30 March 2001: Alfa Romeo has launched an upgraded version of its 166 luxury car, which has had engine, suspension and specification changes.

The latest model is the 2.0TS Sportivo. has a 6-speed gearbox across the range and is powered by a 150bhp 2-litre Twin Spark engine.

In addition to the high-level specification of the existing 166 range, the Sportivo comes with Momo leather upholstery, an integrated GSM phone, CD-player with boot-mounted changer, a front screen rain sensor and 17" alloy wheels.

The car's performance profile includes a 0-62mph sprint of 9.8 seconds. The Sportivo is priced at £31,500.

Standard specification across the 166 range includes ABS+EBD, Climate Control and trip information computer. The car's 'natural competition' according to Alfa Ireland marketing director Jeff Culkin are the Audi A6, BMW 5-series, and Saab 9-5.

"We expect to sell 250 166s this year, 80% of them in 2-litre form," he said at yesterday's Irish presentation of the Sportivo. "We'll never be champions in the E-segment, but we'll be taking a significant presence."

The E-segment represents around 4.5% of all cars sold in Ireland and is dominated by the 'image' brands of Mercedes-Benz and BMW. BB


Lexus SportCross to be followed by IS cabrio

30 March 2001: Hot behind the exhaust gases of the 3-litre IS300 saloon and the SportCross (left) unveiled at the Detroit Motor Show this year, Lexus is working on a cabrio version of the car we know here so far only in its 2-litre form.

The IS300 versions are aimed directly at increasing the Lexus penetration against BMW in its 3-Series models, the M-B C-Class cars, and even Audi's latest A4, which shows just how well upgraded the latest Audi is perceived by the Big Image establishment.

As with the RX300 SUV and the recently-launched SC430 hard-top cabrio, these more esoteric versions in the IS range are likely to be first sold in the US, the biggest Lexus market, before coming to Europe. However, with Lexus on record as aiming for sales of 50,000 a year in Europe in very short order, they won't be too long in crossing the Atlantic. In fact, the IS300 SportCross is due over here next spring. BB

New Camry to be revealed after summer

30 March 2001: Toyota is expected to release pictures of its new Camry soon after the summer break. The car is currently undergoing testing in a number of environments and will go on sale before the end of the year.

According to people who have seen the prototypes, the car will be sleeker and more curvy than the current model, regularly the best-selling car in the US over many years.

A most under-rated car in Ireland, the current model never caught on as much as it deserved here, mainly because the VRT regime strongly penalises its entry-level 2.2-litre engine.

Dealers have told IrishCar.Com that the Camry would be a runaway best seller if Toyota offered the new D4D turbodiesel engine as an option here. BB


Traffic info system test to be extended in UK

30 March 2001: A new hi-tech traffic information system that could cut road congestion has just cleared its first practical hurdle in the UK. The in-car system not only picks up travel information from beacons along motorways but can also send back key data.

This could include information such as car speeds and whether a vehicle has foglamps on. Such data will enable providers to amend motorway variable messages accordingly.

The system is known as Road Traffic Advisor will now go on trial on the M4 from Swansea in Wales to the junction with the M25 near Heathrow airport in west London.

For now, the vehicles being used in the trial are being operated by the Transport Research Laboratory at Crowthorne in Berkshire. Ultimately, the system could be used by private motorists.

The system is designed to help users of both private vehicles and public transport manage their journeys more effectively - and that is a key part of the British Government's 10-year plan for transport.

Do we have anything like that - a plan, we mean - in Ireland? CFC


Laguna II takes historic lead in crash tests

29 March 2001: The new Renault Laguna II has become the first car to achieve a five-star result in Europe’s leading independent crash tests - Euro NCAP. To achieve the fifth star a car has to perform exceptionally well in both the front and side impact tests as well as in Euro NCAP’s new head protection or ‘pole’ test.

Max Mosley, Euro NCAP Chairman and President of the FIA said the organisation is delighted with the performance of the new Renault Laguna. “Renault has succeeded in setting a new benchmark in crashworthiness. We hope that many more manufacturers will now rise to Euro NCAP’s five-star challenge."

Crashworthiness results for five small MPVs and the new Nissan Almera were also published in the latest round of results.

The Almera scored four stars, as did the Renault Scenic, the Citroën Picasso and the Nissan Tino. The Tino (below) achieved the best-in-class performance.

The Mazda Premacy scored three stars and was awarded a further three-star pedestrian protection rating - the best in pedestrian results in the group. Overall pedestrian safety standards still remain poor.

Worst in the mini MPV test was the Mitsubishi Space Star with three stars for impact and two in its pedestrian protection rating.

In previous tests Renault scored well with the Mégane (4 stars and class-leading in 1998), the Espace (4 stars and class-leading in 1999), the Clio (4 stars in 2000), and the Scénic (4 stars in 2001).

Alain Diboine, Renault’s Head of Safety said his company’s successes are the result of a strategy firmly centred on the theme of ‘Safety for All’. “I am pleased that the pioneering safety work the Renault team is doing helps reduce the number of fatalities on our roads today, irrespective of whether people drive a small Clio or a large Espace." JR


Aircraft-style top for Berlingo Multispace

29 March 2001: The Citroen Berlingo Multispace is now available with a ‘Modutop’ roof fitting which provides the vehicle’s occupants with overhead compartments similar to aircraft lockers. The Modutop is a factory-fitted option costing £925 and the compartments provide an extra 100 litres of storage space.

Additional functions in the Modutop include air vents above the rear seats, interior lighting, an overhead CD/cassette holder and two 12-volt sockets, plus individual tinted sunroof panels for each occupant. On the outside, the Modutop has two built-in, pivoting, removable roof bars which can be positioned both lengthways and crosswise.

All models in the Berlingo Multispace range are equipped with two sliding side doors, drivers airbag, central locking, electric windows and in-dash CD player. Current prices range from £13,175 for the 1.4 litre petrol and £14,475 for the 1.9 litre diesel. TW




Record losses for Mitsubishi

29 March 2001: Mitsubishi Motors Corp (MMC) will lose EUR 2 billion this year due to a heavy cost of vehicle recalls and restructuring. But the company says it plans to break even at operating level next year.

MMC has doubled its estimates of losses for the year and blames a slide in domestic sales after the recall last year of a million cars following an admission that it had covered up reportable defects for decades.

DaimlerChrysler took a 34 percent stake in the firm last year and under a restructuring programme MMC plans a 15 percent cut in material costs by 2003, a halving in its car platforms and the loss of 9,500 jobs. BB


MG Rover may use GM/Fiat engines

28 March 2001: MG Rover is in talks with General Motors and Fiat over using engines and transmissions developed by the alliance partners. According to the Financial Times, this is the first contact by the UK-based company with first-tier global carmakers since Rover was dumped by BMW last year.

MG Rover confirmed it was a potential customer for engines supplied by other carmakers. The company developed its own K-series 4- and 6-cylinder engines when it was partnered with Honda for many years.

BMW sold Rover last year for a token sum after suffering massive losses and falling sales. The Land Rover division was sold to Ford. BB


Donegal Rally postponed

28 March 2001: Donegal Motor Club has announced the postponement of the Shell Donegal International Rally, scheduled for the 15th - 17th June 2001 next due to the continuing foot and mouth crisis.

Clerk of the Course Charlie Reid said that following a meeting of the Organisers on the 26th March, the decision was taken that the Rally cannot proceed on it's original dates. A possibility remains that it might take place later in the year.

"The postponement of the Shell Donegal Rally at this time is but a small step in view of the situation facing the country at large. Right now our thoughts are with the farming community and all those affected by the foot and mouth crisis." TW


Passat TDi is named Car of the Year by UK magazine

27 March 2001: The new Volkswagen Passat TDI PD 130 bhp has been named Car of the Year 2001 and Family Car of the Year by Diesel Car magazine. Volkswagen has now been the manufacturer of the Car of the Year for two consecutive years, and today’s award brings to three the total number of Diesel Car overall COTY titles it has won since the accolades began in 1995. No other manufacturer has ever won more than once.

Diesel Car was impressed by the Passat TDI PD 130’s mechanical refinement and ‘exuberant power delivery’. The new 130 bhp 1.9-litre TDI PD unit made its debut in the Volkswagen range in January when it was introduced in the new Passat.

The car accelerates from 0-62 mph in a shade under ten seconds and goes on to a top speed of 129 mph. Yet it returns 48.7 mpg on the combined cycle and produces 154 g/km of CO2 (157 for six speed gearbox).

Volkswagen first won the Diesel Car Car of the Year title in 1997 with the Passat TDI 110. Last year saw the Polo TDI PD claim the award, while the Golf GT TDI PD won the performance category. TW


Nine million Voyagers built

27 March 2001: The Chrysler Group is celebrating the building the 9,000,000th Chrysler Voyager people carrier.

After 18 years of production, the nine millionth example of the MPV - a silver Chrysler Voyager 2.5 CRD - has rolled off the line at DaimlerChrysler's Eurostar plant in Graz, Austria.

This achievement was reached as the Eurostar plant celebrates its 10th anniversary year. Opened in 1991, the factory first began production of the second generation Voyager and has since been responsible for manufacturing the third, and now fourth generations of Chrysler's MPV.

Steven Landry, President of Chrysler Jeep Europe, said Chrysler started an MPV revolution with the Voyager that still continues today. “Voyager was the first minivan ... and after 18 years, it's still the best,” he said. “No other MPV has sold anything like as many and our latest version will continue to keep Chrysler ahead as the producer of the world's most popular and best-selling people carrier."

Last year, Chrysler accounted for 35 per cent of the 1.3 million MPVs bought in the USA. The Dodge Caravan version alone had 21 per cent of the US market to itself, with 285,739 sales.

