31 May 2001: Up to 5,000 new Peugeot 307s could be sold in the Irish market next year, according to Dave McConnell of the Gowan Group, importers of the marque here.
Speaking at the international press launch of the car in Morrocco this week, he also expected that between 1,500-2,000 units could be sold in the remainder of this year after the car arrives in mid-July, but this will depend on available supply. Full Story.
MG Rover 'will survive' - Towers
31 May 2001: MG Rover chairman John Towers says his company will survive because it is operating on the sound business principles of a private medium-sized company. In an interview with Automotive News Europe, he noted that critics of the purchase of Rover from BMW a year ago had said they would 'die in three months, then six months, then nine months'. But a year later the company is still alive and has more cash in the bank than on the day of the takeover. Full Story.
VW may sell shares in Audi
31 May 2001: The Volkswagen Group is considering selling shares in its Audi subsidiary as part of a strategy to protect the overall group from a hostile takeover bid. The move follows reports that the EU is examining special 'Volkswagen Laws' which hamper takeover bids by limiting any shareholder to a maximum 20% stake. Full Story.
VW extends Beetle range in Ireland
28 May 2001: A 1.6-litre automatic VW Beetle will be available in Ireland from August, along with a 1.8-litre turbocharged version also with auto. This extends the range of Beetles from three to five - currently the car is available in 1.6 102 bhp at £17,135, a 2.0 115 bhp at £19,000, and a 2.0 at A/T £20,415. Prices for the new cars are yet to be released. Full Story.
Impressive Monaco double for Schumacher and Barrichello
28 May 2001: Michael Schumacher and Rubens Barrichello scored a dream one-two win in Monaco for their Scuderia-Ferrari Marlboro team, Schumacher backing off in the closing stages for a Ferrari formation finish, Barrichello only half a second behind as the two cars crossed the finish line 30 seconds ahead of their closest rivals. Full Story.
Racing crash kills former Fiat Auto Ireland CEO
28 May 2001: Irish motoring journalists and people in the Irish motor industry were horrified this weekend to hear that a former CEO of Fiat Auto Ireland, Christian Peruzzi, had been killed on Friday during practice at Nurburgring for the 24-hour race.
Driving his diesel-powered Alfa Romeo 147, the experienced part-time racing driver barrel-rolled his car at an estimated 120mph. Doctors who went to the scene were unable to help the 38-year-old Peruzzi, who died on his birthday. Full Story.
BMW preparing two new 'numbers'
28 May 2001: BMW is not just expecting the Mini (left) to carry its flag in the small car market, but is also well into planning a 1-series which will fit between the British-built iconic vehicle and the current 'entry' BMW 3-series.
The 1 Series was first announced at the Geneva Motor Show and will use a new rear-drive platform with engines ranging from 1.2-litre/75-horsepower to 2.0-litre/220-horse turbo. Full Story.
Delay for VW luxury car production
28 May 2001: Volkswagen will have to delay the launch of its D1 luxury saloon until at least mid-2002 because training of workers is taking longer than expected. The company will also postpone the launch of the successor for the Audi A8 luxury car until 2003 so that it doesn't spoil the D1 launch. Full Story.
Volvo gives go-ahead for PCC production
28 May 2001: Volvo has given the go-ahead to build a production version of the Performance Concept Car (PCC) which has been featured on the 2001 auto shows circuit. The car will be powered by a 2.3-litre/300-horsepower inline five-cylinder engine and will have all-wheel drive. Full Story.
Opel Speedster attracts great interest
25 May 2001: Opel Speedster demonstrators put into a few selected Opel showrooms around the country have almost had to be 'defended' from customers, so great has been the interest, according to Opel Ireland MD Iede Aukema. Full Story.
Prius makes further inroads in US
25 May 2001: The city of Denver in Colorado, USA, has taken delivery of 39 Toyota Prius hybrid cars, bringing to 14% the the share of the city's light vehicle fleet that runs on alternate fuels.
The cars will be used by the Denver Fire Department, Parks and Recreation and other city agencies. Full Story.
