. The Astra Cabriolet has an electrically-operated roof which can be stowed or opened in 30 seconds. According to research 55% of buyers will be female, and 40% of all convertible sales are second cars. BB

26 February 2001: The European Consumers' Association wants car dealerships abolished. It says consumers would pay less under a more open system. They are currently losing out heavily due to lack of competition.

The association says consumers would benefit greatly if the EU got rid of the way cars are sold through dealerships at the moment. It also wants far less bureaucracy with importing cars from Europe.

European Consumers' Association director Jim Murray said Irish drivers would benefit enormously if the so-called block exemption, which effectively ties a dealer to a specific marque, is removed. This would end the current automatic right of dealers to sell particular brands.

Mr Murray claims dealers selling a variety of marques would push down prices and make cars far easier for consumers to both acquire and buy. Critically, it would mean that automakers would not be able to charge currently widely varying pre-tax prices in different markets because of the widespread competition.

At the moment, the motor industry has an exemption under EU competition law. That means it has been able to continue with arrangements with dealers to prevent garages from selling more than one brand. But the exemption, renewed several times in the past, is due to run out next year.

A special report on how the EU should respond to the current situation is due later in 2001. Significantly, the Commission has warned the behaviour of manufacturers in impeding EU citizens buying cars in another member state into account.

Meanwhile new figures show that pre-tax car prices for Ireland are relatively low but quite high when VRT and VAT are added. For example the survey of European prices showed that Volkswagen Golf costs 22pc less pre-tax in Ireland than Germany. But when the taxes are added, the Golf costs nearly 10pc more here.

Yet we are in good company in terms of paying penal car taxation.
After-tax car costs are also high in Finland and Denmark as well. CFC

26 February 2001: Mazda is to drive itself out of the doldrums in Europe, it has just revealed. It will take direct control of most of its European distribution networks as part of a strategic revival plan.

The deeply indebted company, in which Ford has a 33.4 percent stake, has bought its distributor in France from the Inchcape group and expects to have 70 percent of its European sales volume under direct control by the end of the year.

The new plan was unveiled by company executives at a Frankfurt media preview of new models. The group took direct control of distribution in Spain, Portugal and Italy last year.

Mazda President Mark Fields said the strengthened distribution system would be used to bring nine new models to the European market. And he predicted the new models would help rekindle the spark that was once their way of doing business.

Europe accounts for 24 percent of Mazda's total sales, and is seen as a vital area to help reverse the negativity surrounding the company for quite a while. The company is expected to report a major operating loss for the year to March.

Managing director David Thomas said that despite their early success stories they "somehow" lost their focus in recent years. He admitted the company was "not really clear" on who their customers were and said they had confused many buyers by stretching the company too far. CFC

24 February 2001: A new shape in electric low speed vehicles (LSVs) will be unveiled next week at a small but international motor show in North Carolina, the Auto Expo 2001 in Raleigh-Durham. And while the test-bed vehicle might not look great shakes, the skin they're planning for around it is sexy indeed.

The vehicle was designed by the Dynasty Motorcar Corporation based in Kelowna, British Columbia, set up two years ago. It's small but visionary, and if you want a look at the alternative body styles for this particular series, under the IT project brand, it is certainly worth a click.

The IT vehicle is scheduled to begin full production during the second quarter of this year. The design and styling is by Paul Deutschman of Montreal Quebec, and the company has already put several million dollars, months of research, and comprehensive testing into the development of the product.

The 4-person saloon version will have a wheelbase of 90 inches (2286 mm); a length of 140 inches (3556 mm); width of 60 inches (1524 mm) and a curb weight of 1450 pounds (653 kg). The frame is constructed of lightweight aluminum and the body is created with Infusion Molded Fiberglas. All windshields and windows are constructed with laminated safety glass and bumpers are constructed of rotationally molded plastic.

The model is powered by a 72V-advanced DC electric motor with a Curtis 1274 Motor Controller and a SPS Electronics DC-DC Converter. Six 12V Trojan 30XHS traction batteries, one 12V Trojan 24THS accessory battery and a ZIVAN 110 VAC (optional 220 VAC) charger completes the power system.

So Geneva is not the only place where motoring sparks will be flying next week. BB

23 February 2001: Perceived poor prices for trade-ins may well be underpinning the fall-off in new car sales which has made itself evident over the past two months. While the market overall is down 24% against the same period last year, the indications are that private sales are much more significantly underperforming.

“The company car sector seems to be holding up, indeed it is buoyant,” says Niall O’Gorman (right) of Suzuki Ireland. “That certainly means a strong slowdown in private sales. And it may be that people are finding the cost of changing their car is much more than they expected.”

There’s definite anecdotal evidence that people are hearing what they’re being offered as a trade-in against a new vehicle and simply walking back to their old cars.

The other side of the frantic new car sales coin has flipped - there’s a strong overhang of used cars to be sold off before the trade can take anything in at what a seller would consider a reasonable price.

“That may improve later in the year, but private buyers are definitely hanging back at the moment,” says O’Gorman, who is nevertheless happy at sales of his marque’s new Ignis (above). It’s going very well, particularly in 5-door. To the point that he may have ‘tight’ supplies later in the year of that particular version.

He figures the year’s out-turn now looks like 180,000 units now, well down on the 234,000 of an admittedly unusual 2000. That message was also given last weekend by Citroen Ireland’s James Wyse (right), who came up with a similar figure at the international launch of the new C5.

Wyse said he didn’t want to ‘talk down’ the market, but he cautioned a weather eye on the international situation in an environment of possible US recession and a hawkish new US President who last week returned bombing to Baghdad. BB

23 February 2001: The new Fabia saloon will be put on sale in Ireland next May, filling out the line started with the very well-received hatchback and the Combi estate.

The new car, which debuts at next week’s Geneva Motor Show, will come with a choice of four petrol and two diesel engines, and there will be three trim and specifiction levels - Classic, Comfort and Elegance.

The entry level will have the 1.4-litre 68bhp petrol engine. There is also a 75bhp 1.4, and a 100bhp 16v engine of similar capacity. The most powerful unit available will be the 2-litre 115bhp. The normally-aspirated diesel will have an output of 64bhb and a TDi with 101bhp.

The prices have not yet been agreed, but Skoda sales manager Colin Sheridan expects the saloon the be pitched between the hatchback and the Combi estate. TW

23 February 2001: An auxiliary power unit for motor vehicles which uses a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) has been developed by BMW and Delphi Automotive Systems in a collaborative venture.

The system could soon replace batteries, or augment them in an era of ever expanding usage of electricity to drive vehicle subsidiary systems. The SOFC/APU provides sufficient energy for existing mechanically-driven sub-systems, such as the air conditioning and water pumps, to be driven electrically.

The two companies are collaborating to bring the system to market in a passenger car.

Dr Burkhard Goeschel, BMW board member responsible for development, notes that generator outputs have had to go up by about 30% and battery capacities by about 200% in the last 30 years to cope with increased electrical demands in cars.