Voyager sales began in 1987 and in October 1991, the first Chrysler Voyager was produced in Graz. Since then, over 380,000 have been manufactured at the plant. Production of an all-new Chrysler Voyager began late last year and around 44,000 versions will be built at the Eurostar plant this year, alongside 18,000 versions of the Chrysler PT Cruiser saloon, production of which starts in July this year. TW


Rally of the Lakes cancelled

27 March 2001: The Killarney & District Motor Club, organisers of the International Rally of the Lakes, has cancelled the 2001 rally which was to have taken place over the May Bank Holiday weekend.

It’s the first such cancellation in the 22 years since the Rally of the Lakes was first run in 1979, but the club says it agrees with the ongoing ban on sports such as rallying, which are high risk for the spread of FMD.

“Our primary responsibility has to be to the national efforts to curtail the spread of the virus, and in particular to the protection of the landowners along the rally route who have facilitated rallying over the years,” a spokesperson for Motorsport Ireland said at the weekend. “Their livelihoods would be put at unacceptable risk by the influx of large numbers of spectators on to the rally stages.”

The Rally of the Lakes is in a particularly sensitive situation in that many of its stages run through areas of unfenced mountains where thousands of sheep graze. In addition there are the herds of Red Deer and Sika Deer who roam freely in the Killarney valleys and who would also be at risk of infection.

This is the second round of the Toshiba Tarmac Championship to have been lost this year. The Circuit of Ireland at Easter also has been called off. The focus now shifts to the Shell Donegal International Rally in mid June in the hope that at least the latter half of the International series may be salvaged. TW


Punto best-selling car in Europe

27 March 2001: Fiat’s Punto, the fastest selling car in the company’s hundred year history, is now also the best selling car in Europe according to the official statistics for the first two months of the year. A total of 111,118 new Puntos were sold in Western Europe during the two-month period Jan.-February 2001.

The current Punto was launched in 1999, the year the Italian company celebrated its 100th Anniversary. It succeeded the ‘original’ Punto, one of the most successful cars ever and it was in recognition of that success that the name Punto was retained, contrary to Fiat tradition. The millionth new Punto was produced earlier this year, just 19 months after the launch, and it is that achievement which makes this the fastest-selling Fiat model ever.

The top selling cars across Europe for the months Jan/Feb 2001 are as follows: Fiat New Punto, 111,118 units; VW Golf, 110,162 units; Peugeot 206, 101,016 units; Ford Focus, 91,012 units; GM Astra, 83802 units.

Fiat Auto Ireland CEO Nicola Greco said that this result mirrored the Irish experience where Punto has been the top-selling car in the country for the past three years. "The Punto range is broad enough to appeal to all age groups, to both urban and rural owners, to men and women," he said. "It is exactly this ability, to meet so many differing needs and at such good prices that has taken the car to the very top." JG


Peugeot Moonster for Frankfurt show

26 March 2001: A full-scale model of the winning design of the first Peugeot Design Competition on the Internet - the Moonster - will be produced by Peugeot and will be unveiled to the general public at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September.

The winner is a 23-year-old student at the Applied Art University in Belgrade, Marko Lukovic. The competition was launched at the Paris Motor Show and Lukovic was presented with a cheque for EUR 5,000 at the recent Geneva Motor Show by Frédéric Saint-Geours, Managing Director of Automobiles Peugeot, who chaired the voting panel for the winning design.

Lukovic’s proposal was that the Peugeot of 2020 should be an original vehicle, inspired by aeronautics, which incorporates a two-seater passenger compartment in the centre.

The competition attracted 2000 designs, all submitted via the World Wide Web. Ten designs were selected for the final vote. Entries came from 80 countries, with 80% coming from outside France, including smaller countries such as Moldova and Uganda.

Of the entries, 40% depicted a sports car, 25% a city car, and 5% a pick-up.

More information on the competition can be found at www.peugeot.com JR

M-B producing 5.4sec wagon

26 March 2001: A new high-performance estate from Mercedes-Benz will be cabable of a 0-62mph sprint in just 5.4 seconds, a figure rivalled usually only by Porsches.

The upcoming C32 AMG Estate is to be powered by a brand-new supercharged V6 engine outputting more than 354bhp, and is one of a trio of high-performance M-B models set to be let loose on Europe’s roads. The other two are a new SLK 32 AMG roadster and a C32 AMG saloon.

All three will have AMG’s ‘Speedshift’ automatic transmission. The coupe and the saloon will have 5.2sec performance for the 0-62mph. The cars were feature vehicles at the recent Geneva Motor Show.

AMG is the designation inspired by M-B motorsport performance cars. TW

Renault gives go-ahead to Koelos

26 March 2001: A production version of the Renault Koelos off-road concept car shown at the Geneva Motor Show 2000 has been given the go-ahead by the company’s top management.

The move follows the positive response to the Vel Satis big car revealed at this year’s show.

The Koelos will have a wide range of high-tech features, including voice-actuated climate control. The vehicle’s suspension system will be highly variable, changing settings according to the kind of ground being covered.

Renault’s bold new styling cues, shown first in the Vel Satis, are also going to be seen in the new version of the Clio. TW

VW on the commercial acquisition trail

26 March 2001: Volkswagen is keen to acquire more commercial vehicle brands as it goes after even bigger profits this year.

Chief executive Ferdinand Piech says the company is always looking to boost its commercial vehicles business through acquisitions or cooperation with other manufacturers. "It goes without saying that Volkswagen has plans for commercial vehicles, just as we have plans for our other core business areas," he said at the company’s annual conference.

Volkswagen already has a stake in Swedish truck maker Scania and has been expected to make a bid for Volvo's 30.7 percent stake to tighten its grip. CFC

Freelander wins 4x4 award

26 March 2001: The Land Rover Freelander Td4 has won the Best 4X4 of the year awarded by the UK-based Diesel Car magazine.

The Freelander Td4 was launched in September last, with a 2-litre, four-cylinder common rail engine which develops 112 PS and a maximum torque at only 1750rpm.

Transmission on the Freelander Td4 is via a five-speed manual gearbox with a five-speed, automatic gearbox with Steptronic. The Automatic option allows the driver to select normal Automatic, Sport mode or Steptronic. TW

Women safer when buying used cars - AA

26 March 2001: Not only are women generally safer drivers than men – it is widely accepted that they have fewer accidents – women are also ahead in the safety stakes when it comes to buying used cars, according to a survey conducted by AA Car Data Check in the UK.

Almost half the women who responded to the survey put safety as the top priority when buying a used car, while just 16% of men put safety first.

But with AA Car Data Check identifying up to one in three used cars having a hidden history – ranging from stolen vehicles and the infamous and potentially lethal ‘cut and shuts’ to outstanding finance that could result in subsequent repossession – the message is ‘buyer beware’.

Trudy Thompson of the Women’s Motoring Service says the figures are ‘very frightening’. “Any weekend, something like 15,000 people will buy a car with a hidden past, including around 6,000 women,” she says. "Our advice is to buy with your head, not your heart. Whether you’re buying from a dealer or privately, there’s a real risk that the car you’re looking at is not what it claims to be. So always get a Car Data Check before you make a decision – and that applies equally to men and women."

In the UK, women constitute over 40% of the driving population, and may outnumber men drivers within 10 years. They’re responsible for at least 40% of new car sales, and over 30% of used car sales, and it is estimated that women have input into 80% of all car purchases. TW

Schumacher Seicento introduced in UK

26 March 2001: Michael Schumacher’s first car was a Fiat Cinquecento, so it is appropriate that the Formula One World Champion should have a special version of its spiritual successor, the Seicento, named after him.

So a new limited edition version of Fiat Auto’s Seicento city car has just gone on sale throughout the company’s UK dealer network.

The Seicento Michael Schumacher has been launched as a celebration of the triumphant success of both Michael Schumacher and the Ferrari Grand Prix team last season. It is based on the current Seicento Sporting and takes styling cues from the Sporting Abarth kit.

Standard features include ABS anti-lock brakes, side skirts with Michael Schumacher logo, 14" alloy wheels with low profile tyres featuring new Fiat wheel centres, aluminium sports pedals, gear lever frame and handbrake lever, limited edition plate, Michael Schumacher logo and signature on the rear hatch, rear tailgate spoiler, Michael Schumacher branded kick plates, and a leather steering wheel and gear lever, with red stitching.

The Michael Schumacher Limited Edition is available in just two vivid colours – Tiziano Red or Broom Yellow. It costs Stg£7,894. BB

Honda gets saucy with new Civic ad

26 March 2001: A TV ad on UK channels showing a nurse undressing in the back of her boyfriend’s new 5 door Civic gets pulses racing at least as fast as does the car involved. It’s a scene from one of the new series of Honda Civic TV ads.

It’s a novel way of showing that the new Civic is roomy enough to double as a changing room.

A second ad starts with a sequence showing a man driving the Civic into a multi-storey car park. He passes empty parking spaces and, to the beat of Frankie goes to Hollywood’s Two Tribes, ascends to the deserted top level. He gets out smiling.

This is also the first execution of "The Power of Dreams", Honda’s new corporate theme. "The Power of Dreams" reflects Honda’s stated philosophy of uniting people in pursuit of new dreams, together with the importance of accepting the challenge to turn these dreams into reality for Honda customers and society. BB

Toyota adds 'build your own' feature to website

23 March 2001: Toyota Ireland has added a new feature to its award-winning website - allowing visitors to ‘build their own’ Toyota. This is the only feature of its kind on an Irish motor website and is sure to attract even more visitors to www.toyota.ie

Toyota.ie currently receives over 27,000 visits a month to its website and 400,000 page impressions a month making it the leading website in Ireland by a motor manufacturer.

Toyota has selected its top four selling models, Yaris, Avensis, Corolla and RAV4, for pertsonal customisation.

The customisation is a 5-part process ultimately ending up in the sale of a new Toyota through the dealer network. The customer begins by selecting the engine size for their model followed by number of doors. They can then view their model in various different colours and choose their car interior. All options are accompanied with their retail price.