BMW prepared to cut margins on new Mini
25 May 2001: BMW is probably going to sell its new Mini at prices which give it a smaller profit margin percentage than it traditionally gets from its mainstream 'image' cars. With UK prices set at around IR£12,000 (no Irish prices have been given yet), the company is aiming for the younger buyer in the hope that they will later continue to buy the other high-profit models. Full Story.
Firestone hurt further by Ford spat
25 May 2001: The fallout from the ongoing scrapping between Ford and Firestone over the latter's tyres has hurt the Japanese tyre company even further, with GM and Nissan moving to drop Firestone tryes from some cars they manufacture. Full Story.
GM/Fiat offer for Daewoo may be cut
25 May 2001: GM and Fiat, who are in line to buy the bankrupt Daewoo car company, may drop their as yet unoffered price still further if the Korean company's creditors insist the sale must include its largest and oldest production plant at Pupyong. Full Story.
First tolled National Route to be Dublin-Galway
24 May 2001: Motorists travelling between Dublin and Galway are facing tolls totalling £3.30 each way when the new motorway system to the West is complete.
This emerged at an NRA presentation to Kildare County Council this week. Members of the local authority were concerned that local commuters to Dublin would be affected by the planned new 35km stretch of motorway from Kilcock to Kinnegad, which itself will have a toll charge of £1.65. It is also planned to have a tolled section between Ballinasloe and Galway. Full Story.
M-B celebrates two decades of airbags
22 May 2001: Mercedes-Benz is celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first installation of an airbag, a safety system on which the company started pioneering work in 1966.
It took 15 years of work, at a cost of £9 million, before the airbag finally went into production. Other car companies declined to join Mercedes-Benz to jointly develop the safety device because of the complexity of the work. Japan initially banned the import of Mercedes cars fitted with airbags because they were classed as explosives. Full Story.
Ford to relaunch Ka as full brand
22 May 2001: Ford is to relaunch its babycar Ka (above) as a complete brand within the company's group, as part of a strategy to meet the challenge of BMW's new Mini and the slow-growing but persistent DaimlerChrysler Smart.
At least four variants of the new Ka will be produced, the first of which will be the StreetKa, to be assembled in Turin by Pininfarina. Full Story.
Honda announces new world small car, new engines
22 May 2001: Honda has announced the development of a new global small car and three new automobile engines – one petrol and two diesel engines – as part of a strategy that Honda President and CEO Hiroyuki Yoshino said will strengthen Honda’s European operations.
Honda’s plans also include further improvements in its European manufacturing facilities. Full Story.
Ford recalls more Firestone tyres amid breakup
22 May 2001: Ford Motor Co is to replace between 10 million and 13 million Firestone tires, including Wilderness tires made at Firestone plants in Wilson, North Carolina, and Joliette in Quebec, Canada. This is in addition to last August's recall of 6.5 million 15-inch ATX tires and same-size Wilderness AT tires.
Meanwhile, Firestone announced yesterday it was cutting ties with Ford, breaking acrimoniously a 100-year link between the two companies. Ford Chairman Jac Nasser will meet with US congressional leaders on Tuesday to brief them on Ford's analysis of Firestone tires.
Car manufacturers to set up F1 rival contest
22 May 2001: Fiat, BMW, DaimlerChrysler, Ford and Renault are to set up and operate an international car racing competition to rival Formula One.
This follows fears that the German broadcasting and multimedia giant Kirch Group AG will restrict television coverage of F1 races to subscription television. Full Story.
Ford shows airbags for pedestrians
21 May 2001: The Ford Motor Company has revealed future technology for protecting pedestrians and occupants in other vehicles during a collision. Full Story.
Lexus goes back to top in US owners survey
21 May 2001: Lexus has reclaimed the top spot in the US J D Power users survey on quality.
In the survey of 54,000 new vehicle owners or lessees, Lexus scored 85 consumer-reported complaints per 100 vehicles during the first 90 days of ownership, beating the 1999 winner, Jaguar, which finished second with 108.
Toyota and its Lexus luxury brand took top honors in seven of 16 different vehicle segments, according to the survey. Full Story.
Hondas are going diesel
21 May 2001: Honda will develop its first diesel engines for use from 2003 in its replacement for the current Accord model (above). It is currently in negotiation with fellow Japanese carmaker Isuzu, which is owned 49 percent by GM. Full Story.
