VW ready for Dakar Rally
When the start flag drops on 1 January in Clermont-Ferrand for the Dakar Rally, 18 exhilarating days in the world's toughest rally begin not only for the rally drivers but also for the support teams, writes Remi Blondet.

Fiat's new buzzword
It’s hard to believe it’s now ten years since Fiat Auto launched the original Fiat Punto range, writes Trish Whelan. The latest version includes a number of technical and styling improvements, but what’s really getting Fiat people so excited is the Multijet.

C2 stakes a new claim
The 'me' generation is no longer a shoal of fish all swimming in unison, writes Ray Bernard. It is an incoherent scatter of darting silvers, all intent on getting their their own share of whatever life has out there. When so many people want 'to be different', it makes it hard on the carmakers.

Nubira a new GM leader
Somewhere out there is a better value mid-sized car than the Daewoo Nubira. But I suspect it is hard found, writes Brian Byrne. Let's be precise. This is now GM Daewoo. This is no longer a generation-behind carmaker that gave you old technology for a cheap price.

Mazda 3 will swing brand
After some 30 years of Mazda 323 sales in Ireland, there's a strong and loyal customer base for the new version, writes Brian Byrne. It shouldn't be hard to sell to them. The 3 is highly styled, a car that will be easily identified as it comes up in the rear view mirror.

Mondeo TDCI is a Ford jewel
The Mondeo Executive TDCi is the latest version of that car that I've been driving, writes Brian Byrne, and it not just reaffirmed my positive impressions of the overall car, but added a couple of new sparkles to the jewel that is Mondeo.

When you wait in the cold, dank mist ...
If you are a motor customer of Axa, Hibernian, or drive a Peugeot or Citroen in Ireland, writes Bill Trapman, you might be surprised to know that there are some 4,000 people in this country ready to look out for you if your car lets you down on the road.

Cruising down the old RSA
They call it ‘The Cruiser’, writes Brian Byrne. And so far, the only South Africans who haven’t shown anything but respect for our Peugeot 607 are the baboons at the Cape of Good Hope. After our visit there, a trip to the car wash was necessary.

Driving with the Lone Ranger
In some ways, I wasn't looking forward to driving the Ranger, writes Ray Bernard. I'm a car man, not a passenger pickup person. Well, in this country anyway, where pickups have a quite commercial use and are often specced to deal with that.

Prius II is quiet and green
It's a little unnerving to sit at a traffic lights and only hear the sound of the aircon fan, writes Brian Byrne, knowing that you're going to need power to accelerate at any moment and there's no engine running.

Cherokee is high-brand jeans
Call it the 'bit of the West' in all of us, if I might steal an advertising line from a jeans maker, writes Brian Byrne. But I really have a soft spot for the current Jeep Cherokee, even if it bears no relation except its name to the 4x4 that preceded it.

Verso packed with quality
During my time with the 1.3-litre Yaris Verso it was described as an ‘upmarket hen house’ and ‘Pat the Postman’s van’, writes Trish Whelan. Both expressions were unfair to this tall mini MPV (1700mm high) based on the reliable Toyota Yaris car, which is packed with quality features.

Future power is here
Though the big hype about powering cars of the future is in the form of switching to hybrid formats and to fuel cells, writes Brian Byrne, most of the economy and emissions improvements in the medium term is more likely to involve changes to conventional engines and transmissions.

Mitusbishi rallies with Lancer
There are all these guys with 'k's in their names, writes Brian Byrne. They drive fast, hard, in rallies, in Formula One. They get epitaphs like 'The Flying Finn'. And generally they aren't the kind of drivers you might expect to come from a place where the first thing we were told was that 'speed limits are very strict here'.

Two views of Citroen design
At the recent Frankfurt Motor Show, Brian Byrne took the opportunity to talk to two of Citroen’s top car designers, and though their latest projects are at completely opposite ends of the motoring spectrum, both were committed to changing our motoring experiences.

New Golf might turn me on
In all honesty, the VW Golf was never a car that turned me on particularly, writes Brian Byrne. Which actually puts me in the minority end of a driver bank of more than 22 million people for the most of whom the nameplate is almost their religion.

A 5 for the 21st century
The new BMW 5-Series is now a car for this century, and very distinctively so, write Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan. Take the front lights. Well styled as are most these days, but the line of gold side-lights built into each make the whole arrangement a special jewel.