They can then add optional extras and accessories to their car. Selecting from a large choice of add-ons will automatically update the retail price of the car at the bottom of the customer's screen.

Having built their ideal Toyota model, customers can then proceed to the finance stage. For example if a customer's final retail price for a RAV4 was £23,500 they can automatically calculate their repayments for this amount over 3 to 5 years.

All vehicle information selected in steps 1 to 3 will automatically default into step 4 which is an insurance form which can be automatically sent off to Toyota's insurance partner who will source a highly competitive insurance premium. Finally as the customer is finished with the steps 1 to 4, they can view a summary page of all information selected.

They can then locate their nearest Toyota dealer(s) and forward the information directly to them. Their dealer will then contact the customer, when they can agree a selling price and sign relevant ownership documents, arrange a test drive if necessary, or sign finance documents if selected.

In 2000 Toyota.ie won both the Best Irish E-business website and Best
Marketing Excellence Award at both the Spider Awards and National Internet Awards. BB


New Clio will take Vel Satis face

23 March 2001: Renault’s new Clio, due for launch after the middle of the year, will have a front-end styling similar to that of the Vel Satis large Renault (left) launched at the Geneva Motor Show.

It will be competing with the upcoming Ford Fiesta, due in September, and a new Peugeot small car, the 107, to replace the 106 (and for stablemate Citroen, a new Saxo) due early next year. A new VW Polo coming in 2003 will also hot up the segment competition. New engines will include direct-injection petrol and diesel units, and CVT transmission.

The new Clio will likely have curtain airbags and satellite navigation may be an option in markets which have the facility.

Engines will include a new 75bhp 1.2-litre, a 98bhp 1.4-litre, and a 110bhp 1.6-litre. Diesel powerplants will be new 1.5-litre units with either 65bhp or 85bhp. The 2.0-litre ‘hot hatch’ version with 172bhp is also staying in the lineup. BB

European car market to weaken, but recover

23 March 2001: The J D Power automotive industry consultancy predicts the European car market will weaken by 2 percent for 2001, but will rally next year, and will show modest growth from 2003.

This view is against other analysts’ forecasts for European car sales to remain ‘steady’ in 2001, close to last year's 14.7 million units, which was just under 1999's record 15.1 million.

Power also suggests that overcapacity as a threat to the health of the European motor industry is diminishing ... in 2000 capacity usage was 84.3 percent, and this is expected to improve to 88.7 percent by 2006.

The Ford capacity use of around 70 percent, among the lowest in European manufacturers, is expected to improve through 2006 with the implementation of a new model programme.

The Peugeot Citroen PSA Group is the best operator in capacity terms, close to full and likely to continue as new models roll off the production lines.

Fiat's capacity use is currently at around 75 percent, is dropping, and would not expected to start to turn up again until 2005 or 2006, when the new Punto is introduced. BB


Daewoo to cut jobs overseas

23 March 2001: Daewoo is to cut 6,500 jobs at its overseas plants during the first half of this year from its total of 46,000 overseas plant workers.

Daewoo operates 12 production plants in 11 countries around the world, including Poland and India which have a production capacity of 875,000 vehicles annually. In Korea, Daewoo Motor operates four production plants with a combined capacity of one million units.

The current number of workers in Korea stands at 15,000. Last month Daewoo laid off 1,750 workers at its main production plant, triggering fierce protests.

The South Korean government has tried for more than a year to sell the carmaker to a foreign buyer, possibly General Motors. It has been spending $116.1 million a month to keep the company operating. BB


Ireland's Ford boss to retire after 42 years

22 March 2001: Eddie Nolan has announced his retirement as Chairman and Managing Director of Henry Ford & Son Limited after 42 years with the company.

He joined Ford in 1958 as an office clerk, progressing to the company’s management apprenticeship programme. He quickly made his mark within the tractor sector, which he joined in 1962, spending a period with Ford Europe in Brussels, before returning to Cork to head up the division. He moved to automotive in 1987 and took the helm at Ford of Ireland a year later.

Eddie Nolan re-established Ford as Ireland’s leading vehicle distributor and returned the company to profitability when he took over the helm at a time of very depressed motor sales and economy in Ireland. The year 2000 was the seventh in succession that Ford was the best-selling car and commercial marque in the country, with an unprecedented sale of almost 40,000 vehicles.

He has always seen customer care as a key competitive advantage, and has been instrumental in keeping Ford dealers in Ireland among the best-performing in the pan-European Ford Customer Satisfaction Programme. Under his leadership, the transformation in the dealer structure, from family businesses to major companies, gained momentum.

He was at the forefront of various environmental initiatives, with Ford among the first to embrace the Government scrappage scheme. An ever-present at Irish Rugby Internationals, he has supported the IRFU and the international Rugby Board in a number of activities. He has championed the cause of alzheimers for many years through his work with St Lukes Retirement Home.

Announcing his retirement, Eddie Nolan said he was proud to be leaving Ford at a time of great prosperity for the company and industry in Ireland. “When I assumed the role of Chairman and Managing Director almost 14 years ago, the market was a depressed one. Back then, you could not have envisaged the boom in registrations of the past five years.

“Throughout my 42 years of service, I am happy to say that Ford’s belief in Ireland has not wavered. The company now employs more people here through its various business interests than were ever employed at the Cork plant. It is appropriate to pass on the baton at this time, as the new millennium brings altogether new challenges for the industry. West Cork beckons!” FC/BB

World's biggest car ferry is officially named

22 March 2001: The world's largest car ferry was oficially named yesterday by Irish paralympic swimmer Mairead Berry, pictured here with the ship's captain, Peter Ferguson.

The Ullysses is 12 decks deep and cost Irish Ferries £80 million to build and will begin service on the Dublin-Holyhead run soon. It was blessed yesterday by Fr Eoin Moore and Canon Adrian Empey. Mairead Berry smashed a bottle of champagne on her bow and officially named the craft.

Among the guests was the Taoiseach, Bertie Ahern, who said it was a unique occasion in the annals of Irish Maritime history. The event was also attended by Dublin's Lord Mayor, Alderman Maurice Ahern, minister for sports and tourism Jim McDaid and minister for the marine Frank Fahy.

Housed within the Ullyses' gigantic car decks are almost three miles of vehicle lane parking space - room to carry 1,342 cars or 240 articulated trucks per sailing. That’s twice the car parking capacity of the St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.

In just one day of operations, Ulysses has space to carry up to 5,368 cars or 960 freight units - a convoy almost as long as Dublin’s M50 motorway. It has a complement of 2,000 passengers/crew and will operate two return sailings daily with a voyage time from Dujblin to Holyhead of just over three hours.

Ulysses is the fourth new vessel introduced by Irish Ferries on their Ireland-Britain routes in recent years, bringing their investment in new ships and services to over EUR450 million. BB/TW

Alfa Romeo to sponsor Trinity Regatta

	Jeff Culkin, financial director, Alfa Romeo Ireland; Mark Pollock, Trinity Regatta Committee; and Liam Holton, marketing director, Alfa Romeo Ireland.

22 March 2001: Alfa Romeo Ireland is to be the principal sponsor of the annual Trinity Regatta, which will be held on Saturday 21st April 2001 in War Memorial Park, Islandbridge. Details of this year's Regatta, were announced at the official launch reception in Lillies Bordello which was attended by Senator David Norris, himself a lecturer at Trinity, as guest of honour.

One of the classic sporting and social events of the year, The Regatta traces its origins back to 1866 with this year marking the 98th time it has been held on the River Liffey at Islandbridge.

In addition to the action on the water with teams from the UK, Canada, USA, Italy and France all competing, the riverbank will have a carnival atmosphere. Music, tea rooms, the regatta enclosure, the regatta luncheon, champagne & strawberries and boater hats all by the river bank will all ensure a day to remember. For the first time in Ireland there will also be Chinese Dragon Boat racing, with Inter-varsity and celebrity challenges.

The 'best dressed' man or woman in the event’s enclosure will win an Alfa 147 - 2001 European Car of the Year, for a year.

Nicola Greco, CEO of Alfa Romeo Ireland, said that he was delighted at the association between his company and the Trinity Regatta. He said that he hoped to see the Regatta restored as a major annual sporting and social event for all the people of Ireland and especially for the people of Dublin.

“Alfa Romeo has been very successful in Ireland and most especially in Dublin over the past few years and we see our support for the Trinity Regatta as yet another way of showing our gratitude for this success,” he said. BB


New Skoda large car for sale next year

21 March 2001: Skoda will officially launch its new large car at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this year. The Montreux concept (above) on which it is closely based was a surprise element on the company’s stand at the recent Geneva show, and according to Skoda Ireland general manager Colin Sheridan it is close in size to the VW Passat and Audi A6.

The new car is expected to help Skoda achieve a sales target of 600,000 cars annually in the medium term. The model fills out the existing range of the Fabia small car and the Octavia mid-sizer.

Skoda Auto’s profit rose 26.5 percent last year, though it forecasts slower sales growth this year because of shrinking markets in western Europe and contracting ones in the east. But the marque, owned by VW, expects its market share to keep rising.

The Czech manufacturer exports most of its output, with Germany being its main market. It expects some three to five percent growth in unit sales this year, after 13 percent growth to 435,403 cars last year.

The company’s chairman Vratislav Kulhanek has warned that the situation in Europe's automotive industry is ‘not too rosy’, and Skoda will be meeting ‘ever tougher’ competition.

A new engine and transmissions plant to be opened later this year will build 500,000 units annually for the Volkswagen group. BB

Mazda taking 'giant step' in brand relaunch

21 March 2001: Mazda Motor Corporation is about to take ‘one giant step’ toward relaunching its brand, according to its President, Mark Fields.