VW working on Golf MPV
19 May 2001: Volkswagen is working on a new compact MPV aimed at taking on segment leaders Opel's Zafira and Renault's Scenic. Though only a 'mule' cobbled together from present Golf bodypanels has so far been seen in public, it could well be that the concept 'Microbus' (above) shown at this year's US and European auto shows might be the styling basis. Full Story.
Next Fiesta range will have 150bhp hot hatch
19 May 2001: When Ford launches its next generation Fiesta it intends to provide a real hot hatch contender in an ST150 version, which won't be on the road until early 2003, though. To be powered by a 2-litre 150bhp engine, it is expected to have a 0-62mph sprint figure in the Porsche realm of 7secs. Chief competitors will be the current Peugeot 206 GTi and Renault's Clio 172. Full Story.
Mitsubishi has woes, but forcasts recovery
19 May 2001: Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp has reported its worst-ever loss in the business year to March. The extent of the losses show how large a task it faces in turning its business around.
But the company defiantly forecast it would break even in current earnings terms for the first time in five years within the next year. Full Story.
Ford tests bi-fuel Focus in Ireland
18 May 2001: A bi-fuel Ford Focus which can run on both petrol and LPG has been brought to Ireland for testing with selected fleet operators. Unlike conventional aftermarket conversions, the bi-fuel Focus is a factory-fitted Ford engineered and warranted vehicle.
Its 1.8I 16V Zetec engine has been upgraded to ensure long-term durability when using gaseous fuel. The upgrade includes hardened valve and valve seats which compensates for the absence of the lubricating qualities of petrol. Full Story.
Irish Subaru Drivers Club is successful
18 May 2001: A new Irish Subaru Drivers' Club has already gained over 80 members since it was formed in February. The club's aim is to help owners fully enjoy Subarus 'in a safe and friendly manner' according to PRO David McLaughlin.
"It is not a 'max power' type club, but a serious performance car club which gives members the opportunity to use the full potential of their cars at track days in a relativity safe and controlled environment," he says.
The club runs track days, rolling road days, treasure hunts, and social meets among its wide variety of member events. Members also enjoy discounts with dealers and suppliers for servicing, parts, tyres etc.
"It is there to help people pool their knowledge so that they can have a better understanding of their cars, compare and discuss the general running of the cars and ways to improve it," says McLaughlin. "Our next track day on 31st May, and further details can be had from our website at www.555club.com."
GM aids rain forest conservation
18 May 2001: The world's largest carmaker is to donate $10 million to restore and protect an endangered Atlantic Coast rain forest in Brazil. According to environmental group The Nature Conservancy the GM donation is the largest ever contribution to preserving forests by a major industrial corporation.
The funds will be used to buy 30,000 acres (12,000 hectares) of coastal rain forest in southern Brazil which was cleared decades ago for farming and raising Asian water buffalo. It is part of the Guaraquecaba environmental protection area. Full Story.
Ten percent of fuels environmentally friendly 'by 2010'
18 May 2001: Nearly one-in-ten cars will run on environmentally friendly fuels within eight years, if a major new EU plan is accepted.
And there will be an EU-wide minimum level of tax on fuel to ensure that the price of petrol and diesel incorporate the 'external' costs of pollution. These costs would include the impacts of emissions on the environment. Full Story.
Prius sells four times more than rival in US
17 May 2001: Toyota's Prius hybrid has outsold its main rival Honda's Insight petrol-electric car in the US this year to day, with 4,746 cars sold through April, compared with 1,631 for the manual version of the smaller Insight.
Meanwhile, Honda has produced an automatic-transmission version of its Insight that has a US fuel-efficiency rating of 57 miles a gallon in city driving (equal to 68.4mpg in Imperial gallon terms). Full Story.
Renault expects to increase market share in Europe
17 May 2001: Renault expects to increase market share in Europe this year, while the entire market will decline by about 2 percent due to persistent weakness in sales in Germany.
The company feels its new Laguna II model (right)will help it to take market share from rivals such as Volkswagen. Full Story.
