Edited by Trish Whelan
More Toyotas than any other car
30 November 2002: Toyota has the distinction of having the most cars currently on the road in Ireland, at around 230,000 units. Which is a good way to start the marque’s 30th year in Ireland, as it will in 2003. The maker's newest car, the next generation Avensis (above), will be in Ireland at the end of March.
Ford offers auto-manual on Fiesta/Fusion
29 November 2002: Ford Ireland has announced details of a new automatic shift manual transmission that is available as an option on both petrol and diesel models of the new Ford Fiesta.
Toyota increases Yaris production
28 November 2002: Toyota has increased production capacity of its Yaris plant in the north of France to 184,000 units annually, up from 150,000 units. The capacity increase involves an additional investment of some E100 million, and the creation of another 300 jobs.
Call for reducing motor fuel duty in North
28 November 2002: A powerful British Parliament Committee has urged a reduction in fuel duties in the North of Ireland in order to deal with fuel smuggling that is costing the British Treasury E800 million a year.
Crash dummies may have to be redesigned
28 November 2002: The design of crash test dummies may have to be modified if preliminary research into abdominal injury patterns in car crashes is proved to be accurate. And the research suggests that the side of the car where the driver sits could have its own bearing on injury types.
GM urges dealerships to combine brands
28 November 2002: General Motors Europe is encouraging Opel, Saab and Daewoo dealers to combine under common ownership in Europe.
Clean that screen, and save life
28 November 2002: Clean windscreens save lives. How clean is yours?
Opel Corsa concept suggests hot Opel hatch
27 November 2002: A turbo powered Corsa OPC concept, has its world premiere this week at the Essen Motor Show and gives clues as to how the Corsa might look if a GSi version went on sale.
Cashel company is Citroen's Dealer of the Year
27 November 2002: Cashel Motor Works, the Citroën Main Dealers Cashel, Co, Tipperary have been voted the 2002 Citroën Dealer of the Year. This award was given to Managing Director David Wallace and his team at Cashel Motor Sales for their outstanding performance in Citroën Car and Van sales and Spare Parts Sales during 2002 and increased levels of Customer Service to their large customer base.
Fiat holds prices down, some at 1999 levels
27 November 2002: Fiat Auto Ireland has set out its recommended on-the-road prices for 2003, and the prices of some of its most popular models are virtually unchanged from the prices of four years ago.
Berlingo Multispace freshened, safer
26 November 2002: Citroen's Berlingo Multispace van-based MPV has been given a facelift which includes a new front, revised interior, more equipment and improved safety levels, and other enhancements.
Rage may not be just due to traffic frustration
26 November 2002: Road rage may not just be due to ther stresses of driving on crowded road systems, according to research conducted in Australia.
Renaults, Saab and M-B score tops in latest Euro NCAP
26 November 2002: Two Renaults, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, and the new Saab 9-3 have this morning being named as achieving the maximum 5 stars in the latest round of the Euro NCAP crash tests. Both the Megane II and the Vel Satis have also been rated as ‘best in class’ in their respective segments.
Two Renaults confirmed 'Best in Class' in latest Euro NCAP
26 November 2002: Four cars are this morning being named as achieving the maximum 5 stars in the latest round of the Euro NCAP crash tests. As revealed on IrishCar.Com last week, two of them are Renault models - the new Megane II (above) and the Vel Satis.
British motorists have new camera detectors
26 November 2002: Motorists in Britain now have a combined GPS and radar system available to help them avoid being caught by one of the country's 4,000 speed cameras.
Toyota introduces 5-door T-Sport Corolla
26 November 2002: A 5-door version of the Toyota T-Sport Corolla is aimed at broadening the customer base for the derivative to give owners with family-carrying needs a bit of sporty performance.
US Government invests in hydrogen, biomass research
26 November 2002: Apart from the research by manufacturers of fuel cells and carmakers, the US Government is spending some E77 million annually on research into development of hydrogen fuel cells for automotive use.