“If we reflect that before long our cars will have electric water pumps, electric power steering and electrically actuated brakes as well as the whole range of modern communication equipment, then we must expect current consumption at least to double again in coming years.''

A conventional mechanically driven generator requires about 1.5 litres of fuel per hundred kilometres to supply 1kW of electricity. The new SOFC/APU could reduce this by 46%.

The APU could also provide more power to heat or cool the cabin while the driver is stuck in traffic, while the system could be used to run refrigeration units or air conditioning while a commercial vehicle is parked overnight or stopped for deliveries.

Delphi is developing reformers to convert either diesel or petrol into hydrogen to fuel the APU. BB

22 February 2001: The ‘scrappage’ deal which Fiat Auto Ireland has worked very successfully in the past three years has been given a further boost with the reduction of VAT in the last budget.

The company is now offering anyone with a car aged 8 years or older, eligible for scrappage, a new Punto 1.2 3dr for £7,920 or £8,317 for the Punto 1.2 5dr. Those ‘on the road’ prices bring a specification which includes Dualdrive electric power steering, anti-theft engine immobiliser, driver’s airbag, CD player and stereo radio all as standard.

Fiat are also making much of the Punto’s ongoing low road costs - the 1.2-litre’s fuel consumption figure, calculated in compliance with EU 1999/01 guidelines, is 49.6mpg.

The £1,000 Scrappage Scheme also applies to the Punto 1.2 ELX 3dr and 5dr models. Fiat dealers can arrange finance agreements on these cars. TW

22 February 2001: Peugeot is selling a specially-specced version of the 406 1.8-litre petrol saloon, the Meridian, for an all-in price of £17,545.

The specification includes airconditioning, an in-dash CD player, four airbags, heated door mirrirs and on-board computer, as well as ABS.

Gowan Distributors sales and marketing director David McConnell says the latest version will help maintain the 406s strong selling point in Ireland for the marque, which is based on good looks and value for money. TW

22 February 2001: The annual Mercedes-Benz Used Car Sale is moving to a new venue - the Irish Kennel Club Exhibition Centre near the Coachman’s Inn at Dublin Airport.

The 2-day event is now in its 7th year and takes place on Saturday/Sunday March 3-4. The event is organised on behalf of the M-B dealers organisation in Ireland and close on 400 cars will be offered for sale.

The models available range from A-Class to C-Class and E-Class cars, as well as some S-Class versions. TW

22 February 2001: The Newbridge-based Citroen dealers P G Duffy & Sons have won the 2000 Citroen Dealer of the Year award, for what is described as ‘outstanding performance’ in vehicle and parts sales and increased levels of customer service.

Pictured at the presentation of the award are Bernard McFarlane, parts manager Gallic Distributors; Pat Duffy of P G Duffy and Sons; Arthur Smith, service manager Gallic Distributors; Gerard Duffy; and James Wyse, managing director Gallic Distributors. TW

21 February 2001: Daewoo Ireland's launch of the new Tacuma MPV comes against the background of sales in excess of 11,000 vehicles by Ireland's youngest car distributor since it arrived two years ago. The brand has achieved 3.0% market share since it was first introduced here.

The five-seater Tacuma is a compact MPV, and took just three years from concept to reality. Chassis dynamics and styling were both heavily influenced by technical partners including Porsche, Italdesign and Pininfarina. Standard equipment includes ABS, electronic brake distribution (EBD), air conditioning - the only car in its class to offer this as standard - electric front windows, twin airbags, immobiliser and metallic paint.

The car has the Daewoo 3 year/100,000km warranty and 1 year RAC cover and the lineup and prices for the Irish market are 1.8 SE, £15,995; 2.0 CDX, £16,995.

Daewoo Ireland has also unveiled an upgraded Matiz. The previously plain, rounded bonnet now has recessed areas for the oval headlamps, while at the rear, the biggest change has been the relocation of the licence plate area from the bumper to the tailgate.

The rear bumper now features a larger scratch-resistant black moulding strip, and the oval lamp styling at the front continues at the rear with round brake, reversing and indicator lamps arranged within the larger tail-lamp units.

The interior has been enhanced, with revised ergonomics, redesigned door trim with larger map pockets and longer, wider armrests to accommodate the electric window controls. The cockpit area has also been widened and a light in the boot added. The colour has also changed, adding an optional metallic finish and a dark purple as the primary colour.

The Daewoo Matiz is now the second-best selling car in the very competitive small car market, and new prices are Matiz SE -, £8,820; Matiz SE Plus, £9,420. TW

21 February 2001: The increasing trend to provide more information systems aboard cars has caused questions about distraction of drivers. The issue has particularly raised in the US with the arrival of systems that allow motorists to monitor and trade stocks while in their cars.

University of Michigan transport scientist Paul Green says regulations must be put in place to slow down the installation of 'telematic' systems that effectively turn cars into high-tech office extensions.

"My concern is there's not enough research, that it's happening too late and that safety just won't get the attention it deserves," he said. "There's this larger world that really needs to know what's happening."

Carmakers have been promoting vehicles with various wireless telecommunications and online services amid estimates that worldwide revenue from automobile telematics will grow from roughly $4 billion now to $47.2 billion in 2010.

More than 1 million vehicles in the United States come with telematic devices, particularly from General Motors. The GM 'Onstar' system has about 800,000 subscribers and the company expects more than 4 million vehicles to be so equipped by 2003, while at least half of all US vehicles could have basic telematics by 2006.

Last week, GM and Fidelity Investments unveiled an alliance to provide in-vehicle stock quotes and financial information through OnStar's Virtual Advisor service.

But the system is not just for information. OnStar offers automatic notification of air bag deployment, tracking of stolen vehicles, emergency services, roadside assistance with location, and remote door unlock and diagnostics.

The Virtual Advisor service offers e-mail, news, sports reports and weather. The system uses voice-activated, handsfree software allowing drivers to keep their eyes on the road as the information is read to them.

Ford, DaimlerChrysler and Isuzu Motors are all developing vehicle telematics systems, while a Nissan concept taxi gets weather forecasts, news and other information through a cell phone, and allows passengers to watch DVD movies.

However, the US Network of Employers for Traffic Safety says distracted drivers cause between 4,000-8,000 accidents a day.

A 1997 study in the New England Journal of Medicine found that talking on a phone while driving quadrupled the risk of an accident. It is also accepted that talking with a computer takes more thought than talking to a passenger.

GM plans to spend $10 million over three years to investigate and educate motorists about the hazards of distracted driving. BB

20 February 2001: The Fiat/GM alliance is working so well that it may well exceed several of its targets, according to Fiat Auto Chief Executive Roberto Testore. He was speaking during the presentation of a new version of the Seicento. GM owns 20 percent of Fiat, while Fiat has 5.6 percent of GM.

Testore also said his company and GM were 'still looking at the numbers' on the possible joint bid for South Korea's bankrupt Daewoo Motor Co.

He also expressed his welcome for a continuing growth in domestic market share by Fiat in Italy. In January it was 36.47 percent, compared to 35.2 percent in the final quarter of 2000. BB

20 February 2001: Despite price cuts by most makers last June, prompted by a British Government initiative, UK car prices are still much higher before taxes than in other European Union countries.