Europe's driver to grow more enamoured with diesel
17 May 2001: The European love affair with diesel is about to get more intense, according to the experts. New car diesel purchases will reach 40% by 2005, a new report predicts.
The drive towards frugal diesels, spurred on by a combination of high fuel taxation in Europe and improved technology, has already benefited car makers Volkswagen and Peugeot/Citroen, the Schroder Salomon Smith Barney analyst group says.
The survey ties in with a recent forecast from Ford Ireland's Eddie Murphy (right) that over 40 percent of new Mondeos sold will be diesel-powered. Full Story.
Americans spend three times more time in traffic
17 May 2001: Our recent survey on the plight of commuters has generated a lot of debate and comparison with other countries.
But it appears many with better integrated infrastructures have their problems too.
A recent study from the US shows that congestion on highways across the United States is so bad the average American spends 36 hours a year just sitting in traffic. Full Story.
Suzuki Wagon R baffles thieves
17 May 2001: The Suzuki Wagon R+ has come out tops in a new anti-theft test carried out by Auto Express magazine. In doing so it has put some of motoring's more illustrious names in the shade.
The tall, angular city car, whose price starts at £10,395 ex-works here, not along beat the Mercs, Jags and Beemers, it baffled the experts who tried to break into it. Full Story.
Fiat's Stilo not here until 2002
15 May 2001: Fiat's new Stilo, the replacement for the Bravo/Brava, won't be available in Ireland until the 2002 buying year.
The car, which debuted at this year's Geneva Show, is built on the first of an all-new platform for the Fiat Group, and is said to be substantially better in quality and specification terms than the current cars. Full Story.
Alfa 147 5-door soon
15 May 2001: Although it has not yet been officially launched here, copies of the 5-door version of Alfa Romeo's 147 are understood to be already in the country.
Alfa Romeo Ireland will be launching it sometime next month, and are hoping for conquest sales against the Ford Mondeo and Renault Laguna II. Full Story.
A two-wheeler concept in beating traffic
15 May 2001: It's a new concept in motorbiking. And it could go a long way towards helping sort out Dublin's gridlock.
The BMW C1 is a motorbike with a roof. And a seatbelt. And a full safety cell as we expect from cars. It is powered by a 125cc engine outputting 15bhp, and you can have it with ABS.
And when it is finally approved by the relevant Government department here, it will be readily available for around £6,000. You CAN order one at the moment. Full Story.
New Trafic to underpin Renault LCV growth
14 May 2001: Renault Distributors plan to increase their van market share in Ireland from the current level of 6.5% to 11% over the next few years.
And the new Renault Trafic, the result of a joint venture with Opel, and scheduled to be launched here in September, is expected to account for 3.5% of the total van market on its own. Full Story.
MG rolls out its first 'Extreme'
14 May 2001: This is the ‘MGF Extreme’, powered by a 450 horsepower MG XP20 ‘X Power’ Le Mans engine and road legal. It is the first of a series of 'Extreme' and 'Ultimate' derivatives of forthcoming MG saloons and roadsters, one-off vehicles which are being specially built for demonstration and promotional purposes. Full Story.
Audi produces its two millionth diesel
14 May 2001: The two millionth diesel-powered Audi has just rolled off the production line at the company’s Neckarsulm plant, 23 years after the very first example turned a wheel. The car is an A2 1.2 TDI, the world’s first five-door passenger car capable of doing 94.5mpg.
Last year, more than 260,000 Audi vehicles were equipped with a diesel engine, approximately 40 percent of overall production. Full Story.
Wants visitors helped 'to stay on proper side of road'
14 May 2001: 14 May 2001: 14 May 2001: Fine Gael is pressing for special measures to remind foreign motorists to stay on the correct side of the road. This followed revelations showing 10% of road accidents involve drivers from overseas.
Fine Gael frontbencher Denis Naughten says the statistics indicate that over the summer months as many as 17 fatal accidents would involve foreign drivers. Full Story.
Motorcaravan festival for Ballinrobe
14 May 2001: 14 May 2001: The 15th annual International Motorcaravan Festival and Trade Show organised by the Motorcaravan Club of Ireland will take place on the June holiday weekend at Ballinrobe Racecourse, Ballinrobe, Co Mayo, from Friday June 1 to Monday 4, 2001.