The company will raise spending on product development by 30 percent for the five-year period through 2004 compared to the previous five years to replace all of its models and add two new vehicles.

The flagship in the programme is the RX-8 rotary-engined sports car (above), construction of which is planned to begin in late 2002.

A new mid-sized saloon and a wagon will also be introduced in 2002 on a new platform to be launched next year.

Fields forecast that Mazda will eventually boost its market share to 3 percent in Europe compared with 1.3 percent last year, and 3 percent in North America compared with 1.5 percent in 2000.

Mazda will shift more production to Ford plants outside Japan in an attempt to deal with the problems of shifting currency values to its production costs. Ford owns 33 percent of Mazda. BB

Toyota to build diesels on Deeside

21 March 2001: Toyota is to build diesel engines at its UK Deeside plant from 2003 and will more than double present engine manufacturing levels at the plant to 400,000. The North Wales plant currently makes petrol engines and it will now become the major engine production centre for its European operations.

The diesel engines to be produced in Deeside are currently made in Japan. The company said the investment was part Toyota UK's "Survival Plan" aimed at offsetting the effects of the strong pound against the euro.

Toyota aims to raise its share of the European market to five percent by 2005. It currently has 10 percent of the U.S. market and 41 percent of the Japanese. BB


New Civic, Lexus, do well in crash tests

20 March 2001: The new Honda Civic and the Lexus LS 430 (right) earned the highest marks in crash tests done by the US-based Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The tests are similar to those done in Europe under the ENCAP programme.

The IIHS said the 2001 Civic earned good ratings on all measures of crash performance, with an acceptable rating for bumper performance. Ford’s 2001 Focus earned good or acceptable scores in all crash measures and a marginal rating for bumper performance.

The Mercedes E Class and C Class were given poor ratings for bumper performance, while the Lexus earned a marginal rating in this area.

The institute studies safety and lobbies automakers on safety issues. BB

Toyota pulls in top consumer magazine awards

16 March 2001: Toyota’s Prius hybrid has won the Green Car 2001 in the annual automobile edition of US consumer magazine Consumer Report. The car achieved the Best Buy award for its very low emissions and 50+mpg economy performance. The magazine praised the car also for its comfort, ride and secure handling.

Toyota also took the Small SUV crown in the ratings with its second-generation RAV4, described as being ‘flexible inside, handles nimbly, and has a seamless all-wheel-drive system’.

From the same company, the Lexus RX300 was awarded Best Mid-sized SUV status for being ‘refined, quiet, comfortable, and powered by a smooth, responsive V6 engine’.

Toyota also won the full-sized Pickup Truck section for its Tundra, not available in Ireland.

Consumer Reports buys all the cars it tests from dealers, just as consumers do. Its test track and public roads are used for performance, convenience, and comfort, tests with safety in mind. It does not accept advertisements. TW


Fiesta-based saloon is Ford's China card

16 March 2001: You won’t see this Ford in Europe, although it was designed here for sale in developing markets. The Ikon is built on an extended Fiesta platform and has been introduced in South Africa and India.

First launched last year, the small saloon has also been introduced to Mexico, and will be a key part of Ford’s expansion into China.

The Ikon sells in South Africa for the equivalent of £9,483, is powered by a 1.6-litre SOHC engine in most markets (a 1.3-litre is also now available in South Africa), and comes with airconditioning as standard.

A 3-year/100,000km warranty is also provided. TW

SEAT moving into Mexico

16 March 2001: SEAT is to begin selling in Mexico early next month - beginning with the Ibiza, Cordoba, Toledo and Leon (right) models. The move into the potentially very large market involves an investment of around $60 million during its first year.

The company aims to sell some 7,000 cars in Mexico this year, or about 5 percent of the market.

The cars will be imported from Spain and Belgium, where the company has assembly plants. The company has no plans to open assembly facilities in Mexico. CFC

European carmakers working on auto-speed control

16 March 2001: An agreement between European carmakers to curb speed through hi-tech engine management systems is on the cards.

The significant development would mean manufacturers fitting new vehicles with system that would respond to either roadside transmitters or satellite navigation technology and automatically obey speed limits.

The Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA) - the governing body of international motorsport - is working to get major European car makers to agree to fit the devices.

Its chairman, Max Mosley, says such a major initiative has to be undertaken on a Europe-wide basis as individual governments do not have enough power.

Mr Mosley says: "You need agreement from the car industry and we are already very close to achieving that. I think we could see cars fitted with these devices on sale within the next five years."

The application of such technology should mean a significant reduction in the risk of accidents with other vehicles or pedestrians especially in more built up areas. The move is seen a step towards the introducion of variable speed limits in urban areas.

Realistically it will be five years before we see the application of such technology. But there is little doubt it is coming. CFC

Fiat offer a Punto for £1 deposit, and helps ISPCC

15 March 2001: Fiat Auto Ireland has announced a special finance offer for new car buyers - a new Punto for just £1 deposit! The offer is available on the four best-selling versions of the range - Punto1.2 and Punto1.2ELXs, 3dr and 5dr.

The new 'Punto for a Pound' finance programme allows buyers to repay over 36 or 48 months, with or without a final payment. For a Punto 1.2 3dr, recommended Open Book on-the-road price of £8,920, after the £1 deposit the buyer will pay £172 monthly for 48 months with a final payment of £2,676, that's 9.15% APR. The buyer who opts for no final payment will pay the £1 deposit and 48 monthly payments of £227, an APR of 10.9%. Some terms and conditions apply.

Buyers with a trade-in or those who wish to make a larger deposit to reduce the size of the monthly payments will also be able to participate in this programme.

There is also a special cash-back facility. Once a customer has made the first three monthly payments the finance company will send them a cheque: to the value of six months payments for those using the '48 months with final payment' programme or to the value of £900 to all customers using any other programmes. That will allow people buying in March to use the cash-back for a holiday in June or July!

Nicola Greco, Fiat Auto Ireland CEO, confirmed that each £1 deposit received during this promotion would be donated to the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children matched by a further £1 from the Fiat Dealers Association. The CEO of ISPCC, Paul Gilligan welcomed this initiative.

One million new Puntos have been produced by Fiat Auto in the nineteen months since the car was launched and that makes it the fastest-selling car in the company's history. Last year over 11,000 new Puntos were bought in Ireland, making it the best-selling car in the country - the third time a Fiat Punto has taken the No.1 title here. JG/BB

Smooth new diesel for Ford Focus

15 March 2001: Ford is broadening the appeal of the Ford Focus range with the addition of a new premium diesel engine incorporating the latest common-rail injection technology.

The new 115 PS, 1.8-litre engine – the Ford Duratorq TDCi – will available in the Focus range from Summer 2001 at a premium price over the standard td. It joins the mainstream 90 PS Endura DI engines in the Focus range. The new engine has a peak torque of 250 Nm at 1,850 rpm and a transient overtorque feature for improved performance response.

There’s no harshness and clatter traditionally associated with diesel engines of the past. The microelectronically-controlled system’s ability to precisely shape the engine’s combustion process under all operating conditions is the key to eliminating harshness, while also providing a cleaner, smoke-free operation.

The precise application of pilot injection – a short burst of fuel prior to the main injection during each combustion cycle – is the engineering solution to one of the diesel engine’s long-held stigma of clatter on startup and idle. A variety of sensors monitor engine operation constantly and adjust the pilot and main injections as necessary for optimal smoothness. The system achieves this by varying the timing and size of the pilot and main fuel injections according to conditions.

There’s also a new electronic noise-reduction technology – called accelerometer pilot control – that "listens" to the engine’s operation for any combustion harshness and modifies the combustion process for optimal operation.

The new Focus TCDi will give a combined fuel consumption figure of 5.5 litres/100km. It does the 0-60mph in 10.7 seconds, making it 1.7 seconds faster than the outgoing TDdi. John Reilly previews the car here. TW.

New Primera will buck class trend with 1.6

14 March 2001: The new Nissan Primera, due to go on sale in Ireland in January of next year, WILL be available with a 1.6-litre engine, according to Nissan Ireland's Paul O'Sullivan. The car, at the moment available only in Japan, is a total change of body style from the current version, which has only had a series of cosmetic changes over the years since its original launch 11 years ago.

The new car is also available in Japan with a 2.5-litre engine, though there's no indication as to whether this will be an option in Ireland, given the penalties of VRT associated with anything over 2000cc. The plan to bring it in with a 1.6-litre is against the recent trend of its principal competitors, where 1.8-litres is the base size of the new Ford Mondeo and the Renault Laguna II. VW's Passat, however, still has a 1.6.

Nissan are also continuing with their CVT automatic transmission option in the new car, a system first introduced to the current version, with Nissan being one of the first to develop the CVT for large engines.

Meanwhile, O'Sullivan is bullish about improving Nissan's Irish sales league position during March. The brand was 4th overall for the first two months of 2001, behind VW, Ford and Toyota (leader) in a spread which had only 156 units between first and fourth.

In the first 10 days of March figures, Nissan has held that position. TW.

Special deals on Citroens for March

14 March 2001: A special scrappage deal on selected Citroen Saxo models, operating until the end of March, will mean a special allowance of £1,500 on their old cars to customers. The deal is available on the 3-door Saxo Furio, priced at £8,650 (including all charges), and customers will also get 12 months free Road Tax.

The Furio’s specification includes driver’s airbag, electric front windows, CD player, central locking and 14” wheels. The deal is also available on the Saxo SX, bringing the end price to £9,350 and adding to the specification front fog lights, body-colour bumpers, and remote central locking.

More than 2,500 units of the Saxo have been sold to Irish customers since the restyled model was introduced last year. TW.

Australian group comes up with hybrid

14 March 2001: Australian technologists have come up with a hybrid prototype car designed to draw together a large number of Australian component manufacturers so their products and abilities can be displayed on the world stage.