Too many barristers in motor cases
26 November 2002: Some 70 per cent of of motor accident insurance cases in Ireland involve the services of a barrister, compared to just 1 per cent in Britain, a conference on motor insurance has been told.
Lexus tops dependability survey, eighth time
26 November 2002: Lexus has topped a US study into the long-term durability of cars, for the eighth year in succession. Mercedes-Benz suffered the greatest drop in the study, because of problems reported with its US-built M-Class SUV (above).
26 November 2002: If it's on offer in America, it won't be long before it comes our way. In this instance, it's the smart keyfob that warms up your car before you even take the top off your breakfast egg.
25 November 2002: GM Daewoo has revealed two new concept cars – the Oto SUV and and the Flex MPV (above). They represent GM Daewoo’s vision of the future where escape from ever increasing congestion will drive lifestyle features and flexibility within the cabin, helping to retain the enjoyment of motoring. The cars were unveiled at the Seoul Motor Show.
New engines for Peugeot next year
25 November 2002: Peugeot has accelerated development of a range of variable valve timing engines, and the technology will appear first early next year in a 180bhp 2-litre engine for the 206 GTi.
25 November 2002: Bull bars on the front of cars and SUVs are to be banned by 2005 under a new EU directive on safety initiatives. The EU will also insist on making antilock brakes standard fitment on all cars by the mid-decade.
25 November 2002: This is the ultimate MINI, a 200bhp Cooper S Works, due on sale in the UK from January.
25 November 2002: Audi's TT sports coupe is to get a howling new 3.2-litre V6 engine outputting 250bhp, along with a new automatic sports transmission based on motor-racing technology. It will also have Audi's quattro 4WD system.
Three vans win Semperit IVOTY 2003
25 November 2002: The Semperit Irish Van of the Year 2003 was won jointly by the Citroen Relay (above), and (below) Fiat Ducato and Peugeot Boxer vans.
Call for Transition Year driver training
23 November 2002: An impassioned plea for driver training to be included in the secondary school system was made this week by the chairman of the Irish Motoring Writers Association, Tony Conlon.
Mazda 6 Japan version wins major award
22 November 2002: On the day it won the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2003, the Japanese version of the Mazda 6 - the Atenza - was also awarded the 2003 RJC Car of the Year by the Automotive Researchers' & Journalists' Conference of Japan.
Citroen offers E2,500 off cars
22 November 2002: Citroen in Ireland has announced a promotion which will give customers cash savings of up to E2,500 The "Drive a Better Deal Today" offer, which is available for a limited time only, offers a C3 for E13,800, a saving of E1,500.
Irish Ferries Christmas, motorbike, offers
22 November 2002: In the run-up to Christmas, Irish Ferries are offering a 20% discount on their 3-day mini cruise to France for groups of 10 persons or more.
Legal alcohol affects drivers - study
22 November 2002: A driver who has taken alcohol within the current legal limits is more likely to take risks, a study using simulated driving suggests.
Speed limits to be reviewed in 'common sense' approach
22 November 2002: A nationwide review of speed limits is to be undertaken during next year, with a view to making them more realistic.
Renault tipped to gain TWO more top ENCAP ratings
21 November 2002: While it is an open industry secret that the new Renault Megane II will be the first car in its segment to achieve the top 5-star rating in the latest Euro NCAP crash test results to be announced next Tuesday, the company is actually preparing for even another 5-star achiever.
Mazda 6 wins Semperit ICOTY 2003
21 November 2002: The Mazda 6 has won the title of Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2003, in a close-fought contest that had it follwed by the Honda Jazz, Citroen C3, Opel Vectra and Nissan Primera.
Semperit ICOTY result to be announced today
21 November 2002: When the 2003 Semperit Irish Car of the Year is announced this lunchtime, it will be joining a list of cars since 1978 which have been chosen by the members of the Irish Motoring Writers Association and invited individuals to its judging panel.
Ford offers MP3 player in Ireland
21 November 2002: Ford now offers owners the opportunity to bring their entire record collections with them on an optional music system capable of playing both conventional audio CDs and MP3 CDs. Having just five MP3 CDs in your glove-box is equivalent to up to 70 ‘normal’ CDs.