According to European Commission data a Ford Mondeo in Britain cost 23 percent more than the lowest price in the euro zone, a Honda Accord 50 percent more and a Mazda 323 90 percent more.

A British resident looking for a new Renault Clio, for example, could save 2,717 euros by shopping in the Netherlands or 4,541 euros by buying it in Denmark, while Finland and Spain were the other two countries where foreign buyers could find bargain.

The price differentials across Europe are likely to affect whether the "block exemption" which allows manufacturers to grant exclusive dealerships will be allowed to continue. It expires in September 2002 and EU Competition Commissioner Mario Monti has warned car makers he will not take kindly to any attempts to restrict the ability of customers to buy cars abroad. BB

19 February 2001: The new Citroen C5 will be launched in Ireland in the second week in April, according to Gallic Distributors MD James Wyse. The car replaces both the Xantia and the large XM for the moment, though a true XM replacement - the C6 - will roll out at the end of next year.

The C5 is larger than the Xantia and is aimed directly at the new Mondeo, the new Renault Laguna II and the upgraded VW Passat. James Wyse told Irish journalists in Malaga this weekend that he expects to sell some 2,000 in a full year, and over 1,000 in what will remain of this year's market when the cars arrive.

In Ireland there will be 1.8-, 2- and 3-litre petrol versions, as well as 2- and 2.2-litre diesels. A 1.6-litre petrol option is likely to be available in early 2002. A brand-new 2-litre HPI direct injection petrol engine has not been made available to the Irish market because of supply restrictions.

Though prices have not yet been agreed with PSA Group, Wyse says the new car will have to be 'very competitive' against the 'newcomers' in the segment like the Mondeo and Laguna II. "We'll have to be somewhere in the mid-£18,000s for the 1.8-litre," he said, "and under £20,000 for the 2-litre diesel."

Marketing Director Paul Gregan said the market mix between petrol/diesel in Ireland for the C5 to be 60/40. An estate version to be premiered at next week's Geneva's Motor Show will be available in Ireland in June, though in this segment only 5% of sales are estates. BB

16 February 2001: DaimlerChrysler is to recall 55,000 A-Class Mercedes-Benz cars to deal with potential brake problems. The recall will cost the company about ten million euros. The problem is because a supplier changed the rubber sealing collar in the main braking cylinder without informing Mercedes-Benz. In below freezing temperatures, the braking system may not function on all four wheels if a driver does not test his brakes to soften the rubber sealing collar before setting off.

The fix involves changing the main brake cylinder in A-Class cars produced between September 2000 and January 2001, a job which will take a dealer about two hours. BB

16 February 2001: Mitsubishi Motors has announced a recall campaign on all F model Galants manufactured between 1993 and 1996. This amounts to 82,000 vehicles in Europe of which 2,168 are registered in Ireland.

The recall relates to possible wear on the lateral lower arm suspension ball joint due to water penetration. To date there have been no reported incidences in relation to this in Europe.

Current owners will be contacted by Mitsubishi Motors and the recall campaign will commence in April 2001.

A total of nearly 1.5 million units appear to be involved in current Mitsubishi recalls around the world, primarily Galant saloons and five-door hatchbacks and derivatives sold as the Chrysler Eclipse. It also affects some small Pajero and Minica units in Japan because of concerns over their transmissions and airbag systems.

The main recall has arisen because of a component defect which could allow water to get into the lower steering arm ball joints. The resultant corrosion could accelerate wear, with the risk of failure.

There is uncertainty about how many affected units were exported from Japan, and in recent years there have been considerable unofficial grey market exports of right-hand drive cars from Japan. More than 80,000 units may be in Europe, and about the same number in other territories outside the US and Japan. BB

16 February 2001: Fiat Auto and PSA Peugeot Citroën have confirmed the two companies’ intention to pursue their technological and industrial cooperation in light commercial and multi-purpose vehicles.

Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroën, which have successfully developed a range of projects involving light commercial and MPVs (such as the Fiat Ullysse and equivalent Peugeot 806) over the past 20 years, have now decided to launch a new phase in their cooperation with a first stage covering the preliminary studies for a new commercial vehicle.

Since initiating their cooperation, the partners have jointly produced some 3.3 million light commercial vehicles and 400,000 multi-purpose vehicles. Of the total amount, 3 million units were produced at the plant in Val di Sangro, Italy, which came on stream in 1981, and 700,000 in Valenciennes, France, where production began in 1994.

The cooperation agreement has enabled Fiat and PSA Peugeot Citroën to share engineering and investment costs and to generate substantial economies of scale.

Working groups are being created to define the terms of the new phase of the cooperation agreement by the end of 2001. BB

15 February 2001: The new Fiat Stilo which will be shown for the first time at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show will be the lynchpin of the Fiat range in the company’s drive to reposition itself as European segment leader. The car replaces the Bravo/Brava small family car.

The Stilo offers both 3-door and and 5-door versions which differ in style and personality.The driving configuration is also different - the driver’s seat height in relation to the road is lower in the 3-door than in the 5-door.

Fiat says the Stilo 3-door will be one of the most competitive within the segment in terms of overall running cost. The Stilo 5-door will, the company says, have many of the benefits of an MPV, including greater ease of access, very spacious interior, high driving and adaptability of use - one front seat can be folded forward and the two sliding rear seats can be reclined independently.

The Fiat Stilo 5dr measures 4.25m (L) x 1.76m (W) x 1.51m (H) with 2.60m wheelbase while the 3dr differs in two measurements - 4.18m (L) and 1.46m (H). Both versions will be equipped with four petrol engines and two Common Rail Turbo-Diesel power units. JG/TW

15 February 2001: BMW must be feeling ganged up on - and squeezed. Audi cite the 3-Series as the new A4’s top target. Jaguar’s new X-Type will claw through the Bavarian marque’s sporty pretenses. But the coup de grace will come from a sporty little Mercedes-Benz two-door number with lots of style, come-hither-looks and a C-Class Sports Coupe badge on the bonnet.

Apart from a couple of door handles, the Sport Coupe’s bodywork shares very little commonality with the saloon. Even the price.

Bill Duffy, Sales Manager, Mercedes-Benz in Ireland, expects the new four-seater coupe to sell around £2,300 below equivalent specification and trim C-Class saloon and to sell 600 units this year. And double that for 2002.

Four engines are offered, ranging from a 127bhp 2.0 litre to a supercharged and thumpingly good 2.3 litre plant dishing out 195bhp (145 kW). The engine range also includes the 120 kW/161bhp 2.0-litre unit with a belt-driven supercharger and the 2.2-litre CDI engine with common rail direct injection, which has an output of 105 kW/141 bhp and a fuel consumption of only 6.2 litres per 100km (NEDC overall consumption, provisional figures).

All come with a six-speed manual as standard. For another £1,000 there’s the Sequentronic, a sequential clutchless manual which uses the same principle as that on the Alfa 156 (but with the handy steering wheel paddles). The other option is a five-speed automatic which could set a buyer back by another IR£1,700.