XJ is a lithe leaper
The essential shape of the XJ hasn't changed in principle since the car was first launched, writes Brian Byrne. The XJ has grace and the allied epitaph of elegance. It is a true luxury saloon with a sporting pedigree.

Are we heading down the Stasi route?
The 'Lo-Call Traffic Watch' signs have just appeared in my county, on the local motorway, writes Brian Byrne. I expect to see a proliferation of these 'shop bad drivers' on other routes soon. And I've no intention of using the number.

Lancer makes premium cut
Mitsubishi expect to sell 1,000 Lancers in a full year, writes John Reilly. Given Mitsubishi's reputation for reliability, build quality, durability and residual value, I'll eat my hat if they don't double that target in 2004 - supplies permitting. It's that damn good!

Ringing in the new
The real thrill of the Frankfurt Motor Show is finally finding out how all the teasing stuff we've been getting about new cars for months finally feels in the metal write Brian Byrne and Trish Whelan. Here's just a pictorial taster of many of this year's new offerings. Techical details and more depth will come later, when we've absorbed the glitz.

Dreams into metal
The 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show had the usual myriad of car designer dreams, write Brian Byrne and Trish Whelan, made into metal and shown off to titillate and tease the showgoers and potential customers with some wacky and wonderful ideas.

The city beckons, the C2 cometh ...
It would be a dull world indeed if every car looked the same and few would disagree that Citroen has of late embraced this concept more comprehensively than most, writes Ross Durkin. The C2, a three-door hatchback that blends convention with originality in a cheeky but functional package.

Charade is unlikely seducer
Usually, the very least I like to drive is a 1.2-litre engine, writes Trish Whelan. The more power, the better! But the cute little 5-door Daihatsu Charade quickly stole my heart. From the moment you open the driver's door, you’re met with a ‘Hello Happy’ greeting on the trip computer.

In the comfort zone with RX300
Like every woman I appreciate being spoiled, writes Trish Whelan, and this was certainly the case when I test drove the new RX300. As you’d expect from Lexus, we’re talking about refinement, luxury and peak performance along with top safety levels.

Dull design does Touran injustice
As imageless and uninteresting as a bread van, Volkswagen's new Touran MPV doesn't seem to have much going for it on first sighting, writes John Reilly. And for a tardy arriver, it hasn't brought with it much in the way of innovation or specification.

Opel aims for stars with Astra
Opel's upcoming new generation Astra, which will debut in Frankfurt next month, is intended to make the car a leader in its segment in terms of technology, economy and safety, writes Brian Byrne. A major highlight optionally available is adaptive IDSPlus suspension, with electronic Continuous Damping Control.

4WD buyers can spot bargains
Four-wheel-drive sales so far this year suggest the luxury end of the market is doing considerably better than the market as a whole, writes John Reilly. They also demonstrate that punters can spot real bargains, where they exist.

New supercar from M-B
The new Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren will be powered by a 626 hp V8 supercharged engine capable of shifting the car from 0-100 km/h in 3.8 seconds, writes Jan Hermann. It will also be the world's first series-produced car to have a carbon fibre front crash structure.

Hot and cold in the Utah desert
If you don't like heights, especially the precipitous unguarded edges on crumbling rough trails climbing up the sides of canyons, then don't go on the Land Rover G4 Global Challenge, writes Brian Byrne. I hate those kind of heights, but I did go. And I wouldn't have missed the experience for anything.

Trucker's Heaven at Punchestown
“Three steps to heaven,” the trucker grinned as he urged me to climb up to his cabin to ‘see for yourself’ how he lives when on the road, writes Trish Whelan. I lifted myself up into the driver’s seat courtesy of the two big support handles. The inevitable Page 3 model looked down on me from above the windscreen.

Real robots don't smoke ...
You'd be forgiven for thinking that you'd stumbled into the domain of the Borg, writes Brian Byrne. Men and women wielding welding guns that appeared to be part of them, and a robotic repetition of actions by the human workers that was simply setting the stage for the real robot performances later.

C-MAX unlikely to disappoint
Ford's new C-MAX compact MPV is an interesting one not just because it is Ford's long-delayed contender in this segment, but also because it is the first car on the platform for the next-generation Focus, due in the spring, writes Brian Byrne. Which means it should be at real cutting edge in driving dynamics terms.

The Beetle: An Appreciation
The original VW Beetle ends its production next week at its only remaining production line in Mexico, writes Jan Hermann. For a generation, that will mean the end of a motoring era that simply can't be maintained by the ersatz 'New Beetle', which is only a Golf in party dress.