25% of drivers have inadequate eyesight - survey
21 November 2002: A quarter of all drivers could be driving unsafely due to poor eyesight, according to the RAC Foundation. A new survey conducted by one of Britain's leading opticians into the vision capabilities of motorists showed that an alarming number could be driving around dangerously as they failed a basic sight test.
All cars 'should have hands-free system installed'
20 November 2002: A law should be introduced to make it mandatory that manufacturers install hands-free systems for mobile phones, the chairman of Renault Distributors Bill Cullen said today.
New engines coming in Audi A4 Cabriolet
20 November 2002: Two new engines will be available in Ireland for the Audi A4 Cabriolet next year. A new 161bhp 1.8T petrol and a 2.5 TDi engine will be here towards the end of January or early February.
Opel to introduce 'round corner' lights
20 November 2002: Opel is to introduce 'see round corners' headlight technology in the new Vectra and new Signum next year. Adaptive Forward Lighting (AFL) use swivelling bi-xenon headlights that turn at a 90 degree angle for intersections and narrow corners.
Mondeo not to get 2.5-litre V6 here
20 November 2002: Ford of Ireland has no plans to introduce the 2.5-litre V6 engine to its Mondeo range. An earlier version of the engine was the top-level power unit in the previous generation Mondeo, and the latest version is available in the UK and other European markets.
A quarter of drivers have impaired eyesight - survey
20 November 2002: A quarter of all drivers could be driving unsafely due to poor eyesight, according to the RAC Foundation. A new survey conducted by one of Britain's leading opticians into the vision capabilities of motorists showed that an alarming number could be driving around dangerously as they failed a basic sight test.
Hyundai reveals Accent upgrade
19 November 2002: Hyundai will be updating its Accent on this side of the world in the early part of next year, and its 1.5-litre engine option will be replaced by the 1.6-litre unit now familiar in the Elantra and Matrix.
19 November 2002: Gallic Distributors Ltd, the Citroen importers in Ireland have just awarded the title of Citroen Consultant Technician to the first four technicians who completed a comprehensive training program designed in conjunction with Citroen Paris.
European COTY win to boost Megane II sales
19 November 2002: Original expectations of the sales in Ireland for the new Renault Megane II may have to be revised upwards following the winning by the car of the European Car of the Year 2003, as detailed yesterday on IrishCar.Com.
Alfa commits to 2003 European TCC
19 November 2002: Alfa Romeo has confirmed that it will compete in the European Touring Car Championships 2003, again running with three 156s through the Nordauto GTA Racing Team. The drivers for the coming year will be Nicola Larini, Gabriele Tarquini and Roberto Colciago.
Megane II wins European Car of the Year 2003
18 November 2002: The Renault Megane II has won the European Car of the Year 2003 award. Megane was awarded 322 points by the 57-person European jury, 20 more than the Mazda 6 (302).
Gerry Keyes is 2002 Ford Ireland Ka champion
18 November 2002: Gerry Keyes from Crecora, Co Limerick has won the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship after finishing third on the final round of the highly charged 2002 series, at the Kingdom Fastfit Kerry Single Stage Rally.
18 November 2002: Audi in Ireland is targeting the S-Class/BMW 7 Series niche area with a high-performance version of its A6 - the S6.
Still no decision on Polo sedan for Europe
18 November 2002: Here’s another view of the VW Polo Sedan built in Brazil, that we reported on here a month ago. It’s a good-looking car indeed, but no decision has been made as to whether it will be exported to Europe.
Crash safety fears over no spare designs
18 November 2002: Run-flat tyres could be underpinning an increasing number of new cars in coming years, but there are some safety concerns about the imminent end of the spare, which the boss of the Michelin tyre group says will have 'gone the way of the crank-handle' by 2010.
17 November 2002: The Audi TT has been visually tweaked up for 2003, with a view to giving it a slightly more meaty look.