Standard specification includes windowbags, adaptive airbags for driver and front-seat passenger, headlamp assist, multifunction steering wheel central display and fibre optics are listed as entry-level fittings. A linguatronic voice-operated control system for the telephone and car radio, a thermotronic automatic climate control with sensor control and charcoal filter and a state-of-the-art telematics services are all offered as optional equipment.

June is arrival date in Ireland. JR

15 February 2001: Honda has started public road testing of a new version of its FCX-V3 fuel cell vehicle, equipped with fuel cell stacks developed by Honda. Honda, which is participating in the California Fuel Cell Partnership program (CaFCP), first began public road testing last November when the program started.

This latest version is the result of Honda research which has improved the performance and reliability of its own fuel stack to achieve the level required for public road testing. The tests in California will help verify the market feasibility of Honda’s fuel cell technologies.

The FCX-V3 with Honda FC Stack can seat up to four persons and features the startup performance and quiet operation of the FCX-V3. It is also equipped with an ultra-capacitor, which contributes to improved start-up speed and acceleration performance as well as highly efficient energy management. As before, the vehicle is fueled by hydrogen stored under high pressure.

The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a joint-participation project that includes the California Air Resources Board (CARB), private petroleum companies, auto manufacturers and fuel cell stack manufacturers. TW

14 February 2001: Opel has now made the Corsa available with its unique 'Easytronic' automatic gearshift, which operates a standard 5-speed gearbox with auto ease using three electric motors.

The 'Easytronic' is much cheaper than a standard automatic because it is less expensive to build, and because it works well with the standard 1.2-litre engine. This makes an extra cost of £645 very attractive indeed, particularly for people who have to do a lot of in-traffic driving.

The 'Easytronic' also has a 'manual' operation, clutchless of course, which has the simple 'push forward/push back' system for changing up and down gears. In addition, the 'Easytronic' is more economical in automatic mode than in manual'. BB

14 February 2001: Bridgestone Corporation has developed a new technology which allows its tyres to give new performance for up to 50% of a tyre's life.

The Uni-T QAII technology addresses the problem of tyre performance deterioration, which begins from the moment it is first rolled out on the road. The breakthrough involves new tyre construction methods and specially developed rubber compounds. The development work has been ongoing for the past six years.

Among the results is a reduction in the increase in noise which happens during a tyre's life. BB

14 February 2001: Audacious and daring, and officially unveiled this week, Peugeot’s new 307 makes its first public appearance at the Geneva Motor Show in March. Three months later it rolls off the production lines for left hand drive markets. And by September vigilant buyers should see the first signs of this £900 million investment trickling through to Europe’s off-shore islands.

Built on a completely new platform, with three engine sizes, and available in three and five-door formats, the high-roofed and muscular-looking 307 draws heavily for its new two-box monospace construction on the most pronounced design cues from the Prometheus prototype - seen on Peugeot’s stand at the Paris Motor Show last September.

Engine choice at launch will consist of 1.6i 16 valve and 2.0I 16 valve petrol engines and the 2.0 l HDI, 90 bhp common rail diesel plant. All are available with a five-speed manual gearbox. The 307 will also feature the ground-breaking HDI 2.0 l, 110 bhp with particulate filter - but not immediately. In addition, automatic transmission with the Porsche Tiptronic control system will be offered in due course.

Depending on the version selected, the new 307 will offer a level of safety and creature comfort equipment unprecedented for the segment. Included in the list are: ABS with electronic braking distribution, emergency braking assistance, ESP and anti-skid system, front airbags, side and curtain airbags, automatic emergency call in case of triggering of airbags. JR

14 February 2001: Four new Mercedes models will celebrating their world or European premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in the first week of March.

The A-class with an extended wheelbase, earlier reported on irishcar.com, will have up to 170 millimetres more rear legroom, and 14 per cent more luggage compartment capacity than the standard version of this compact Mercedes model, which itself will continue in production.

From summer 2001 the common rail diesel engine option will have an increased output of 95bhp. The three petrol engines in this series remain unchanged.

The new C-class Estate is being presented to the European public for the first time following its world premiere at the North American International Auto Show at the beginning of this year, as detailed then by irishcar.com.

Two engines are being premiered in the C-class Estate: the 3.2-litre V6 (218 hp) and the 2.7-litre CDI power plant (170 hp). The output of the other direct-injection diesel has been increased by up to 14 per cent compared to the preceding model, while the torque of these CDI engines has even been improved by up to 43 per cent.

The C32 AMG with its supercharged V6 engine, also being premiered at Geneva, will have a 0-62mph of just 5.4 seconds, and will provide a combined fuel consumption of 23.7mpg.

The new SLK 32 AMG roadster is also expected to draw interest at the M-B stand at Geneva. With the help of a new helical supercharger which generates a 30 per cent higher charge pressure, the six-cylinder power plant develops torque of 400 Nm at the low engine speed of 2300 rpm. The car has a fuel consumption of 25.2mpg.

The oldest original Mercedes model still in existence - a Simplex dating from 1902 - can also be admired in Geneva. It is there to mark the 100-year "Story of Passion" for the Mercedes marque.

NOTE: All the pizazz of the Geneva Show will be brought directly from Switzerland to irishcar.com readers by our own full team at the show. Stay tuned. TW

14 February 2001: Small car specialist Daihatsu has scooped an environmental hat-trick at the latest ‘Green Apple Awards’ in London.

The UK Environmental Transport Association has voted the Daihatsu Cuore 1.0 litre as the ‘Best City Car’, Daihatsu Sirion 1.0 as the ‘Best Supermini’ and Daihatsu Terios 1.3 as the ‘Best 4x4'.

It marks the second year that Daihatsu has won these three categories. In its inaugural year in 2000, the ETA also awarded the Cuore the title of ‘Environmental Car Of The Millennium’.

Each model was judged on its combination of fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions.

Meanwhile, the new YRV which has already been launched in Ireland goes on sale in the UK on 1 March and is expected to represent one third of all Daihatsu sales in the market this year. TW

13 February 2001: A brand-new 2-litre engine is the shining jewel in the first versions of the latest Audi A4, just introduced to Ireland. Described by MDL's Audi Division sales manager John Hayes as 'the most complete A4 ever', the latest version has a more powerful appearance with sculpted body surfaces and strongly-flared wheel arches. Hayes expects to sell some 1,750 in a full year, compared to around 1,200 a year for the outgoing car.

Eight models in all will be coming to Ireland - five petrol and three TDI versions. Immediately available is a 2.0-litre, 130 bhp 4 cylinder petrol version retailing at £27,620 and a 2.5-litre TDI 180 bhp quattro version with permanent 4WD at £39,105. Coming in March is a 1.8T turbocharged petrol version at £30,490 powered by a 150 bhp engine, and a 1.9TDI, 130 bhp, turbocharged diesel at £28,610 - a model capable of achieving a range of over 800 miles.