Big Brother's in my Car!
The electronics we now have in our cars have made them better, safer, more economical and more comfortable to be in, writes Brian Byrne. But I'm getting worried about privacy, because there's less and less of it in a world where we have to be wired to get what we need to do done.

D-Max will make the grade
Exit Isuzu TFS, enter the much sexier-sounding D-Max Double Cab from the same maker, writes John Reilly. Well, a delayed entry, maybe, as the vehicle won't go on sale here until September, though it has had a very successful introduction to Asian and Australian markets over the past year.

Scenic II to build on success
Even on run out in the last year, the Renault Scenic held a dominant position, writes Brian Byrne. Now we have Scenic II, where the original of the species is bent on setting a new benchmark in the compact MPV area. Even the successful competition must be getting a little uneasy.

Accord S will appeal to the savvy
While to my mind the Accord is certainly one of the classiest looking cars around, writes Trish Whelan, the 2.4- sport version stands out from the crowd with a deeper front air dam and side skirts for a sportier image.

Jaguar X sips at the oil barrel
Can you have a 'Jaguar driving experience' in a diesel powered car? asks Brian Byrne. The short answer is 'yes', at least from next September. Because that's when a diesel-engined X-Type comes on the market.

New 5 will make an impact
The 5-series will be unveiled here on October 1, and with its curves and edges carving out a memorable profile, I think it will make an impact on the tarmac, writes Eddie Cunningham of the Irish Independent.

Mazda2 is another zoom-zoom
My first Irish drive in the new Mazda2 immediately confirmed my impressions from the international launch, writes Brian Byrne. This is a baby Mazda that's going to do the business for the brand in a real zoom-zoom manner.

Convertible icon in new generation
If any car is the true icon of a convertible, it is probably the Saab 9-3, writes Brian Byrne. It seems to have been there forever, and the fact that in some European markets it holds half the market share for the genre is itself a testament to its perceived position.

Daewoo Nubira now a contender
Koreans seem to be a very pragmatic kind of people, writes Ray Bernard, and when they decide they want to build a car that will have international appeal, including the seriously important European dimension, they go to the automotive design source.

I've asked A3 for its phone number
A brief drive in a new Audi A3 showed a car that will not win any awards for being innovative in styling, writes Brian Byrne, but a conservative evolution in looks is likely to appeal very much to its biggest individual market in its native Germany.

320D sets the standard again
I first encountered the diesel engine a few years ago when BMW launched the Steyr-derived unit on a completely unsuspecting motoring press in Germany, writes Donal Byrne. I found myself seated next to a German saloon car racing driver, expecting to be bemused at the conclusion.

Speedster goes outrageous
Without doubt the knockout car in Opel’s lineup, the Speedster is even more outrageous now that they’ve decided to turbocharge it, writes Eddie Cunningham. With a 2.0-litre engine pumping 200 bhp and 250 Nm of torque, it can really claim to be a supercar.

Mazda keeps the Wankel faith
Just now the European launch of the Mazda RX-8 sports car is in full swing at Rimini in Italy, and we'll soon be seeing copies of it on Irish roads, writes Graeme Elliot. A rather few copies, granted, but the RX-8 is important for a far more important reason than its numbers sold.

A bad risk can be a great bet
When Henry Ford in 1903 set up the car company that bears his name, his was one of 143 auto companies that had been set up in the previous three years, writes Brian Byrne. Some 64 of those folded in the following 12 months.

The world's an Alfa stage
Alfa's 'sexy' themes have been carried by the GTV and its top-down stablemate the Spider, writes Brian Byrne. The latest iterations of both cars are upgrades rather than totally new vehicles, because, Alfa say, there was 'no need' to change the current styling drastically.

Yes! Yes! Yes! Kylie's StreetKa
Would I buy a Ford StreetKa instead of a Mazda MX-5 or a Toyota MR2, or an MGTF? writes Brian Byrne. That's the kind of loaded question people like me hate, because it means coming down on one side or another.

Ringing the Vitara Changes
Suzuki is the biggest manufacturer of 4WD vehicles in the world, and I've taken the Grand Vitara before to places that no soft-roader would hack it, writes Ray Bernard. But then, the Grand Vitara is a proper off-roader, with full low ratios and all that's needed for the real mucky stuff.

No 'bloodbath' for Lancer
When launching a car into the hotly contested C segment in Europe, why would a modern manufacturer leave out both a hatchback and a diesel engine from the equation? asks Ray Bernard. Mitsubishi knew we would ask the question.