Ford concept goes the bamboo route
17 November 2002: It is minimalist in the Japanese fashion, made in part of bamboo, has no welds, and could be delivered to you in a box of bits that you bolt together yourself. And it's a Ford car.
VW to spend E33m on new products, move upmarket
17 November 2002: VW will spend E33 billion over the next 5 years to overhaul an aging product range and push annual output up to six million vehicles by 2007. The sum represents around 6.5 per cent of future revenues over the next five years. And in the meantime the company is intent on pushing itself upmarket with the recently debuted Touareg SUV (above) and the upcoming luxury Phaeton (below).
Fiat man has E10,000 for lucky customer
17 November 2002: A Swords, Co Dublin, Fiat dealer has come up with a Christmas box promotion open to just 50 customers, to take part in a draw for E10,000.
17 November 2002: The number of car crashes per insured person in the US dropped 16 per cent between 1980 and 2000, according to the the US-based Insurance Research Council. But at the same time, the number of insurance claims filed by people who said they suffered a bodily injury rose 26 per cent.
15 November 2002: Liam O’ Leary (left) of O’Leary’s Garage, Enniscorthy and his wife Margaret were guests of honour recently at a gala banquet in the K Club where, in the presence of their fellow Volkswagen dealers from across Ireland, they were presented with a specially engraved plaque to mark their 25 years as Volkswagen main dealers.
Clever car buying guide launched
15 November 2002: A new guide entitled 'Clever Car Buying' containing all of the essential information one would need when buying a new or second-hand car has just been launch on the Irish market.
New Avensis is larger, more curvy
14 November 2002: UPDATE The new Toyota Avensis, due for launch next spring, is larger than the current car which has consistently been the biggest seller in its segment in Ireland for more than a decade.
Accord takes Japan Car of the Year
14 November 2002: The new 7th-generation Honda Accord has just won the Japanese Car of the Year 2003 award. It will be available in Ireland in the spring of next year.
Special editions for Renault reliables
14 November 2002: Renault has launched three special editions of its established cars to coincide with the launch of its brand new Megane (above). These include the Clio Extreme, Scenic Sport Way and the Laguna Mirage.
13 November 2002: MG Rover Ireland is to introduce a more powerful diesel engine to its Rover 75 range. The 75 CDTi models will replace the current CDT 116 Ps engine and will be available in all current trim designations.
Opel getting into small roadster game
13 November 2002: Opel will be joining the coupe-cabriolet class in 2004 with a new roadster based in part on the Corsa (Vauxhall version shown above).
13 November 2002: The 3,000,000th unit of Europe's top selling car, the Peugeot 206, rolled off production lines at Peugeot's Mulhouse plant in France yesterday.
New Colt unveiled, Euro version still under wraps
13 November 2002: Mitsubishi has unveiled its new Colt, which uses the design theme of the successful CZ2 concept car. It rolls into showrooms in Japan, on November 16th, and in 2004 a related family of compact Mitsubishis will also be introduced in Europe.
Older pedestrians more at risk - study
13 November 2002: Pedestrians over 65 are more than twice as much at risk of being involved in a crash with a motor vehicle if they use a marked crosswalk, compared to one with a signal or stop sign.
Four more for the 5-star firmament
12 November 2002: Four more cars are to receive the Euro NCAP 5-star rating following the completion of the latest round of crash tests by the body. They are to be revealed at a press event in Rome on November 26.
PSA Group expands diesel engine production
12 November 2002: PSA Peugeot Citroën is bringing on stream a new line to produce more 1.4-litre diesel engines at its Trémery plant in eastern France. The engines, developed in cooperation with the Ford Motor Company, use the most recent common rail injection technology.
Semperit ICOTY finalists chosen
12 November 2002: The top five cars in the final shortlist for the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2003 are the Citroen C3, the Honda Jazz, the Mazda 6, the Nissan Primera, and the Opel Vectra.
12 November 2002: BMW sales have bucked the general global industry trend again, rising by almost a fifth in the first 10 months of this year to 891,000 units. A company spokesman says the new MINI (above) is responsible for a significant part of the boost.