An entry level 1.6-litre, 102 bhp petrol and a 1.9 TDI, 100 bhp version will be added in July, for which prices will be announced then. Completing the range will be a 2.4-litre, 170bhp V6 petrol version at £33,165 and a new 3.0-litre, 220 bhp V6 version at £38,610 for which launch dates have yet to be agreed.

Engines in the new cars still drive front wheels or all four in the 'quattro' versions. Five- or 6-speed manual gearboxes are used depending on the model choice. Audi's CVT 'multitronic' automatic transmission is offered on front-wheel-drive units, including the 3-litre.

All models have ESP electronic stability programme and EBD electronic brake force distribution. Airbags and belt restraint systems are activated by an 'intelligent' sensor system, which programmes their deployment according to the severity of impact. Sideguard head airbags provide head and neck protection for both front and rear occupants in a side impact.

Automatic climate control and alloy wheels come on all but entry level models. Additional features, depending on model choice, include sport seats and sports leather steering wheel, rear electric windows and front centre armrest.

Speaking at the new A4's introduction yesterday, John Hayes said the new car will ensure that Audi's share of the executive car market will increase. And he noted that while the new range of cars are more expensive than those they replace, increased specification levels actually represent savings of between £1,400 to over £3,000 if the outgoing cars were equipped to the same degree.

He said a runout promotion for the outgoing A4 has been very successful, with over 200 sold already this year at a special SE specification. Some entry-level versions will be available until the end of April. BB/TW

13 February 2001: A shortage of Bosch components is believed to be part of the reason why BMW is unable to provide as many engines as Ford needs to fill demand for its Land Rover Freelander worldwide. The problem has caused the company to make up to 250 staff redundant at its Solihull plant in the UK, where production is being cut from three shifts to two.

The BMW engine developed for the Freelander before the German company sold the brand to Ford is responsible for much of the interest in the SUV in its latest version. Part of the sale deal was that BMW would provide 32,000 engines a year, but strong demand for the engine in its own cars has prevented it from increasing this production.

So, despite increased world demand for Freelanders, Ford now says it has to cut back planned 2001 production by 10,000, to 74,000 units. There are 1.8-litre and 2.5-litre petrol engine options, but the power and smoothness of the diesel unit in both manual and 'Steptronic' automatic versions has made it an exceptionally popular option.

So it seems likely there could be a global shortage of the Freelander this year, despite the fact that BMW inaugurated a new engine plant at Hams Hall in the UK last week, while Ford plans to turn its Dagenham plant near London into a global centre for diesel engine production. BB

12 February 2001: Catalytic converters used on car exhausts may be adding to pollution as well as helping to clean up the environment.

Metal from converters found in remote areas of Greenland suggest that the platinum, palladium and rhodium in the converters fitted to cars are migrating in the atmosphere to places far beyond where most cars are used. The exotic metals help convert hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide and nitrogen oxides car exhaust products to harmless compounds.

Researchers measured concentrations of the metals in ice and snow cores from Greenland dating from 1969 to 1988 and from 1991-1995.

After comparing the cores to samples dating back 7,500 years, they found that concentrations of the metals had been increasing since 1976. Catalytic convertors were introduced in the US in the late sixties.

Rhodium levels are already 120 times higher than in the 7,500-year-old ice. Palladium and platinum levels have increased 80- and 40-fold respectively.

The researchers said the ratios they uncovered were similar to car exhausts found in another study, which suggests the metals originated from catalytic converters. EFC

9 February 2001: Hyundai took its next step into filling its motoring niches yesterday when it unveiled a hot mid-engined open sports car at the Chicago Motor Show.

Aimed head-on at Mazda's MX-5 and Toyota's MR2, the HCD6 concept roadster has a 2.7-litre V6 engine and a six-speed gearbox and was styled at the Hyundai California Design Studio.

Believed to be quite close to a car the company has actually headed for production, the HCD6 has a see-through engine cover and single roll bar integrated into the centre console.

Meanwhile, Hyundai is currently testing prototypes of its next Coupe in Australia. The car is a completely new vehicle, though still front-engined and front-wheel-drive.

9 February 2001: A hot Ford Focus is to be unleashed in the autumn following its release in the US as the Focus SVT (above).

Launched at this week's Chicago's Motor Show, the SVT will definitely come to Europe badged as a Focus ST170 with a tuned 170bhp 2.0-litre Zetec engine. It is expected to be relatively affordable in the hot Ford stakes, considerably more so than the planned RS.

Key styling details include a rear spoiler and 17-inch alloys and mechanicals include a six-speed gearbox, larger brakes and tougher suspension.

Black leather trim, keyless entry, side airbags and a CD will be standard on what Ford bosses are describing as ‘a civilised high-performance saloon’. BB

9 February 2001: A new Suzuki due to debut at the Geneva Motor Show is aimed directly at the Focus/Astra/Golf segment and will aim to establish the brand solidly in the hatchback market of that segment.

The Liana is due to go on the road in July, initially only with a 1.6-litre petrol engine, possibly followed later by a1.3-litre version. The 1.6 is a brand new all-alloy 16-valve powerplant.

The new car looks quite similar to the recently launched Honda Civic, and the forthcoming new Corolla. It will feature digital electronic readouts and come in two trim specifications. BB

9 February 2001: Ford is to begin road testing of a fleet of hydrogen-powered fuel cell cars within the next two years in California. The technology uses a chemical process to convert hydrogen and atmospheric oxygen into electricity.

Water is the only emissions from such vehicles, and Ford experts say it could end the rule of the internal combustion engine ‘within a generation’.

EU Commissioner Loyola de Palacio recently test drove a $1 million prototype fuel cell Ford Focus and gave her seal of approval to the technology. She is the head of the European Union's energy and transport policy.

Still, car makers say it will be many years before fuel cell cars are widely available because of the high cost to make them and the difficulties of distributing and storing hydrogen.

But interim alternatives are already under way, such as Toyota’s Prius hybrid (right). And Ford plans to launch its Think City small battery-powered plastic-bodied vehicles soon in Europe, and an ethanol-powered Ford Focus will go on sale in Sweden later this year. BB

9 February 2001: Mazda’s European built cars will carry engines and transmissions made by Ford, the company said this week. Mazda is 33.4 percent owned by Ford and its new mid-size wagon, small car and compact saloon models to be made in Europe from 2002 will use Ford running gear.

Mazda and Ford began production of cars on a common platform last June, with the Tribute SUV (reight) being in both Japan and the United States, using Ford engines.

Mazda exports more of its domestic output than any other major Japanese carmaker and depends on the European market for about a quarter of its sales. The company still has to decide on sites in either Germany or Spain for its new production facility. BB

8 February 2001: Continental has announced the introduction of a new-generation performance tyre to meet the rising demand for sports and luxury cars. Featuring a striking new tread pattern, the ContiSportContact 2 boasts outstanding grip and braking performance on both wet and dry roads.

The ContiSportContact 2 is the second tyre from Continental to draw on principles from the natural world in its design. The ‘bionic’ tyre functions like a cat’s paw – the tyre ‘footprint’ during normal travel is slim, for greater resistance to aquaplaning, but becomes wider during braking, ensuring maximum grip and safety.