Under the skin, the aXcessaustralia Low Emission Vehicle has ‘technology that is for the present and for a global future’, according to Electric Motor News. The car has been produced by an Australian research organisation, CSIRO.

In electric cars, the batteries can be half the total weight of a conventional small car, which is around 500 kilograms. CSIRO has developed a power pack made up of batteries and supercapacitors that together power the car but weigh only 110 kilograms. The batteries are also affordable and long-lasting.

The use of a supercapacitor for this purpose is believed to be a first. Unlike Toyota’s Prius, the aXessaustralia doesn’t depend completely on its 2-litre petrol engine for recharging, as it can be plugged into a recharging point when not in use. TW.

Ulster car race postponed

14 March 2001: The opening car race meeting of the 2001 Ulster season scheduled for Kirkistown circuit on Saturday 31 March has been postponed due to the current foot & mouth crisis.

The 500 Motor Racing Club of Ireland will seek a new date later in the season. Other activities such as track days have been suspended until further notice. TW.

Diesel engine coming for new Civic

13 March 2001: A diesel version of the new Honda Civic will be available on the Irish market at the turn of the year, and the upcoming new version of Honda's small car, the Logo, is also going to be sold here next year.

"From all reports, the new Logo is a teriffic car, and we're looking forward to being in a segment where we've not had a presence in Ireland before," says Universal Honda's Frank Kennedy, adding that he is also confident that the 3-door version (above) of the new Civic will be available here for the last quarter of 2001.

The new Stream MPV which had its European debut at the recent Geneva Motor Show is also in production for Ireland, but prices have not yet been finalised.

Meanwhile, Kennedy says the sales of the 5-door Civic, which has only recently become available here, are 'very encouraging', while the 4-door version is 'rolling out the door ... we're fighting for product'.

Honda sales for the first 10 days of March were up 22% on the same period last year. BB.

Vel Satis will have petrol/diesel choice

13 March 2001: The Vel Satis executive car launched by Renault at the recent Geneva Motor Show will be offered in Europe with a 3.5-litre V6 petrol and a 3-litre turbodiesel. The petrol engine is the first power unit to come from the Renault-Nissan marriage.

Renault are making a bold statement with their replacement for the Safrane, abandoning the low sleek tone of most luxury cars in favour of the trend towards taller and roomier vehicles started by MPVs and continued in smaller car segments.

The Vel Satis is higher than the average mid-sized luxury car, and has higher-mounted seats. The striking radiator grille incorporating the Renault diamond-shaped logo is uncompromisingly large.

Inside, the car shows light shades, using wood and leather, soft lines and satin finish.

There’s a wide-screen video screen with DVD reader for rear passengers. Automatic headlamp illumination, rain sensor, parking proximity sensor, a tyre pressure monitoring system, and a comprehensive multi-airbags system are all standard.

No price or arrival date for Ireland yet. BB.


Ten-day March figures continue downwards trend

13 March 2001: The new car sales downward trend noted in the figures for the first two months of the year is continuing, according to registration figures for the first 10 selling days of March.

Total new cars registered in the period were 7,617, compared to 12,477 in the same period last year, a drop of 29%. The overall drop for January/February this year was 21% on the same period in year 2000.

However, 10-day figures are not usually representative of a whole month, and while one industry source told IrishCar.Com yesterday that they are 'not encouraging', they should be taken against the background of a 243,000 units 'extraordinary' year 2000.

In addition, the effects of the foot-and-mouth scare are also believed to be playing a part, with direct effects on the confidence of the farming community and a definite question mark hanging over the tourism industry. Though no figures are available, there is anecdotal evidence of 'quieter traffic' through dealer showrooms.

"It all depends on how long the scare lasts in this country, and we might suffer a short, sharp knock," one distributor said. "Contrast that with what is likely to happen in the UK, where the economic effects might go on for years."

Marques which were 'in the black' in terms of the March 10-day figures were Mercedes-Benz (+14% with 245 units), Skoda (+2% with 232), , Honda (+22% with 219), Audi (+14.5% with 126) and Chrysler-Jeep (+117% with 13).

The sales league ladder positions for the period were VW (935), Toyota (925), Ford (848), Nissan (658), Opel (647), Renault (483), Peugeot (465), Mercedes-Benz (245), Skoda (232) and Fiat (203).

Meanwhile, year-end outturn is still being revised downwards, with 175,000 being the latest 'low' quoted to IrishCar.Com. BB.

Toyota develops sporty Yaris

12 March 2001: Toyota is launching a special high performance version of the Yaris in the UK next month – the T Sport. It features a 1.5-litre VVT-i engine, new looks, lowered suspension and sports-style interior.

The car accelerates from 0-62mph in 9.0 seconds and has a top speed, where permitted, of 118mph. Toyota say it is faster from 40-60mph (8.4 seconds) than any other comparable car in its class.

The suspension of Yaris T Sport is lowered by 20mm, creating a squatter-looking car on 15-inch alloy wheels with low profile tyres.

Full width, deep front and rear bumpers with integrated fog and reversing lamp, a mesh sports grille and side body skirts complete the overall image. The headlamp surround is black and T Sport badging front and rear helps to identify the new brand.

The Yaris T Sport is 20mm longer than the standard Yaris and is available in three-door bodystyle only.

The 1.5-litre VVT-i engine develops 105bhp and will achieve 40.9mpg on the combined cycle.

Inside, analogue sports-style meters replace the digital instrumentation in the standard Yaris. The gearshift is two-tone metallic and black leather with a leather gaiter.

The T Sport brand will become the symbol for Toyota sports models of its normal cars. There’s no news as yet if or when the T Yaris will come to Ireland. TW.

Mazda puts fuel cell Premacy on the road

12 March 2001: A fuel cell-powered Mazda Premacy is being used for Japan's first test run of fuel cell vehicle on public roads. The Premacy FC-EV began test runs on public roads in Japan on February 15.

The car is powered by a methanol reformer fuel cell system and electric motor. The components, including fuel cell stacks and reformer unit, have been miniaturized to be mounted under the floor, leaving space for five adults without major structural modifications of the base model.

The testing programme is designed to investigate the driving performance, fuel economy and emissions of the fuel cell vehicles.

Mazda began its study of fuel cell technology in 1991 and fabricated its first fuel cell vehicle composed of a cart-type chassis and PEFC (Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell) supplied by Ballard Power Systems, in early 1992.

In November 1997 the company built a prototype vehicle, Demio FC-EV and in October 1999 developed the second generation Demio FC-EV. In April 1998, through its close relationship with Ford, Mazda began participating in the fuel cell alliance established by Ford Motor Company, DaimlerChrysler and Ballard Power Systems. The Premacy FC-EV has been developed in cooperation with Ford's TH!NK group. TW.

Cars 'will get much lighter' - PSA chief

12 March 2001: Cars are going to get much lighter as the drive to cut emissions and reduce fuel consumption picks up pace, a leading carmaker's purchasing chief believes.

The proportion of aluminium used in making cars will continue to rise inexorably while the amount of steel will fall sharply, according to Herve Guyot, purchasing director of PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Steel is still the 'leader' and, by weight, accounts for over 60 percent of materials used in car construction. Plastics account for 10 percent but aluminium is the main non-ferrous metal at six percent. M Guyot was speaking at a meeting of the Organisation of European Aluminium Refiners and Remelters' (OEA).

It is interesting to hear him say that, in some cases, aluminium is the main component of certain vehicle parts, such as the bonnet. It is also used in engine blocks.

Its obvious attraction is its lightness and recycling potential. But it is handicapped with price volatility, according to M Guyot.

Despite that, the search for greater engine efficiency and improved environmental performance to meet EU targets means current development trends will continue.

Car manufacturers are all looking to downsize engine size, while maintaining power. Therefore our cars are going to have a lot more, aluminium and magnesium (another light metal) and a variety of synthetics. CFC.

307 for Ireland in summer

9 March 2001: The new Peugeot 307 will be launched in Ireland in July, replacing the best-ever selling Peugeot, the 306. The car was officially launched at the Geneva Motor Show last week and is described by the makers as one of the biggest in its class.

The 307 is also among the first in its class to feature six airbags as standard, as also are ABS, electronic brake force distribution (EBFD) and an emergency brake assist system.

Among the useful storage areas are pull-out trays under the front seats which allow occupants to stow valuable items out of site. The car will come with 3- and 5-door configurations and will be available with a wide choice of trim and finish combinations.

“Following on the huge success of the new 206 Coupe Cabriolet and the flagship 607, the 307 should ensure that the PSA Group will achieve its target of a 7.4% increase on European sales this year,” James Mulligan, MD of Peugeot in Ireland said at the Geneva launch.

Full pricing and specification details for Ireland will be announced later. BB.

Ireland's petrol is 'some of cheapest'

9 March 2001: Ireland has some of the cheapest petrol in Europe at the moment, despite a hike of nearly 2p a litre this week.

Using the Euro prices to compare, the average pump price of unleaded here is EUR 0.84 a litre, compared to EUR 1.19 in the UK even after a cut in fuel excise duty in the Budget. UK motorists are in fact currently paying the highest price for fuel in the world.

The cheapest petrol currently is in Russia, at EUR 0.32, with the US being second cheapest at UER 0.39.

Prices in Euros per litre around Europe and the world are UK EUR 1.19, Norway EUR 1.15, Netherlands EUR 1.14, Denmark EUR 1.09, Italy EUR 1.06, France EUR 1.06, Germany EUR 1.06, Japan EUR 1.04, Belgium EUR 1.04, Singapore EUR 0.95, Switzerland EUR 0.88, Ireland EUR 0.84, Spain EUR 0.81, South Africa EUR 0.49, United States EUR 0.39, Russia EUR 0.32. BB.

Citroen C5 Irish website

9 March 2001: Citroen in Ireland have set up a promotional website for its new C5 car, due to be launched in Ireland in mid-April. It can be viewed at www.citroenc5.ie and is designed to provide information to potential customers in advance of the car being available.