Cameras at lights cut crashes, injuries
12 November 2002: A substantial improvement in accident rates at red light junctions if they have permanent camera surveillance has been recorded in tests in California.
A novel road safety scheme, kiwi style
12 November 2002: Though New Zealand road deaths are significantly down on 1991 when they peaked at 650 there were still 450 fatalities last year despite all the shock-horror ad campaigns, more gatsos, more traffic police, more lasers.
Santa prize in Irish Ferries competition
12 November 2002: A pre-Christmas visit to Santa’s grotto in Lapland for a family of two adults and two children is the prize currently being offered by the freight division of Irish Ferries in a seasonal promotion aimed at freight clients.
Murphy crowns it in Focus rally
11 November 2002: Colm Murphy from Athea, Co Limerick has won the inaugural Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship having secured a hard fought second position on the final round of the series at the West 2002 International Rally.
11 November 2002: The seventh and final round of the 2002 Ford Ireland KA Rally Championship will take place at the Kingdom Fast Fit Kerry Single Stage Rally on Sunday the 17th of November.
11 November 2002: The City of San Diego has brought in a by-law that makes it an offence to knowingly be a spectator at an illegal street race or speed contest.
11 November 2002: Drivers are more susceptible to distractions inside the car than those coming from outside it, according to a study of motor accidents in New South Wales, Australia.
Nissan coming back to motorsport
11 November 2002: Nissan has announced the names of the Rally Raid Team for the Dakar 2003 and also unveiled the vehicle they will be competing in. Nissan has a long history in the event through independent teams, but for the first time ever will be entering this year with a works team.
Out-of-warranty costs inevitable - survey
11 November 2002: Four in ten cars will suffer a mechanical failure in the two years after the manufacturer’s warranty has expired, according to analysis by British automotive warranty specialist, Warranty Direct.
Megane will drive Renault into Ireland top five
10 November 2002: Renault in Ireland is aiming to enter the top five distributors in 2003 by gaining 8 per cent of the Irish car market. The key element in this strategy is the new Megane, which breaks new ground in style and specification in the highly competitive small family car segment.
09 November 2002: Harris Auto, importers of Kia cars, off-roaders and light commercial vehicles, have lopped almost E2,500 off the list price of the 1.4 litre Kia Rio 4-door saloon, the 5-door hatchback and the Vantage light commercial - thanks to a bit of renegotiating with the Korean manufacturers.
Mazda6 favourite for European COTY
09 November 2002: It's turnaround time, big time for Mazda. On the car front, their Mazda6 is strongly tipped to capture the European 2003 Car of the Year title.
09 November 2002: The first phase of a E600,000 order of Renault light and heavy commercial vehicles was handed over this week to the Irish Army at the Curragh Camp.
09 November 2002: A car to be debuted on Monday is said to be a ‘make or break’ for Mitsubishi Motors, but it won’t be on sale in Europe until 2004.
Espace gets third 'steering wheel'
08 November 2002: The latest version of the Renault Espace has been awarded the Bild am Sonntag ‘Golden Steering Wheel’, the third time the model has taken the German Sunday newspaper’s prestigious award - it also won in 1991 and 1997.
Vectra gets 1.6-litre, and Opel Ireland a new boss
08 November 2002: Opel Ireland has announced a new engine option for the Vectra - it now has a 1.6-litre unit outputting 100bhp, and allowing it to compete with both the Nissan Primera and the Renault Laguna II in the price-conscious fleet and medium family sector.
Ford donates books to children's hospital
07 November 2002: During a recent press presentation of the new Ford Fusion urban activity vehicle, Ford of Ireland arranged for journalists testing the car to visit a bookshop in Naas, Co Kildare, and exchange tokens for books to be donated by the company to Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.
Multipla gets Granada thumbs up
07 November 2002: Fiat Auto’s Multipla six-seater compact MPV has just been voted Top MPV for Granada Television’s Men & Motors, which will air across the Granada Men & Motors network during December.