Continental estimates that demand for high performance tyres will grow by 40% over the next five years. In Germany alone there are expected to be over 7 million sports cars registered by 2005. The rise on the Irish market could well be even greater, according to Roger Griggs of Continental.

“From even a cursory glance at the roads here, the changing trends in car buying are evident,” he says “The buoyant economy of the past decade in Ireland has seen a spectacular proliferation of high performance and luxury cars, notably of marques such as Mercedes and BMW. Drivers of these cars see their tyres as complementing the overall style package - the tyre becomes as much accessory as necessity. With its appealing design, ContiSportContact 2 is tailor-made for Ireland’s Celtic Tiger environment.”

The ContiSportContact 2 claims all-round improvements even against the original ContiSportContact, which achieved sales of over 6.5million throughout the world. Braking performance is 13% better, with an 8% improvement against aquaplaning. It has already received approval from Porsche and Ford.

ContiSportContact 2 will be available here in Ireland at Easter through the national network of 30 Advance Pitstop Outlets. CH

8 February 2001: Jaguar’s new competitor against the BMW 3-Series and new Mercedes C-Class, the X-Type due to be launched later this year, will cost Stg£22,000 in the UK for the entry-level 2.5-litre V6, rising to Stg£26,260 for the flagship 3.0-litre V6. No Irish prices are yet available.

While looking good, the X-type’s performance will also be extremely attractive. The base 194bhp car with a manual gearbox will do the 62mph dash in 7.9 seconds, at least measurably faster than an equivalent 3-Series.

The 231bhp 3.0-litre will do the same sprint in 6.6 seconds. Fuel economy is claimed to be class-leading, with a combined consumption for the smaller engine of 29.5mpg. The 3.0-litre has a combined figure of 27mpg.

Inside, five adults can travel together easily and the boot has the biggest luggage space ever in a Jaguar.

There will be three trim levels – standard, Sport and SE. Standard equipment with the entry level includes alloy wheels, air-conditioning, electric seat height adjustment, and a radio/cassette player with automatic volume control.

SEs have cruise control, leather upholstery, automatic climate control, steering wheel-mounted audio and phone controls, and a trip computer system.

All models come with front and side-impact airbags and Jaguar's occupancy sensing system which determines how best to use its safety devices in the event of an accident, depending on the occupants’ size and seating position.

Service intervals will be every 10,000 miles or once a year and there’s a three-year/60,000-mile mechanical and electrical warranty.

The X-Type also provides the first all-wheel-drive powertrain as standard in Jaguars, the first transverse engine layout, and the the first with electronic stability systems

Coupé, estate and convertible versions are also possible in time to come. BB

7 February 2001: An updated Mercedes A-Class whose details are due to be released within weeks will be larger than the controversial original. Those in the know say it has more rear leg room than the E Class, but it will remain a five-seater.

The new car goes on sale in September, though the regular A-Class (above) will remain on sale and get a minor facelift in March. The move is really an admission that the original was too small and probably required investment in the hundreds of millions. More than half a million A Classes have been sold around the world.

A completely new A-Class due in 2004, will also be bigger than the original and may be a compact 7-seat MPV. The original A-Class was launched in October 1997. TW

7 February 2001: The Renault-developed global revival of Nissan has returned that company back into the No. 2 position in the Japanese motor industry as a result of early successes in its global revival plan. So Honda slips back to No 3 again – though Toyota is the undisputed top Japanese carmaker. Nissan's Almera-based Tino compact MPV is pictured above.

Mitsubishi came fourth and Mazda fifth in the 2000 global vehicle production figures by the top five Japanese companies. Mazda slipped in volumes compared with 1999.

Toyota manufactured 5.18 million vehicles around the world in 2000, 3.43 million units in Japan itself.

Nissan showed a 9.8% growth to 2.61 million vehicles, with Japanese production 1.32 million and sales in North America soaring by 35.2%. Honda’s global production of 2.48 million units included home production of 1.22 million units.

Mitsubishi Motors was in fourth place with global sales of 543,877 units. Mitsubishi suffered a decline in domestic production but an increase in exports. Its output in Japan declined by 1.6% to 997,270 units, but exports rose by 9.4% to 471,373 for the year.

Mazda made 931,160 units, with its Japanese output in 2000 down by 0.4% to 778,140 units. The 468,899 vehicles it exported in 2000 represented a year-on-year fall of 7.7% from 1999. However, a large number of Mazda-built vehicles are sold worldwide under the Ford brand. TW

5 February 2001: Parents should take extra care with the child seats in their car because as many as 80% may be incorrectly fitted. A new study says thousands of youngsters may be at risk as a result.

The survey, conducted for Mother & Baby magazine, found that half of all parents did not even know if the child seat they had was the right one for their car. And 55% used second-hand car seats which, the authors of the study said, were 'probably completely useless'.

Most parents (90%) also said they had problems fitting seats and fewer than 6% were offered fitting advice by those who sold them.

The magazine identified four main problems:

1. Buckle crunching. This is where the adult seatbelt buckle rests against the frame of the child's car seat and could shatter in an accident;

2. Not having the adult seat belt properly routed around the car seat;

3. Adult seat belts that were too loose and therefore allowed the child's car seat to move around too much and;

4. Child harnesses within the car seat that were far too slack.

Speaking on the results, the magazine's editor Dani Zur says ‘a badly-fitted car seat is as useless as no car seat at all and we are now calling for all shops which sell car seats to offer a proper fitting service’.

The survey also found that one in five parents allowed their baby or small child to travel in someone else's car without a car seat and one in three admitted fastening a seatbelt around two small children or fastening a belt around themselves and a small child. COC

5 February 2001: Opel is recalling about 890,000 Tigra and Corsa model B cars in different countries due to possible problems with seat fixtures.

The cars affected were made before mid-2000, a spokesman for Opel said. The Tigra was the sporty coupe (left) built on the Corsa underpinnings and was a highly successful niche car for the brand in Europe. BB

5 February 2001: There was no one cause for the tire defects, according to an independent report issued on Friday on Firestone tires linked to hundreds of injuries and scores of deaths in Ford Explorers.

The report by Sanjay Govindjee of the University of California was consistent with earlier studies in saying that manufacturing problems at Firestone were partly to blame for tread separations in the tires. Some 148 people died and around 500 were injured in the accidents. The report also said heat buildup from heavy loads, low tire pressure and driving in hot climates were factors.

Govindjee said he didn’t do the report with a view to blaming anyone.

The tire failures prompted a recall of 6.5 million tires last summer and cost Ford about $500 million last year alone. Top executives of Firestone in the United States and Japan resigned and the company is still expected to soon file for bankruptcy protection because of litigation.

Ford is attempting to reach out-of-court settlements of all pending lawsuits over injuries and fatalities over the accidents. A new version of the Explorer on sale this month has been redesigned to address concerns about the vehicle's stability and safety. BB

5 February 2001: The PSA Peugeot Citroen group may build an engine factory in Brazil, a market important in the company’s plans to build sales outside Europe.