“The level of public awareness of the C5 is already quite high and we believe it is necessary to provide some rather than no information at all,” says Gallic Distributors’ sales and marketing director Paul Cregan. “Our main competitors are already launched on the Irish market and the establishment of a C5 website enables us to compete prior to launch.”

In addition to details of the C5 (previewed last month by irishcar.com) the website includes a brochure request facility. It will be updated with full specification details and prices for the Irish market when the car is officially launched here. BB.

New motor writers chairman

9 March 2001: The new chairman of the Irish Motoring Writers Association is Kevin Fenix from Malahide, Co Dublin. He succeeds Brian Byrne from Kilcullen, who has served in the position for the last two years.

The new vice-chairman is Tony Conlon from Trim, Co Meath. Michael Moroney from Leixlip continues as treasurer, while the new secretary of the organisation is Andrew Murphy, Blackrock, Co Dublin.

Kevin first joined the IMWA in 1975. The organisation operates the Irish Car of the Year competition, which has been sponsored by Semperit for the past five years. The current holder of the title is the Opel Corsa. BB.

VW Group recall programme extended

9 March 2001: More than 300,000 VW Passats and about 260,000 Audi A4, A6 and A8 cars around the world are being recalled because of worries about their steering.

It’s the latest level of a recall programme started in 1999 and involves the testing and replacement of steering rods in 270,000 Passat units. This latest recall involves cars manufactured between August 1998 and April 1999.

The concern is about tie rod seal problems which might lead to moisture and dust particles getting into the swivel bearing mechanism, accelerating wear.

Passat owners in the US were notified in December about the free-of-charge check and rectification. The latest notification is for other owners in the US and other territories affected by the extension to the recall. BB.

Two new engines for Space Star

8 March 2001: Mitsubishi has produced a 1.6-litre version of its Space Star, so far available in Ireland only in its 1.3-litre form. The new version was shown on the Mitsubishi stand at Geneva.

A Direct-Injection Diesel incorporating the latest common-rail technology is also now available, making the Space Star the only vehicle in its class to offer both petrol and diesel direct-injection engines. The transmissions include a 4-speed automatic transmission with Sports Mode, which offers hands-on shifting.

The Space Star is designed and built at NedCar in the Netherlands. Availability of the new engines for Ireland has not yet been announced. TW.

US customers get Discovery 'money-back' scheme

8 March 2001: Land-Rover is offering a 30-day no-risk vehicle buying plan money-back guarantee on Discovery Series II models in the US. This incentive is the latest in a number available to L-R buyers in North America - others include opportunities for exotic offroading trips to Africa and Australia.

New 2001 Land Rover Discovery Series II models - from the entry-level SD model to the fully- equipped, seven-passenger SE7 model - are eligible for the 30-day or 1,500-mile test drive, whichever comes first, and are covered by Land Rover's standard four-year/50,000-mile limited warranty in the US.

Land Rover's worldwide operations are now wholly owned by Ford and there are reports that Ford plans to double Land Rover output from Solihull in the UK to 300,000 units a year by 2005 much of the sales to the American market. TW.

Hands-free computer access for your car

8 March 2001: An integrated automobile docking station for a Palm hand computer and cellular phone is now available over the internet for a cost of $500.

The MPCpro was shown at this week’s Society of Automotive Engineers 2001 World Congress in Detroit. It provide hands-free access to the Palm V or Vx computer, with the driver using the cell phone to access information from the Palm by voice.

The unit reads information by text-to-speech through a low-power FM transmitter that plays back through a channel on the vehicle's audio system.

The unit features one large activation button and the driver can then ask the MPCpro unit to retrieve telephone numbers from the Palm's address book and dial them automatically by voice command. Other Palm functions are also operated by voice.

The display on the Palm unit is off and inactive while in the unit so that the operator cannot attempt to read any information. The MPCpro can be in a dashboard mount, windshield mount or cupholder and will also maintain the rechargeable battery in the cell phone.

The device is being sold over the Internet. TW.

Daewoo plan aims for summer break-even

8 March 2001: Daewoo Motor is planning to cut costs by almost $789m this year as part of a radical restructuring designed to keep the bankrupt company in business even if General Motors and Fiat abandon their long-running takeover talks with the company. 

The plan is expected to lead to losses of more than a third of Daewoo Motor's 18,000-strong workforce. Some 3,554 jobs are understood to have been shed already.

If the plan is accepted by creditor banks, the company could break even by the end of July, if there is a debt write-off by the creditors.

Meanwhile, the company reopened its main plant yesterday, It had been shut down on February 16. Since then, thousands of laid-off workers and supporters have staged violent protests in Seoul and Bupyong. Its two other plants in southern provincial areas, with an annual capacity of 500,00 vehicles, operated normally.

Daewoo has been surviving under court receivership, a process under which all debts were frozen and new management was installed since it filed for bankruptcy in November with estimated debts of at least $10 billion.

Daewoo's finances worsened in the past year due to a sharp drop in sales from 945,000 vehicles in 1999 to 830,000 in 2000. Sales in January were just 38,700 vehicles, down sharply from 80,600 during the same month a year ago. CFC.

Diesel power for Peugeot 406 Coupe

7 March 2001: Peugeot have now provided its 406 Coupé with a high pressure Common Rail HDi engine. The 2.2-litre power unit was developed for the Peugeot 607 and is added to the current 2-litre and 3-litre current petrol units.

Peugeot’s sales/marketing director in Ireland David McConnell said Peugeot’s addition to the 406 Coupé family of engines will prove particularly interesting in the Irish market place, where diesel engines have traditionally always performed well.

The new 406 Coupé HDi is now available in Ireland from £31,145 and £34,145 for the Pack version. Standard specification includes alloy wheels, alarm, aircon, metallic paint, front fog lamps, ABS, particle air filter and driver/passenger airbags.

The car was selected as the ‘most beautiful car of the year’ in 1997. TW.

New versions of MGF in spring

7 March 2001: A £100m investment was made last year by MG Rover to ensure that a new range of MG models would be launched this autumn.

As the brand icon for MG, the mid-engined MGF roadster leads the MG 2001 model programme with two new versions which expand its market coverage at both ends of its range.

The Trophy 160 has a tuned version of the advanced K Series 1.8-litre VVC engine with a wide-bore sports exhaust sytems develops 160 PS - over 10% more power than the 145PS of the standard 1.8 VVC model. It comes with a new 16-inch multi-spoke alloy wheel design as standard with the option of ultraweight forges and spun 16-inch alloy wheels.

At the front, the MGF Trophy features a new bib spoiler and a rear deck spoiler has been added which combined with the lower stance, enhance performance and stability. The Trophy 160 SE can reach close to 140mph and can do the 0-60mph trip in under 7.0 seconds.

UK market versions of the MGF Trophy 160 SE go on sale in early spring 2001 at a price of £20,995. (The standard MGF 1.8i is £19,495). It will be made available in selected exports markets later in the year.

And you can take your pick of four paint colours - Trophy Yellow and Trophy Blue, Solar Red and Anthracite metallic black.

To widen the appeal of the MGF, a new 1.6i derivative has been added to the range along with the Trophy 160, providing a new way for budget-conscious new car buyers to own an open-top MG sports car. It’s to be priced at £15,500. To achieve this move into a new price sector, the new model has a simplified specification, colour range and options list.

Both the Trophy 160 and the MGF 1.6i will be launched in early spring in the UK. TW.

Ford to build next Fiestas in Spain

7 March 2001: Ford says it will manufacture the next generation of Fiestas in Valencia, Spain - the same Ford factory where Mazda will begin production in 2003.

Ford will use the plant to build Fiestas on what they are calling an 'overflow' basis for orders that can't be filled at its factory in Cologne, Germany. It expects the first Fiestas to roll off the Valencia assembly line earlynext year. Ford currently makes the Fiesta in Cologne and at its factory in Dagenham, East London. It is phasing out production at Dagenham as part of its European economy drive to cut European plant capacity.

Mazda will build at least 40,000 of the next-generation Demio a year at Valencia. It plans to build in Europe to guard against wild swings in currency valuations. Currently it makes nearly all its cars for Europe in Japan and that has hurt earnings as the euro plunged in value against the yen. Mazda is 33.4 percent owned by Ford. About 60 percent of its sales comes from exports.

According to its president Mark Fields the decision announced by Ford represents a 'win-win' situation for the Japanese marque.

He says it gives them a cost-efficient European production base and makes them less vulnerable to currency fluctuations. He said there are possibilities for other similar cooperative ventures with Ford.

Ford has designed its vehicle plant in Valencia with flexibility to shift quickly among different models. The facility, which employs 5,600, turned out 344,000 vehicles last year. It currently produces the Ford Focus and Ka models. FCC.

Paralympic champion to name Irish Ferries ship

	"Ulysses", The New £80 million Irish Ferries Holyhead to Dublin route Car Ferry, pictured arriving to Dublin Port on Sunday after her 4 day voyage from the shipyard in Finland. The car ferry is the largest in the world with room to carry 1,342 cars or 240 articulated trucks per sailing. Pic: Mac Innes.

6 March 2001: Ireland’s Paralympic Games gold medal winner, swimmer Mairéad Berry, will officially name the world’s largest car ferry before it enters service on the Dublin-Holyhead route at the end of March.

Housed within the Ullyses' gigantic car decks are almost three miles of vehicle lane parking space - room to carry 1,342 cars or 240 articulated trucks per sailing. That’s twice the car parking capacity of the St Stephen’s Green Shopping Centre.

In just one day of operations, Ulysses has space to carry up to 5,368 cars or 960 freight units - a convoy almost as long as Dublin’s M50 motorway. It has a complement of 2,000 passengers/crew and will operate two return sailings daily with a voyage time from Dujblin to Holyhead of just over three hours.