New Avensis is moving fast
The new Avensis is a landmark car for Toyota which this year completes its 30th year in business in Ireland, writes Trish Whelan. And it is making its mark, because since it was launched in March here, sales have exceeded 2,500 copies.

The motor memories rally
The natural selection process embodied in the saying 'survival of the fittest' has always been reflected in the world of business, writes Brian Byrne. And in the car business, a look at the names which have survived since the earliest days of motoring tells a lot.

SportKa - coming near you soon
Don't laugh, writes Ray Bernard. It does the 0-100 km/h in around nine seconds. It feels and sounds sporty. And it probably won't break the insurance bank

Citroen's C8 is a long haul luxury
They call it an 'Executive MPV', and suggest it is the 'next generation' in that genre, writes Brian Byrne. Indeed, there is a sense of Enterprise or Voyager about the C8.

New Land Cruiser is as tough as ever
Forget the soft edges. New Land Cruiser is tough, sturdy-built and as durable as ever, writes John Reilly. With all the rugged characteristics and the off-road reliability, that made the range famous, this new Land Cruiser has winner written all over it.

A car that won't forget your birthday
Would-be Micra drivers will have to learn to ‘speak Micra’, writes Trish Whelan. This new lingo includes words such as ‘compacious’ which means compact exterior yet spacious interior, and ‘legage’ which translates to plenty of legroom with class-leading luggage space.

Driving Celica is a frustration
I've written about the Toyota Celica before in very positive terms, but my abiding memory of my latest excursion in one is 'frustration', writes Brian Byrne. Not at all the fault of the car, I must stress.

Opel Signum aims at new class
They call it in Germany, on poster sites all over the place, 'Dei Signum Klasse', writes Brian Byrne. But in looks, it could at first be mistaken for a Vel Satis in Opel drag. But the latest Opel variation on the Epsilon 'Vectra' platform is more than just a luxury car.

New hot 206 will be a real nice buy
They didn't do much with the style, writes Brian Byrne. If a car is the best seller in Europe over the last couple of years, there can't be much wrong with it.

Opel's Meriva likely to win friends
Some 20 per cent of Opel production in future will be 'niche' cars, as opposed to traditional and innovative vehicles, writes Brian Byrne. I suppose the new Meriva straddles both innovative and niche.

Mercedes Benz's safe load lugger
The estate E-Class is a particularly important variant in the US, where there’s a tradition of wagons as second ‘mom’ cars, writes Brian Byrne. And in Ireland, a fair number of those sold in previous versions have gone as second cars to a household where a Mercedes is already the primary car.

History will judge kindly the Rover 75
As a hybrid born of the troubled years during which BMW took over Rover and then sold it again, the 75 is doomed to a sort of motoring limbo. Is it a BMW or a Rover, they ask? writes Donal Byrne. The 75 is in fact a BMW saloon using the best of what Rover had at the time.

Cars need oil, but people need water
So, what's to stop George W Bush declaring that Canada needs 'a regime change' and invading its relatively puny population on the grounds of US 'national security'? asks Brian Byrne. The water, there for the taking, would be a by-product of the 'war against terrorism'. As is Iraqi oil.

Tough Ford truck I could live with
I like the new supermini brigade, but sentenced to six weeks driving various models of the Getz, Kalos and Micra small car sisterhood is more than a man of my advancing years can be expected to take, writes John Reilly. The new Ford Ranger Double Cab Pick-Up is a vehicle I can live with.

Toyota leapfrogs again
Car making is a game of leapfrog, writes Ray Bernard. One maker builds a new model, it is overtaken in mid-life by another maker's offering, then maybe a third takes the podium for a while, and the brand new version of the original takes its turn again.

Moving up with the Accord
It could so easily have backfired, sending us on a 90-mile, sometimes challenging route which would show up any flaw in a car, writes Trish Whelan. Instead, it showed just what the all-new seventh generation Honda Accord can do.

Chasing around with the Cherokee
The name Jeep conjures up visions of rugged vehicles tackling mountain passes and forest trails, writes Trish Whelan. The promise of adventure in strange places, such as, famously, the Rubicon Trail in California.

Volvo XC90 gives dealers grief
There aren't many car dealers don't want the advertising support of their distributors, writes Ray Bernard, but my local Volvo dealer really doesn't want people asking him for an XC90.