The news was revealed at the opening of Peugeot's $600-million plant at Porto Real in Rio de Janeiro state where it will build the Peugeot 206 (left) and the Citroen Xsara Picasso compact MPV.

The company plans to make Latin America a main source of revenue as sales in its main European markets reach maturity in growth terms.

Last year, Peugeot Citroen sold 2.82 million vehicles worldwide, 12 percent more than in 1999. Europe accounts for more than four fifths of sales, but all growth was outside Europe. Other regions like Eastern Europe and China are also market targets.

Peugeot-Citroen sold 480,000 vehicles outside Europe last year and aims to build that to at least 700,000 units by 2003. The company sold about 30,600 vehicles last year in Brazil, up 26 percent from 1999, with market share of 2.2 percent. The aim is to sell as many as 100,000 vehicles in Brazil by about 2003.

Peugeot's 206 model will lead the attack in the very competitive sub-compact segment that accounts for 70 percent of Brazil's car market. For every 1,000 people in Brazil, there are only 112 cars, compared to 918 cars per 1,000 people living in the US, and 310 per 1,000 in Ireland. TW

5 February 2001: General Motors is to spend $4 billion building up its Cadillac luxury brand, which is in trouble against luxury segment competitors.

America's ‘dream cars’ were traditionally vehicles of choice for affluent buyers and in 1978, at the top of its motoring mountain, it sold 350,183 Caddies. Today the average age of buyers is 62 and last year GM sold 189,154 Cadillacs, lagging fifth behind Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Lincoln and BMW.

But GM has launched its ‘Art and Science’ programme which over three years will roll out a range of saloons, roadsters, and SUVs intended to restore Cadillac's attraction to the younger leaders of the 21st century.

The programme will also have to deal with Cadillac's poor reputation for styling and quality. In comparison withy Lexus ES300 owners reporting 84 quality problems per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership, according to a J. D. Power survey, owners of Cadillac's Catera models reported 159 problems.

But with steady sales of its DeVille saloon and Escalade SUV, the Cadillac division earned about $700 million in net profit last year and about 9 in 10 of the vehicles it sold in the US came from cars with prices over $38,000, a much higher ratio than the competition (Lexus was lowest here). So there’s money to spend on rebuilding the image.

After the oil panic of the late 1970s, GM decided to strip down Cadillac models to make them smaller and more fuel efficient. That didn’t work, nor did other changes like chattery diesel engines and petrol engines that frequently broke down instead of switching between 4-, 6-, and 8-cylinder operation as designed. BB

2 February 2001: It's a year away from Europe, but this is the next Corolla, and Japanese owners will be driving the car from this summer.

The car looks very much in the mould of the latest Honda Civic, or even the Skoda Fabia, and the family influence is clear with it's Yaris-inspired front.

A new Corolla estate will have a longer wheelbase than the saloon, while standard four-wheel-drive will appear on top versions of the new car. First availability will be as a 3- or 5-door hatchback, later on there will also be a saloon version.

The current 1.4 and 1.6-litre VVTi engines, which are very fresh, will provide the power and there's also likely to be a powerful 1.8-litre unit. A new common-rail diesel engine is also on the cards.” BB

2 February 2001: The future of the MG brand within MG-Rover was shown to motoring journalists this week with a presentation of three cars based on the Rover 25, 45 and 75.

The new front and MG badge first shown recently on the X10 (based on the Rover 75 but hotter) has been added to the smaller cars, which are currently designated X20 (like Rover 45) and X30 (based on the Rover 25). But it is likely they will have other names when actually launched this autumn.

The X30 will be the entry model of a line-up aimed squarely at the brand's former owners BMW. A performance version using uprated variant of the VVC 1.8-litre K-Series engine will output 160bhp and the car will have suspension and brakes upgraded to cope with the extra performance over its Rover cousin.

The X30 features 17-inch alloys, front and rear spoilers, and a sports exhaust. Inside will be silver detailed, with white instruments and an alloy gearknob. Entry level in the car will be a 3-door version powered by a 1.4-litre engine outputting 103bhp.” BB

2 February 2001: More than 33,000 new cars were sold here in January 2001 - representing well over 1,000 new cars delivered every working day of the month and not surprisingly industry sources are now predicting another very good year.

Compared to January 2000, the best month ever for new car sales, there is a drop of 20%, from 41,878 to 33,481. However Fiat Auto Ireland CEO Nicola Greco doesn’t think this is a negative. “Let us be realistic, this result of 33,000 new cars for January is exceptionally good – the second best ever - and so I believe that we are looking to a market around 220,000 for the full year’,” he said.

He pointed to the continuing economic boom, the new car price reductions following on from the lowering of the VAT rate in the Budget and the downward trend in world interest rates as positive developments to encourage strong sales for the year.

The Top Ten for the month were Nissan, 3,832; Ford, 3,724; Toyota, 3,562; VW, 3,556; Opel, 2,455, Fiat, 2,291; Renault, 1,934, Peugeot, 1,665; M-Benz, 1,042; SEAT, 970.

In the Elite Brand sector of the market the result for the month is Mercedes-Benz, 1,042; BMW, 821; Alfa Romeo, 413; Audi; 405; Volvo, 298.

Commenting on the results for the Elite Brands results, Greco pointed out how this sector had seen a smaller percentage drop in sales. “The corporate sector obviously continues to be very bullish about the economy and so we are delighted with the Alfa Romeo’s continuing growth here’,” he said. “We have achieved 1.2% share of market, an improvement on January 2000, so the signs are very positive indeed.” BB

2 February 2001: The Big Three domestic manufacturers in the US had a very bad January, but the overall market only slumped by just over 6%, less than predicted. The growing US recession is blamed in part, but there's also a definite swing towards Japanese and European manufacturers.

BMW in particular did very well with sales of 13,708 units, nearly 10% up on the same month last year. This performance included sales of 3,029 BMW X5 SUVs (right) ... compared to 836 sold in January 2000.

Ford was down 20%, Chrysler 22% and General Motors 4% in US domestic car sales.

In the Ford stable, Americans bought or leased 260,108 cars and trucks from Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Jaguar, Volvo, and Land Rover dealers in January, down 11% from a year ago. Ford’s total truck sales were 163,529, down 5%. However, total Ford brand SUV sales of 51,134 were up 7%, while the SUVs from all of the Ford brands reached a record 58,589 in unit sales. BB

2 February 2001: Reliant have said goodbye to their core three-wheeler Robin after 65 years. It was made famous as Del Boy's wheels in Only Fools and Horses. The company now has a new four-wheel French microcar, and is marking the end of the three-wheeler with a limited edition run of ten units.

The Robin can be driven in the UK on a motorcycle licence and owners claim around 80mpg with very careful driving. But it was the butt of many jokes for its performance, with a typical one as follows: how do you define a motoring miracle? ... a Robin at the top of a hill. BB

1 February 2001: Skoda is now making some of the safest cars on the road, according to an exhaustive new study.

In one of the most rigorous series of tests ever undertaken, the Skoda Octavia and Fabia took their places on the safety podium alongside the Mercedes E-Class and the Volvo S40.