Americans will drive more diesels - report
07 November 2002: Americans will be buying more than 2 million diesel-powered SUVs by 2010, along with up to 400,000 oil-burning cars.
Next Nubira here in summer 2003
06 November 2002: The next Daewoo Nubira will be shown for the first time at the Seoul Motor Show in Korea at the end of this month, and exports to Europe are expected he middle of 2003. The European premiere will take place at the Geneva 2003 show in March.
New Stilo wagon will have MPV angles
06 November 2002: Fiat is to market its upcoming wagon version of the Stilo as an MPV as much as an estate, cued by the chosen name for the model - the MultiWagon.
Penalty points - do they work?
06 November 2002: Politicians hoping for immediate benefits from the introduction of penalty points here may be disappointed if the experiences in Britain and the North are any indicators.
Peugeot puts van in Dublin Zoo
06 November 2002: Peugeot has donated an Expert van to Dublin Zoo, Ireland’s top visitor attraction in 2002. The provision of the van coincides with the start of a campaign to raise funds to buy another hippopotamous for the facility - the Hoovie the Hippo Fund.
06 November 2002: Suzuki Ireland is the sponsor of the Ladies National Football League of the Ladies Gaelic Football Association. It is the first time ladies league games have been sponsored. It is also the first sponsorship of its kind by Suzuki.
10 millionth common-rail system
06 November 2002: Bosch has just delivered its 10 millionth Common-Rail diesel injection system, further demonstrating the increasing popularity of diesel engines.
New 5-Series will sharpen BMW stable
06 November 2002: The next-generation BMW 5-series is expected to be available in RHD form sometime in early 2004, following its planned debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show next autumn.
05 November 2002: The new Hyundai Getz supermini, which goes on sale in Ireland at the end of this week, is targeted at the established heavyweights in the field like Ford’s Fiesta, Toyota’s Yaris and Opel’s Corsa. And the strategy of Hyundai Ireland is to give ‘more than you bargained for’ in the segment.
04 November 2002: Mazda has come up with something of a tongue-twister of a name for its final option in an extensive Mazda6 lineup, the Mazda6 Sport4 AWD.
Diesel engines popular in Fiesta
04 November 2002: Almost 13 per cent of new Ford Fiestas sold since the latest version was introduced to Ireland have been powered by the 1.4-litre turbodiesel engine developed jointly with PSA Peugeot-Citroen.
04 November 2002: Not likely for Ireland, but the big ‘hot’ Monaro Coupe produced by the Australian GM subsidiary Holden may well be imported to a number of European markets, including Britain.
Focus championships down to wire
04 November 2002: The fifth and final round of Irelands premier one make rally championship - the Ford Ireland Focus Rally Championship - will take place on the 9th of November at the West 2002 International Rally.
Mobiles theft biggest 'smash' problem
04 November 2002: A mobile phone handset is stolen from a vehicle in a ‘smash-and-grab’ in Britain every two minutes, according to glass fitter Autoglass.
First shortlist for Semperit ICOTY 2003
1 November 2002: The first shortlist of 10 cars for the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2003 has been selected by a panel of Ireland's motoring journalists.
Ford extends availability of TDCi engine
1 November 2002: Ford Ireland is making its TDCi common rail diesel technology available in a variety of Mondeo models for 2003. The engine was previously available only on the flagship Executive model.
Car insurers 'jump on penalty points bandwagon'
1 November 2002: Car insurers have been quick to jump on the ‘bandwagon’ of penalty points, but they don’t offer to reward safe driving, the insurance lobby group MIJAG said yesterday.
1 November 2002: An appeal court in the US has thrown out a suit against Chrysler, taken by a woman who experienced hand burns from an airbag deployment in an accident in 1992. The burns healed within two weeks.
Peugeot WRCs competitive in Oz
1 November 2002: Peugeot 206 WRCs played to thousands of rally fans at the spectacular opening stage to Rally Australia, the 13th round of this year’s FIA World Rally Championship.