Avensis is a jewel with a slight flaw
I liked the look of the new Avensis from the moment I saw the first picture, and it was an anticipation confirmed when I saw it in the metal, writes Brian Byrne. And the interesting thing is, it looks totally individual within the current Toyota family.

With Fusion, it was a close shave
I was really going to slam this particular Ford. I was going to call it a heap, a mistake, a dog, a car that didn't know where it belongs, writes Brian Byrne. Which just goes to show that everything deserves a second chance.

Space age elegance about Citroen's C8
The interior designers have really come up trumps with the C8, which to my mind is a very stylish and exceptionally well thought-out 7-seater, writes Trish Whelan. It’s the little things that make all the difference to those with young children in tow.

StreetKa is sweet despite sniffles
I got a cold, writes Brian Byrne. Can't really blame Ford or their StreetKa, though I suppose spinning around the higher reaches of Provence in an open car in mid-March is probably asking for trouble.

To dream, perchance to drive
I'm starting this piece at 37,000 feet, on my way back from a quick trip to the South of France, writes Brian Byrne. Nice one, Brian, you say. Nice job too. Sure it is, like anybody's job is if they're doing what they love to do. But every time, these trips make me sick.

An Accord for the upper class
A spade is always a spade, writes Brian Byrne. And a Honda Accord has always been, well, a Honda Accord. Always a worthy car, but not one to start the juices flowing. Not any more, though.

Chrysler Airflite is no pushmobile
Greg Howell, who headed the exterior design team for the Chrysler Airflite that was the company's star concept at the 2003 Geneva Motor Show, is clearly proud of the result, writes Brian Byrne. Howell is one of the very young new car designers.

Volvo donates safety expertise to Thailand
According to official figures, some 14,000 people are killed on Thailand's roads every year, writes Ray Bernard. Which is one reason why the Thailand Accident Research Centre (TARC) was inaugurated last month, by no less a personage than the King of Sweden, Carl Gustav.

Ford in Europe - the first 100 years
The first Ford cars to reach Europe early in 1904 were 8-hp twin-cylinder 'gas buggies' designated 'Model A', writes Tom Hunt. Despite their billing as 'America’s Favorite Car', they made little impression on the market.

Honda dream power is a road runner
Honda has a vision of a hydrogen future, writes Brian Byrne. Not just for its cars, but for how we achieve all our energy needs.

New RX300 builds on a pedigree
Over half a million copies sold are the rolling testimonies to the success of the Lexus RX300 which was first launched in 1999, writes Ray Bernard. The latest version comes to US and European markets - including Ireland - in May.

Geneva Motor Show 2003
As usual, we are covering the press days of the Geneva Motor Show, the most important European annual show, write Brian Byrne & Trish Whelan.

Kalos is a big possibility
Drivers of all ages looking for a stylish small car which won’t cost the earth to run could take a look at the new Daewoo Kalos - a big possibility small car that comes at a reasonable price, writes Trish Whelan.

Vectra enhances the line
Opel's GTS is designed to attract the more adventurous in the middle/upper management sector, writes Brian Byrne. The ones who haven't yet succumbed to the lure of the expensive badge.

Cordoba delivers more for less
It seems hard to believe that the latest SEAT Cordoba is a car based on the VW Polo supermini platform, writes Brian Byrne. The saloon version of the popular Ibiza, in its latest guise, becomes another of those 'crossover' cars that tips up into the next segment.

Vredestein blaze the tyre trail
Tyre launches, the 10 to 15 kilometres factory walkabout these events usually entail and the briefing sessions that go with them come under the 'Avoid at all Costs' heading in my 'Guide to a Happier Life', writes John Reilly.

Changes to the black stuff
As brand image goes, Michelin in Ireland is premium, as it is in the US - where in an automotive brand awareness study, Mercedes-Benz came first and Michelin second, writes Remi Blondet.

VIEWPOINT - A Government with a hard neck
It has now emerged that, not alone will a whole range of major projects be delayed, but they are running substantially over budget, writes Bill Bunson. And we’ll have to pay tolls to make up the difference. It is a disgrace that, in pre-tribunal and sex abuse scandal eras, would have put any administration to the pin of its collar to survive.

Mazda2 will shake up the segment
They don't come more cut-throat than in the supermini segment, writes Brian Byrne. It is key to gaining first customers who might well be prepared to stay with their first brand into the next segment of small family cars. And for that reason alone, the imminent arrival of the Mazda2 replacement for the old 121 and the Demio is fortuitous timing. Mazda is on a roll.

