New Mini Clubvan delivers on many levels

Thu, Dec 13, 2012

The new Mini Clubvan with five doors has just gone on sale - the first new Mini to be classed as a commercial vehicle.

Maintaining old roads as important as building new ones

Thu, Dec 06, 2012

Ireland has lots of lovely new roads. Nice to have got something out of the boom while it lasted. But while we might be delighted with the shiny new motorways it is easy to lose sight of the fact that as well as some good roads we have an awful lot of bad ones.

Ford Transit Custom - Continental Irish Van of the Year

Thu, Dec 06, 2012

The Ford Transit Custom has been voted Continental Irish Van of the Year 2013 by the Irish Motoring Writers’ Association.

Latest Opel Astra range arrives in style

Thu, Dec 06, 2012

The latest Astra range has arrived and Opel Ireland says it comes with a host of advanced driver technology, safety related systems, and sharp German engineering and design.

World’s first diesel plug-in hybrid car from Volvo

Thu, Dec 06, 2012

Making history with world’s first diesel plug-in hybrid, Volvo Car is now ramping up production of the new V60 plug-in hybrid ahead of first customer deliveries in early 2013.

What makes cars stop?

Thu, Nov 29, 2012

Cars are marvellous technologies. Given that they basically run by controlled explosions it is a wonder that they work at all. In fact they are incredibly reliable but they will still let you down from time to time.

This is something the AA knows all about of course. Given that we handle a huge volume of roadside call outs every year, we have a very good understanding about what makes cars stop.

Car industry hopes changed plate will change their luck

Thu, Nov 22, 2012

You may recall that a few months ago we were talking about possible changes to the Irish registration plate system. Those rumours look a bit more solid now and if the signals that the AA are getting are accurate next year’s registration plates will see the first change in format since 1987.

Win a Toyota GT86 or the new Auris at Tony Burke Motors

Thu, Nov 22, 2012

Local Toyota dealership, Tony Burke Motors, is inviting motorists to its Win it Weekend promotion taking place this weekend (Friday November 23 to Sunday 25) in its Toyota showroom at Ballybrit, Galway.

We’re ready for snow, but drizzle is more likely to kill us

Thu, Nov 15, 2012

I was asked on the radio this week what sort of weather the AA was expecting this winter. Quite how I was supposed to know is beyond me. The AA’s crystal ball is no better than anyone else’s.

I can guarantee that it will be dark at night. Apart from that we really can’t say. There may be mystics counting sheep on the hillsides or drawing inferences from the behaviour of pigeons, but the science just isn’t there to be accurate about what will happen.

Volvo’s sportierV40 R-Design and Cross Country

Thu, Nov 15, 2012

Volvo Car Ireland has announced prices of the new Volvo V40 R-Sesign and Volvo V40 Cross Country.

Western Motors offers three years of worry-free Seat motoring

Thu, Nov 15, 2012

Western Motors, newly appointed Seat dealers in Galway, and Seat Ireland have unveiled a quintet of special offers to take the stress out of buying a new car in 2013.

Driving on the left – we’re right and everyone else is wrong

Thu, Nov 08, 2012

That fellow Napoleon has an awful lot to answer for. Not satisfied with conquering the whole of Europe he has left a legacy that divides us from the Continent and indeed from most of the world.

In Ireland, influenced of course by Britain, the convention is to drive on the left hand side of the road. That puts us in a minority that may seem as if we're at odds with the world but I can tell you on good authority that everybody's out of step except us.

Stylish new Honda CR-V with a new tough edge

Thu, Nov 08, 2012

The new fourth generation CR-V has gone on sale with a lower entry level price of €37,785 ex-works.

It will no doubt build on the success of the previous generation models because it has been improved in terms of efficiency, quality, practicality, refinement and it looks well.

New Renault Clio offers style and substance

Thu, Nov 08, 2012

Back in 1990 Renault launched the first Clio. Do you remember the hugely successful and compelling 'Nicole and Papa' Clio series of television advertisements in the nineties?

Dark days mean danger for cyclists, so light up please

Thu, Nov 01, 2012

It has become dark all of a sudden: very dark. Since the clock went back on Sunday the great bulk of commuters are now returning home in darkness. Sunset in Dublin is 16:45, and you get five or ten minutes more on the west coast. But driving home in darkness is the norm for the next few months. This makes life dangerous for pedestrians, bikers and especially cyclists.

Fiesta wins MPG Marathon with 108.78 mpg

Thu, Nov 01, 2012

The Ford Fiesta Econetic 1.6 TDCi has won the 2012 ALD Automotive MPG Marathon, clocking up 108.78mpg over a 370-mile route involving tough, real-world driving in challenging weather conditions.

Galway man heads up new Peugeot design lab

Thu, Nov 01, 2012

Galway man, Cathal Loughnane, has been appointed manager of the new Peugeot Design Laboratory in Paris.

Europcar to open new Galway branch

Thu, Nov 01, 2012

Europcar, Europe’s largest car rental company, is poised to create 50 jobs with the opening of two new branches in Ireland, including one in Galway.

New Volkswagen Golf arrives in December

Thu, Oct 25, 2012

The new Golf, which goes on sale in Ireland in December, will have a starting price of €19,995 for the Trendline three-door 1.2 TSI (petrol) and €22,695 for the Trendline 1.6 TDI (diesel) three-door, writes Padraic Deane.

New rules for new drivers

Thu, Oct 25, 2012

New drivers will face new rules from next year. The Road Traffic Act that is currently in preparation will have a number of eye-catching provisions and the group most affected will be young people learning how to drive.

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