The Ulysses stands 12 decks high and features a wide ‘promenade’ walkway encircling the full interior of the vessel. Passengers will also be able to enjoy a complex of bistro-style restaurants, waiter service and themed food outlets, two cinemas, a 500-seat traditional Irish pub, and a 350-seat top deck Observation Lounge with views of the sea in all directions.

Other amenities include a shopping mall, Victorian-style children’s playroom, reading room and television lounges, video games zones, an electronic gaming area, crew gym, fully-equipped medical centre and a helicopter landing pad. One ‘breathtaking’ feature is a glass-fronted passenger lift which operates on the outside of the vessel high above the water. By the way, the ship has a height of 167.5 ft - just 30 ft shorter than Dublin’s Liberty Hall!

Ulysses is the fourth new vessel introduced by Irish Ferries on their Ireland-Britain routes in recent years, bringing their investment in new ships and services to over EUR450 million.

Irish Ferries’ Managing Director Eamonn Rothwell said: “We are delighted that Mairéad Berry has agreed to be godmother to Ulysses. Ireland’s world-beating swimmer naming Ireland’s world-beating car ferry ... it’s a magical combination”. TW.

Ford's Focus in fashion

6 March 2001: Ten rising fashion designers recently revealed more than 40 clothing and accessory creations made from Ford Focus parts to mark the launch of fashion week in New York.

A runway showcasing six Focus cars served as a platform for models wearing products as diverse as a wedding dress made from airbags to a basket woven leather skirt made from seatbelts. The ten designers, including Charles Chang-Lima, Geova, Tracey Feith, Alexandra Lind and Pixie Yates, selected a wide variety of Ford Focus materials including gear knobs, ignition wires, airbags, seat fabric and headlights to be incorporated into high-end fashion and accessories including handbags and jewellery.

Charles Chang-Lima used airbags from the Ford Focus and transformed them into a sexy top and pants. Touted by the fashion industry as "the next big thing", Chang-Lima's inventive designs are worn by celebrities Liv Tyler and Meg Ryan, among others.

Geova, a native of Brazil, cut and sewed the carpet stuffing and frayed seatbelts of the Ford Focus into a patchwork and appliqué to create avant-garde men and women's apparel using these textures and fabrics. In a bold move, he attached the car's rear view mirrors and reflectors to sexy, heeled shoes.

Eddie Nolan, Chairman and Managing Director of Henry Ford and Son Ireland, said the company wanted to see what fashion designers would take from the car and its materials. “The designers have produced some interesting creations, but somehow I don't see them hitting the high street stores," he quipped. FC.

Mondeo takes another European award

6 March 2001: The Ford Mondeo has won Europe’s Auto 1 title of best car, adding to a strong list of awards already gained by Ford’s latest car. Auto 1 and its sister publications, spanning 13 countries, invited 37 million readers and an international jury of racing drivers, technicians and chief editors to partake in the vote.

The Mondeo won through against 20 competitors, including the Mercedes C-Class, Audi A4, Alfa Romeo 147 and BMW X5. The award was presented at a ceremony to coincide with the Geneva Motor Show.

The accolade brings the total number of awards to date for the all-new Mondeo to 17, just four months after its launch. In addition to the ‘Car of the Year’ award from What Car? and Top Gear in the UK, the Mondeo was also presented with the Golden Steering Wheel award in Germany.
“The tremendous reaction in Ireland to the new Mondeo is mirrored in these major European accolades,” says Eddie Nolan, Chairman and Managing Director, Henry Ford & Son Limited. “Despite the dampened market conditions, sales of the car here in the initial weeks of sale have exceeded our expectations.”

The Ford Mondeo is available from £17,576. In addition to ABS and air conditioning, all models feature the Ford Intelligent Protection System (IPS), with adaptive dual stage front airbags, chest protecting side airbags and inflatable side curtains as standard. CH.

6 March 2001: It may not have been the company's cleverest investment, but DaimlerChrysler intends maintaining its compact Smart cars as key members of the 'family'.

The Smart car projects have cost the group millions of euros in profits but the unit's chief Andreas Renschler says they remain an investment in the future.

DaimlerChrysler, which has begun a restructuring programme aimed at stemming losses and reviving confidence in its global strategy, sold 102,000 Smart cars last year. That was a 28 percent rise from the previous year.

It aims for a 10 percent rise this year, but the venture will only break even in 2004 because of the high investment costs.

In the long run, Smart should sell 200,000-250,000 of its nippy, mostly two-seater cars each year. That would include around 80,000-100,000 four-seater Z-cars it is jointly developing a platform with Mitsubishi for these.

The compact car segment has the greatest potential for growth on a global level, the company believes. Demand is expected to increase rise about 40 percent over the next 10 years.

But not all observers are convinced Smart will meet its break-even target, basically because the company had to scale back its original forecasts for sales when it was first launched. Many think it should be dropped.

Smart cars are currently sold in Europe and Asia. They are especially popular in cities such as Paris, London and Rome. CFC.

Call for distribution of low sulphur petrol

6 March 2001: Petrol that has ultra-low sulphur levels (ULSP) immediately reduces toxic emissions when used in cars, according to new research. Four new cars were tested with normal unleaded petrol and then ULSP.

The results have just been released by the umbrella European motoring group the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA).

Following the tests, the RAC called on oil companies to speed up the distribution of ULSP, particularly to independent filling stations.

The four cars used for the test were an Opel (Vauxhall) Corsa, a Mercedes C180, a Ford Puma and Volkswagen Lupo FSI.

"These results demonstrate the dramatic and instant environmental effect of filling your fuel tank with ULSP,'' FIA president Max Mosley says. CFC.

Renault, Nissan, dealers consolidation

6 March 2001: Renault says plans to consolidate its dealer network in Europe alongside Japanese partner Nissan are on track. They predict that up to 90 percent of each firm's dealers will have committed to their joint hub strategy by the end of the year.

Renault commercial director Francois Hinfray says at the end of last year some 60 of the new hubs, or regional dealer centres, had been created at Renault and 40 at Nissan. Of these, 20 were common hubs.

By the end of 2001, Renault and Nissan each plan to put 200 hubs in place. Of these, 130 will be common.

The hub strategy, unveiled initially by Renault in May 2000, is a vital part of Renault and Nissan's plans to cooperate and lock in cost savings in Europe.

Under the plan, the back-office operations of about 3,000 European Renault and Nissan dealerships will be consolidated within a smaller `hubs' grouping.

These hubs will oversee sales and distribution in a particular region. But there will be the same number of showrooms and the two firms will continue to display their cars separately.

The hub plan is expected to generate `synergies' of roughly 340 million euros by 2005.

More savings are expected from a combination of other sales and marketing functions, including back-office activities. CFC.

Honda Civic 3-door, Coupe, and Stream MPV at Geneva

5 March 2001: The premiere of the 3-door Honda Civic in standard and hot Type R form was one of the highlights of the Honda stand at the Geneva Motor Show, at least in terms of what ordinary motorists can expect to be driving. The 3-door variants won't be available in Ireland until later in the year, but in their very stylish shapes they should make a significant impact in their class.

The show also was the opportunity for the carmaker to show its Stream (below), an MPV which replaces the Shuttle. A 7-seater, the Stream is due in Europe in April. Unlike the US-built Shuttle, the Stream is being built in Japan. It is lower in height than most of its competition, more car-like in look and feel.

The 3-door Civics will use the same 1.4- and 1.6-litre all-alloy petrol engines as are already familiar in the 4- and 5-door models, and a diesel engine is promised towards the end of the year. For the hot Type R, a 2-litre 200PS engine gives the oomph for a 0-62mph performance of 6.8secs. The Stream comes with a 1.7-litre engine and a brand new 2-litre power unit, the former which could make it a good proposition for Ireland.

Honda also showed mildly upstyled Accords, with the SE version getting a larger engine of 2.3-litres. The car has a closer-ratio gearbox to give it smarter acceleration.

We also liked the supermini Logo, which has been around in Europe since this time two years ago but never made it across to Ireland. Perhaps the fact that it only has a 1.3-litre engine option was the reason. TW/BB.

5 March 2001: Renault has launched a 'personalisation' programme for its very fast Sport V6 Clio, which has been ordered by over 1,500 customers across Europe since its launch at the end of last year.

At the Geneva Motor Show they're presenting an example of the kind of individual choices which can be made by a prospective customer at the time of ordering, which include special colour, interior finishes and materials, and a number of external options which each carry a special Renault Sport logo.

The personalisation programme will be done through Renault dealers and will become available throughout Europe in the second half of the year. TW.

5 March 2001: A hybrid-powered concept car revealed at the Geneva Motor Show by Mazda is that company’s view of a versatile, economical and environmentally-friendly sport tourer of the future.

The MX Sport Tourer is powered by a hybrid system consisting of a lightweight, high-performance 2.0-litre S-VT engine, plus an electric motor. For out-of-town driving, the petrol engine drives the MX Sport Tourer through a new type of four-wheel drive system. In town, zero emissions are achieved by switching to the electric motor which drives the rear wheels.

The electric motor permits a maximum speed of between 40 and 50 kph, recharging on the move through the petrol engine and a regenerative braking system. There are, effectively, three types of driving modes: petrol engine mode for normal on road conditions; zero-emission electric motor rear-wheel drive mode for urban areas; and four-wheel-drive mode for additional traction on ice and snow

The wedge-shaped MX Sport Tourer adopts the freestyle door system from Mazda’s RX-8 design engineering model, removing the need for centre pillars. Other features include a sports car cockpit area, a cargo area and a structure that allows the roof to be retracted for open-air driving or to facilitate the transport of large loads. In fact, the rear of the vehicle is transformed into a pick-up truck. The rear seats store away to create a fully flat floor and a maximum cargo capacity of 1,250 litres. The rear hatch glass can be raised and lowered for easy access to the cargo area.