Stilo Multi Wagon will extend Fiat choice
The new Fiat Stilo Multi Wagon about to go on sale in Ireland will have a number of features which are more commonly associated with MPVs than mere station wagons, writes Ray Bernard. The designers say that flexibility of use was the guiding principle in developing the car, which completes the wide range of vehicles from the Stilo stable.

A Saab that hits the spot
Saab wanted to change their market for the 9-3 series when they got the chance to build on a whole new platform, writes Brian Byrne. And an immediate major change was the fact that it would be a saloon, instead of the hatchback which by tradition was the format of Saabs in this size. So it has become a 'premium sport saloon'.

Around the world in 27 days
The G4 Challenge is a spectacular project, writes Brian Byrne, and during the month of April 16 contestants from the same number of different countries will be travelling an adventure down the east coast of the US, across South Africa, through a tough region of Australia, and ending with a week-long trek up the west coast of America.

Sportcross first impression lasts
The five-seater Lexus SportCross IS200 is a stylish and sporty estate that drives every bit as good as it looks, writes Trish Whelan. There is absolutely no stinting whatever on this car which offers a huge amount of features as standard. And as is usually the case with a Lexus, that distinctive ‘L’ badge turns heads.

The name says it all superbly
Calling their new flagship car the Superb (after a luxurious model Skoda built back in 1934) left the VW-owned Czech motor company open to ridicule should anything go wrong - no matter how successful Skoda's Octavia and Fabia have been, writes Tony Conlon. It was a gamble, but it paid off. Its platform is that of a stretched Passat and although extended by only 95mm between the axles the effect is amazing.

A profusion of good ideas
A tall practical versatile all round vehicle, the Fusion, especially the one I’ve being driving, the 1.4 TDCi diesel, actually caters for a huge audience, writes Tony Conlon - from the 'targeted' cost conscious families to the Ballsbridge set, the empty nesters and our more senior citizens who will find it so easy to settle into.

Abarth Stilo could be arresting
The only way I could consider buying a Fiat Stilo Abarth for myself would be in a midnight blue colour, and with the skirts removed, writes Brian Byrne. Because otherwise I would be a target for every radar gun and camera in whatever part of the country I happened to be driving through.

Sky Wagon is a Peugeot good-looker
While most volume sellers would be delighted to have one ‘good looker’ in the family, this French marque has a fleet full - from the handsome 206 supermini to the redoubtable 607, writes John Knox. In between are two of my own top ten, the ageless 406 coupé and the bright and versatile 307 Sky Wagon.

Land Cruiser at exhilerating heights
The mountain track was just two feet wider than the car, with rock face to my right and a nasty drop to jagged rocks below if I cared to look left, writes Trish Whelan. I didn’t. I don’t like heights and this was hair-raising stuff for me.

New BMW roadster is sun-tingling
If for some reason I was told that I MUST only drive a roadster, I think owning a BMW Z4 would be the least painful answer, writes Brian Byrne. Indeed, pain probably wouldn’t come into the equation.

The Land Rover Experience
It’s the first rule of offroading, writes Brian Byrne. Don’t hook your thumbs around the wheel. You could end up having them sprained or broken if it spins as the vehicle’s wheels jerk around in a rut or hole.

New Megane is something special
Every once in a while something really special comes along that sets new standards in its class, writes Trish Whelan. Something like the new Renault Mégane small family car which, as well as its futuristic styling, brings 21st century technology to the mass market.

What's coming for 2003
Well, 2002 was an exceptionally busy year for motor launches and new product, reflected in the record number of cars that were in contention in the Semperit Irish Car of the Year 2003, won, of course, by the Mazda 6, writes Brian Byrne.
When Mustangs were wild and free ...
Over 36 years the Ford Mustang went from a simple but sexy and affordable car aimed at the American youth and young suburban market, to a bloated and overheavy beast and then back to an anorexic tinniness that was just a shadow of its original style, writes Roy Retters.

New Phantom wafts in
Waftability: that’s the Rolls Royce word, writes Bill Trapman. Coined almost a century ago by an Autocar journalist about the feeling he got while driving a Rolls Royce of the time. A cosseting ride is a given as is the refinement and comfort of the interior of what is the acknowledged world icon of motoring luxury.

Land Cruiser in the high sierras
If there’s one good reason for driving through the Sierra de Almijara mountains in southern Spain, it is the stunning scenery, backgrounded by the snowcaps on the even higher Sierra Nevada towering over Granada over to the north-west, writes Brian Byrne.