This is the major event in the Irish motor caravan calendar and is the time when enthusiasts meet to discus their travel plans for the remainder of the year and to swap notes on camping destinations. Full Story.
Coulthard sees off Ferrari Duo
13 May 2001: David Coulthard took his second win of the season for McLaren-Mercedes and closed the Championship points gap to just 4 points from Michael Schumacher when he won the Austrian Grand Prix by just 2.1 seconds from his Ferrari rival. Schumacher was handed second place - and an extra two points - when his team mate Rubens Barrichello let him through on the very last corner.
However, there was no champagne from Coulthard, his team mourning the loss of their Mercedes Ilmor engine boss Paul Morgan in a plane accident the previous day. Full Story.
Opel Vivaro van for Ireland in July
11 May 2001: A new medium van which has been produced as a joint venture by Opel and Renault will make its first appearance in Ireland under the GM brand in July.
The Opel Vivaro will be priced from £15,000-£16,300 when it is launched and will be available in SWB and LWB formats, with a choice of 1.9-litre engines in normal aspiration or turbocharged, with respective outputs of 88bhp and 100bhp. A 2.5-litre Td is on the cards for later.
The Renault Trafic version is expected in Ireland in September. Full Story.
Ford introduces Mondeo Wagon to Ireland
10 May 2001: Ford Ireland has introduced a 5-door Mondeo Wagon at a starting price of £18,567. The car comes with tee option of 1.8-litre petrol and 2-litre turbodiesels of 90PS and 115PS output. Full Story.
Supplies of Peugeot 206 will improve
10 May 2001: The opening of a new production plant in Brazil, means the supplies of Peugeot 206s are set to increase substantially.
Peugeot’s 206 range, initially launched here at the end of 1998, has successfully attracted over 11,000 new Irish owners in just over two years. Full Story.
Bridgestone tyre tops performance test
10 May 2001: Bridgestone’s RE720 tyre came out first in a comparative high performance tyre test organised by the German magazines ‘Auto, Motor und Sport’ and ‘Autobild’. Full Story.
Army diesel motorbike engine produced
9 May 2001: What has been claimed as the world's first diesel-powered motorbike engine has been developed by the Royal Military College at Shriveneham in Oxfordshire.
The 580cc engine was developed so that battlefield vehicles could all use the same kind of fuel, and the unit was shown last week at a military vehicles of the future presentation, mounted on a Kawasaki bike. Full Story.
Opel appoint new chairman and MD
9 May 2001: Carl-Peter Forster has been appointed as Opel’s new chairman and managing director. Forster, who holds degrees in economics and engineering, had been serving as management board member in charge of manufacturing with BMW AG. Full Story.
New Vectra for Frankfurt launch
8 May 2001: Opel's next Vectra will be launched at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, on a platforn which will also be the base for the next Omega from the same marque as well as for the new Saab 9-3.
The Mark III Vectra will also have a whole new range of engines, with an entry-level 1.8-litre (following the trend of Ford and Renault in their most recent incarnations in the segment) as well as new versions of the 2- and 2.2-litre current petrol units. In some markets not penalised for large engines there will also be 2.6- and 3.2-litre V6s. Three new turbodiesel engines are also going to be on offer. Full Story.
GM offer for Daewoo believed imminent
8 May 2001: General Motors is believed to be on the verge of making an offer for the bankrupt Korean motor manufacturer Daewoo. According to wire service reports today, the offer could could come this week. Full Story.
Accord-platformed Honda has luxury and power
6 May 2001: This is the kind of luxury car that Honda could be selling here if they figured they wanted to be one of the big boys in Europe.
The Acura 3.2 TL sedan is designed to deliver luxury as well as performance, though just enough luxury to pamper you sufficiently. Full Story.
Ford Ireland makes new appointments
6 May 2001: Henry Ford & Son Limited has appointed Denis McSweeney as Marketing Manager and David O’Driscoll as Sales Director. Full Story.
A car by any other name would drive as well?