Power tranmission is by Mazda’s original toroidal CVT, and a paddle shift mechanism on the steering wheel column allows the driver to switch to manual shift operation.

There’s a keyless entry system that reacts to an ID card and an electrically powered pop-up display incorporates a 10.4 inch screen. It can be removed and used as a cordless device (implemented with the Bluetooth standards) for Internet access or e-mailing. TW/BB.

3 March 2001: The availability of the Santa Fe SUV (above) and the XG saloon in the US market pushed sales of Hyundai cars up by 34% there in February compared to the same month last year. And overall exports by the Korean automaker jumped 22.4% following an export drive to offset stagnant local sales.

In February, Hyundai sold 24,800 vehicles in the United States, while total sales reached 124,532 units. Hyundai expects to export 1.05 million vehicles this year, up from 821,079 units in 2000.

Meanwhile, bankrupt Daewoo Motor turned in a poor performance in February, with vehicle sales dropping 52.4% year-on-year to 36,538 units amid protests and violence after the announcement of layoffs of 1,750 workers.

Creditor negotiations to sell the carmaker to General Motors have made little progress. A slowdown in GM's sales, which led to the suspension of some of its plants, has also helped lower the US motor giant's interest in the Korean firm. BB.

2001 will be 'very competitive' for car sales

2 March 2001: This year will be a ‘very competitive’ one for Irish car distributors, according to MD of Toyota Ireland Dave Shannon. Commenting on the results for the first two months of the year, he said he expects the overall market to contract from the record levels set in 2000.

His comments echo those of a number of other distributors in recent weeks which have estimated the out-turn for the current year towards the 180,000 mark (see irishcar.com stories below).

Shannon welcomed the performance of Toyota in the most recent figures. The brand has emerged as the No.1 selling passenger car in Ireland for the first two months of 2001, with a market share of 10.8% and 6,138 units sold. Ford took second spot, Volkswagen third, with Nissan fourth.

“Toyota's reputation for manufacturing the best built cars in the world has been added to with the introduction of some of the most exciting cars around,” he said. “This will help us stay ahead in the sales figures. We welcome competition from other manufacturers as it ensures we continue to give the best value for car buyers - ask any one of over 6,000 happy customers who have bought a Toyota in 2001." BB.

New Hyundai SUV launched at Geneva

2 March 2001: The Hyundai Terracan SUV was launched this week at the Geneva Motor Show, giving the brand a vehicle in the sector with a traditional body-on-frame construction and the go-anywhere capability of a true SUV

The vehicle, which partners the ‘soft-roader’ Santa Fe in the segment comes with a TCI diesel in 2.5- or 2.9-liter displacements or a 3.5-liter DOHC V-6 gasoline engine.

Stylistically, the Terracan’s front is dominated by a large, body-color radiator grille and a hood-mounted air intake scoop is the signature of the diesel powered edition. A two-colour scheme comes from body color and contrasting side cladding work.

Inside, seats are of metal frame construction and multi-density polyurethane foam. In basic models these are upholstered in full-cloth but a leather seating option is available. Rear seats come with a 60:40 split folding feature to accommodate over-size cargo and can also be double folded. And with the rear seats in upright position, Terracan still offers carrying space sufficient to carry up to four golf bags.

There’s a built-in glass radio antenna, dual power outlets at the front and rear, an electric tilting and sliding sunroof, air conditioning, wood grain dashboard trim and an audio system with eight-disc CD changer.

Safety considerations include full-size dual supplemental restraint systems, 4-sensor 3-channel ABS, clear lens projection-type fog lamps and lectrically-heated side view mirrors.

A five-speed manual gearbox is standard and there’s a four-speed automatic option. Terracan comes with part-time 4WD with Electric Shift Transfer (EST) or the optional electronic full-time 4WD.

There’s yet no indication of when the Terracan will come to Ireland. TW/BB.

2 March 2001: The ‘young Celtic Tigers’ are going for ‘ragtops’ in Ireland and therefore there should be a decent market for the new Opel Astra Cabriolet in Ireland, according to Opel Ireland’s Aidan Doyle.

Speaking at the Geneva Motor Show this week, he noted that there was a long tradition of cabriolets in Opel’s manufacturing history and he was glad to see that it was being ‘kept alive and well’ with the launch of the new car.

“Contrary to popular belief, the big markets for cabriolets in Europe are not the Mediterranean countries, but Germany and the UK,” he said. “Fifty per cent of cabriolets produced throughout Europe and sold in Germany and 19% are sold in the UK, which has a similar climate to us. So in the current economic climate, we would hope there IS a market for the new Astra Cabriolet in Ireland.”

He noted that the Astra soft-top is built to cope with inclement weather conditions, with an insulated roof which is electrically operated and goes up and down very easily and quickly.

Prices for the new Astra have not yet been agreed, but it will be on sale in July. TW.

2 March 2001: The Irish distributors of Citroen cars say they’re going to ‘wait and see’ how the estate car market reacts to the Renault Laguna Tourer before making a decision on bringing in the new C5 Break estate (above) to Ireland.

“The estate market in Ireland has got very small, because hatchbacks have taken over,” Gallic Distributors’ MD James Wyse said during the launch of the C5 Break at the Geneva Motor Show.

He noted that in other European countries such as the UK, Finalnd and Italy, nearly half the market for the M2 segment is estates because of their outdoor lifestyles.

The C5 saloon will be launched in Ireland in April (see previous story here). TW.

2 March 2001: Provisional new car sales figures for February 2001 indicate a decrease of 22.8% compared to the same month last year. The decline was from 30,429 in Feb. 2000 to 23,493 this year.

Year-to-date, a total of 57,114 new cars were sold in Ireland, a decrease of 21% compared with the 72,307 sold in the first two months of last year.

The ‘Top 10’ for Jan-Feb were Toyota (6,149), Ford (6,023), VW (6,020), Nissan (5,991), Opel (5,287), Fiat (3,880), Renault (3,608), Peugeot (2,851), Seat (1,702), Hyundai (1,621).

In the Elite Brands sector of the market the figures for the period were Mercedes-Benz (1,598), BMW (1,356), Audi (670), Alfa Romeo (668), Volvo (529), Saab (301).

Fiat Auto Ireland CEO Nicola Greco said the drop is ‘probably the inevitable return to a more normal level of sales following the huge zero-zero registration boom which broke all records’.

“At first glance, some may see this as a sharp fall, but really 2000 was the abnormal year for our industry’,” he said today. “Many observers will recall that, not too long ago, the total of new cars we sold in these past two months - 57,144 units - was about as many cars as were sold in an entire year!” JG/BB.

DaimlerChrysler sets out restructuring programme

1 March 2001: DaimlerChrysler is starting what is expected to be a painful three-year attempt to rescue its global ambitions. The world's third biggest automaker will shed 35,500 jobs, close plants and make far greater use of common production platforms in an attempt to return Chrysler and the newly acquired Mitsubishi to profit.

The Chrysler revamp will cost four billion euros but should see the US unit return to profit in 2002 after a loss of between 2.2 and 2.6 billion euros this year.

The Chrysler loss and restructuring costs will push the group into the red in 2001, chief financial officer Manfred Gentz says.

But they expect the cutbacks to pay off next year the operating profit should be between 5.5 and 6.5 billion euros. The restructuring includes 26,000 job losses and sharing as many as 16 production platforms with Mitsubishi

The radical plan's success will depend heavily on market conditions, particularly in the United States. The danger is they could be undermined by the current economic slowdown there.

The turnaround plan for Mitsubishi, designed to bring the Japanese automaker into the black next year, will cost up to $1.30 billion.

The company will shed 9,500 jobs, shut one of four domestic auto assembly plants within three years and reduce material costs by 15pc within that timeframe. Its rescue plan is seen a positive long-term step for the company as it struggles to repair its image after a complaints cover-up scandal last year.

The Japanese automaker recalled one million cars last year after admitting it had covered up defects that should have been reported to the Transport Ministry. CFC.

Fiat Stilo will have 'exclusive' high-tech features

1 March 2001: High tech features of the new Fiat Stilo will ‘belong exclusively’ to Fiat in the class for at least 12 months after it launches, according to Nicola Greco (below), chief executive of Fiat Auto Ireland. He was speaking to irishcar.com at the Geneva Motor Show where the car was shown publicly for the first time on Monday.

The Stilo will be launched in Ireland at the end of this year, and Greco said he thinks it can overtake the very strong performance which the smaller Punto has maintained in Ireland in recent years.

“It’s one of those cars that grows on you very quickly, after a while you are struck by its solidity and size and the new things in the style,” he said. “I’m personally very fond of the car, in both 3- and 5-door versions.”

The ‘unique features’ include the Targa Connect communications system, which will allow the Stilo to use the global positioning navigation system (GPS) not just for navigation, but for ‘beaming down’ a ‘layer’ of services, including directories of local services.

“Ireland will finally be digitally mapped by the end of the year, which will allow all this to happen,” he said.

An ‘intelligent’ cruise control system will also be available on the Stilo, operated by radar, which will check the vehicle’s speed against the one in front of it and automatically adjust things to maintain a safe distance. The Stilo’s features include automatic switching on of headlights when conditions get darker.

There’s also an ‘electronic key’ system which allows the doors to be opened and the engine started without a key. This involves having a coded sending unit in your pocket, which also locks the car automatically when you leave it. Xenon headlights are also to be an option.

The Stilo is a totally new car, built on a brand new Fiat platform, with a new suspension system, and Greco also said he hadn’t seen anything as innovative at the Geneva Show as the new Fiat. “However, competition in the sector is going to be very tough, because everybody is improving the quality of their cars,” he concluded.

Also at the Geneva Show, Fiat announced that they had made a $14 million profit last year, after suffering two years of losses. TW.

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