The Czech-made Fabia, so narrowly beaten for the Semperit Irish Car of the Year award won by the Opel Corsa, was one of 60 models tested by a team of researchers at Which? magazine. It went straight to the top of the supermini safety league when the cars were judged by category.

And the Octavia won exactly the same number of points as the Fabia in its segment. That took some doing because it meant outstripping the likes of Toyota's Yaris and VW's Lupo.

The overall winner was the Mercedes E-Class, which also won the executive car class award.

Other high scorers included the Saab 9-5, Opel Omega, Toyota Corolla, the Lexus IS200 and Rover 75. The Volvo S40 was judged best in the large family car sector.

These were not just some perfunctory tests. The researchers meticulously checked out 50 critical areas of crash safety on each vehicle. These included seat belts, bumpers, side impact bars and airbags.

The researchers used a complex scoring system. The like-for-like method of assessment applied the same criteria to all sizes of car and, in the end, they awarded the E-Class the top mark of 12 points. The Fabia scored 9.5.

In the mini-MPV (multi-purpose vehicle) category, first place was shared between the Mazda Premacy, Toyota Yaris Verso and Renault Scenic.

One area of concern to the researchers, however, was what they found to be "generally poorly designed" head restraints on many of the models tested. Indeed, they claimed several were unlikely to sufficiently protect the head and neck of passengers and drivers in a crash.

Several manufacturers are now starting to fit anti-whiplash head restraints to combat the problem. CFC

1 February 2001: First Active plc has reduced its Car Loan rates for new customers for a second time in under a month.

From today, the new variable rate has been reduced to 8.99% APR from 9.49% APR making it one of the cheapest in the market. The fixed Car Loan rate is 9.99% APR, down from 10.25% APR. The new rates place First Active on a very competitive footing with other lenders.

This follows a rate cut earlier in January that saw the fixed rate drop from 10.50% APR and the variable rate from 9.49% APR.

Aidan Magennis, Head of Marketing and E-Business at First Active, said: "This underlines our commitment in providing real value to new customers who are looking to buy a car. Unlike car leasing products, our variable rate car loan allows customers to reduce their term, add lump sums and take repayment breaks whilst saving on interest at the same time."

Customers can contact a Car Loan advisor on 1850 678910, visit the website, to get a Car Loan approved in principle on-line, or visit their local branch. FM

1 February 2001: This Valentine's Day Roger Griggs of Semperit Ireland, calls on lovers nationwide to 'show how much they care, by checking their partner's tyres for wear and tear!!'

As he checks model Jennifer Langan's tyres for bulges and cracks, Roger says research shows that only one woman in five claims to regularly check her tyres.

"This Valentine's Day instead of flowers and chocolates, why not give your loved one the reassurance of safety? It may not seem romantic but it could make all the difference. Remember tyres are her sole contact with the road."

Semperit Ireland recommends that motorists check particularly for under and over-inflation and ensure that tread-depths are not below the legal limit of 1.6mm. CH

1 February 2001: The new Ford Mondeo has been named Car of the Year 2001 by a leading British car magazine. Ford also took the award for Best Family Car in the What Car awards.

Ford's President and Chief Executive Officer, Jacques Nasser, received the award at a ceremony in London. It was a double celebration for Ford as its baby Ka picked up the Best Budget Car award.

However, both Vauxhall (General Motors) and BMW went one better, receiving three top categories each. Vauxhall, which has previously failed to turn the heads of enthusiasts, saw its Astra SRi named Best Hot Hatch and the VX220 pick up Best Roadster. The company's Zafira scooped the MPV award for the second year.

BMW's 5-series was named Best Executive Car for a record-breaking sixth consecutive year while new arrivals the X5* claimed the four-by-four trophy and the M3 took Best Performance Car.

Also winning for the first time were the new Honda Civic in the Small Hatch category, the Audi A4 came up trumps with Best Compact Executive and the Peugeot 206 Coupe Cabriolet won the Best Convertible award.

Repeat winners include the Audi TT and Porche 911, claiming the Coupe and Supercar awards respectively for the third year running.

Also picking up its third award was the Mercedes S-class in the Luxury section, while the Skoda Fabia, last year's Car of the Year winner, retains its position as the magazine's favourite supermini.

The Volvo V70 remains the Best Estate, Renault received the safety award, and Toyota and Lexus were joint winners of the Security Award.
*BMW is recalling more than 20,000 X5s around the world to check that a bolt on the steering column was fitted properly. As few as three or four vehicles may be affected here. CFC

1 February 2001: Building on the success of the Xsara Picasso across European markets, Citroën is now to launch its compact MPV in China.
Production is scheduled to start in the second half of 2001.

The Xsara Picasso enjoyed strong sales during its first year on the market, with 150,000 units sold across Europe. In the light of this success, Citroën decided to sell its compact MPV in South America and also in China.

The marque has identified a potential market following customer tests in Beijing and Canton in early 2000, and a vehicle presentation organised at the Beijing Motor Show last June.

Private customers currently account for one-third of new vehicle sales and make up the fastest growing segment of the overall customer base.

Production is scheduled to start at the DCAC* plant in Wuhan in the second half of 2001 for an output this year of 2,000 units. This will be increased from next year, in line with demand, and could total 10,000 vehicles annually.

Citroën sold 52,000 vehicles in China last year, acquiring market share of almost 9%. The marque grew sales by 17% on a market that increased 4%. TW

1 February 2001: Volvo Car Ireland has announced the appointment of Mike McCart as Dealer Operations Manager for the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Mike McCart is a qualified mechanical engineer who has worked for Volvo UK for 13 years. He has experience in all areas of dealer operations - technical, customer services, quality and environmental, business management and sales management.

Before joining Volvo, he worked for Thorn-EMI and the RAC. TW

1 February 2001: TOYOTA has moved quickly to dispel speculation it is interested in buying auto giant DaimlerChrysler.

But the mere fact that such speculation arises is seen by many experts as indicative of how serious the DaimlerChrysler situation has become and could lead to predatory moves by major conglomerates over the coming months. "Toyota is not considering buying the DaimlerChrysler group or even buying any part of it or a stake in the group," a spokeswoman said.

The comments came after a slide in DaimlerChrysler shares following losses at its Chrysler unit prompted talk that it was seeking advice on ways to head off a possible takeover bid.

DaimlerChrysler had hired Deutsche Bank and US financial firm JP Morgan Chase & Co Inc to advise it on the matter, industry sources said.

The sources said only Toyota would have the resources to launch such a bid for DaimlerChrysler. Toyota, the world's third-biggest automaker, has long trodden a lone path, preferring not to get into alliances with others.

Graeme Maxton, automotive analyst with the Economist Intelligence Unit said it was possible that one of the stronger European car companies such as Volkswagen, Renault or Peugeot might be interested as might US rivals General Motors or Ford.

But he added: "The trouble is that the company is in so much difficulty right now. Chrysler is losing more than $1 billion every three months, and so anybody to want to take that on they'd have to be almost mad at this point."

He said a predator would be better advised to wait a few months to see what happens at DaimlerChrysler. CFC