6 May 2001: Here's a strange warning for you. If you give your beloved car a name, you are revealing something deep about yourself.
Nearly half of all motorists believe their car is male or female, researchers found while preparing the 2001 RAC Report on Motoring. Twenty-eight percent believed the car was female and 18% female. Full Story.
Blue Oval aims to be green
4 May 2001: 6 May 2001: Ford Chairman William Clay Ford Jr says 'it's time to take appropriate action against global warming.' As part of that commitment, Ford plans to produce a hybrid version of its small Escape SUV in 2003.
According to Martin Zimmerman, Ford vice president for government affairs, the company is looking into expanding production of hybrid vehicles if it can reduce the costs of manufacturing them in volume. Full Story.
Lack of diesel may curtail Jaguar sales
4 May 2001: The new Jaguar X-TYPE will be a success - but will not knock the current kings of the sector off their thrones, according to UK-based automotive researchers AID Ltd and other analysts.
Sales are likely be held back by Jaguar's failure to foresee Europe's love affair with diesel power, with just two petrol engines - 2.5 and 3.0 litre V6s - for the moment. Full Story.
Iveco introduces Daily to Ireland
4 May 2001: Iveco, the commercial vehicle arm of Fiat, are introducing the Daily City Truck to Ireland, more than a year after the current version of the International Van of the Year 2000 winner was first launched.
The Daily will be offered in Ireland in nine versions, with engine options of 105bhp, 125bhp and 146bhp. It will come in both van and crew-cab formats. Variants by gvw range from 3.2 tonnes to 6.5 tonnes. The smallest in the six-van range has a gross payload of 1245kg and a loadspace of 7.3 cubic metres. Full Story.
Tractamotors Blanchardstown first to reach 1,000 sales
4 May 2001: Fiat and Alfa Romer dealers Tractamotors Blanchardstown delivered their 1000th new car - an Alfa 147 - on April 18th, the 88th working day of the year. It is believed the dealership is the first to sell 1,000 units this year. Full Story.
BMW Mini production started
2 May 2001: BMW has started volume production of its Mini One and Mini Cooper models at its Oxford plant in England and the company says it is on schedule for the the Mini's launch in Britain in July and in continental Europe in September. Full Story.
Citroen Centre and Express Service launched
2 May 2001: The opening of The Citroën Centre in Finglas, Dublin, heralds a new generation of Citroën dealerships in Ireland. The Centre, which is leased by Enda O’Connor, has been designed from the ground up with one agenda in mind: to revolutionise the vehicle purchasing and repair experience for the customer. Full Story.
Fiat gives deals on Bravo, Multipla
2 May 2001: Fiat Auto Ireland has introduced Special Series versions of both the 1.2 litre Bravos and Bravas along with a new finance programme. The new Special Series come with all the equipment of the SX versions plus alloy wheels, body coloured rear spoiler, front fog lights, electrically operated door mirrors, leather covered steering wheel and gear-lever knob. The normal value of the extra equipment is estimated by Fiat at £800 plus fitting charge, but the additional cost to buyers of the Special Series cars is £500. Full Story.
Tether is new airbag issue
2 May 2001: US lawyers are claiming that airbags are inflicting a needless number of face and eye injuries on front-seat passengers because carmakers are putting the wrong kind of bags in their cars and trucks.
Their concerns centre around tethers, internal straps that keep air bags from inflating too far into the vehicle compartment. But many passenger-side air bags do not have tethers, which cost around $3 apiece. Full Story.
Lincoln Mk 9 Concept unveiled
2 May 2001: Ford's luxury new Lincoln MK 9 coupe concept was unveiled at this year's New York Auto Show and is described by the company as 'timelessly elegant' and 'exuberant'. according to Lincoln Design Director Gerry McGovern, during the next several years, Lincoln will build on the design direction evident in the MK 9 through new concept and production vehicles. Full Story.
Mazda teases out its future styles
1 May 2001: A new Mazda 323 estate is among models which have been shown to selected journalists around the world as an indicator of what way the company is looking to its future.
The car borrows many of the styling cues unveiled on the RX-8 coupé at the Detroit Motor Show in January and shown in Europe at the Geneva Motor Show. Full story.
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