Apk Usema

Tesla'a Model Y electric SUV, now being built in Germany, was the biggest selling car in Europe in September, according to the latest figures from automotive industry monitors Jato Dynamics, writes Brian Byrne. It was followed up by the Peugeot 208, the Dacia Sandero, Skoda's Octavia and the Toyota Yaris. Ford's Kuga was the best selling plug-in hybrid vehicle, ahead of the Kia Niro, the Kia Sportage and the BMW X5. The three biggest markets for EVs in the month were Germany, the UK and France, which combined represented 60pc of the battery-electric car market. 

Swedish performance electric car brand Polestar has appointed the Spirit Motor Group in Sandyford, Dublin, as the 'hub' in Ireland where customers can collect their cars, writes Brian Byrne . While Ireland will follow the global Polestar direct-to-consumer model with online sales only, Spirit Motor Group will oversee the handover of cars to customers and provide an aftersales service also.  Potential customers will also be able to test drive Polestar models from the Sandyford hub. At the moment there is just one model, the Polestar 2, which will be joined soon by the Polestar 3, and electric SUV priced from €99,900 and available to order now.  

The new MG5 EV Estate has a starting price of €34,645 and first deliveries in Ireland are expected in the new year, writes Brian Byrne . The prices were announced today by MG Motor Ireland for the car, which will also be available in a higher trim level at €37,896. Pre-orders are being accepted now. The rated range is 401km. 

A doubling of some road safety offences fines will be in place from tomorrow, writes Brian Byrne , including speeding offences. Speeding fines go from €80 to €160, mobile phone use from €60 to €120, non-wearing of seatbelts from €60 to €120, and failing to ensure that a child is properly restrained from €60 to €120. The fine for a learner permit holder driving a vehicle unaccompanied by a qualified person will also increase, from €80 to €160. The fine for novice and learner drivers not displaying ‘L’ or ‘N’ plates, or tabards in the case of motorcyclists, will double to €120. The new fines were announced by the Minister of State at the Department of Transport, Ms Hildegarde Naughton, at the Road Safety Authority’s Annual Conference in Croke Park today. Minister Naughton also announced that three new Fixed Charge Notices will come into force in the new year, relating to the misuse of a disabled parking permit, illegally parking in an electric charging bay, and breaching a HGV ban and en...

Ford of Europe is to discontinue production of its Fiesta small car in Cologne in June of next year, writes Brian Byrne . The S-Max and Galaxy MPVs will also be discontinued in Valencia, Spain, from April of 2023. The move is in preparation for the rollout of three new electric passenger cars in Europe by 2024, along with four new electric commercial vehicles. Ford Europe plans to have all production of passenger vehicles to be fully electric by 2030, and will be selling more than 600,000 electric vehicles in the region by 2026. The Fiesta was first introduced by Ford in 1976 and has been produced through seven generations, with more than 16 million units sold. 

Skoda has announced a performance version of its Enyaq iV electric SUV with a power output of 300hp, writes Brian Byrne . Adding the Enyaq to its RS stable brings electric motoring to two models in the performance line-up, the first being the Enyaq Coupe RS iV. Like the Coupe, the latest car will have two electric motors and all-wheel drive and is rated with a range of over 500km. The 100,000th Enyaq iV is imminently coming off the production line. 

Citroën's new C5 X has been launched in Ireland with a starting price of €36,990, writes Brian Byrne . The car brings the French brand back into the large car D-segment with a car that looks like a sleek estate but offers SUV space. The new car has petrol and plug-in hybrid powertrains at launch, and both engines are matched to an 8-speed automatic transmission. The PHEV version includes the new Citroën active suspension as standard. All versions come with Citroen's  There are four trim levels available. 

Opel Ireland has announced its dealership awards of the year 2023 which were presented at the brand’s annual Dealer Conference held at The Heritage Killenard, Co Laois this week, writes Trish Whelan .  J McChesney & Son, Main Opel Dealer, Clontibret, Co Monaghan won the coveted Opel Dealer of the Year 2022 award. Brian and Wendy McChesney, Dealer Principals, were presented with the accolade. They are pictured above with James Brooks, Managing Director, Opel Ireland. The win comes as the company celebrates 75 years in business. The family-run business joined the Opel Dealer Network in 1977.  The Opel Retail Sales Dealer of the Year 2022 went to Central Motors, Main Opel Dealer, Mohill, Co Leitrim. Paul Walpole, Sales Manager, was presented with the accolade. Appointed to the Opel Dealer Network in 1984, the family-owned Central Motors was first established in 1972 by Patsy Walpole. The dealership is one of Ireland’s longest-serving Opel Dealers and the win coincides with...

Renault Group finished in third position in September with a 10.2pc market share and year-to-date is now in fifth position in the market with a 7.1pc market share, writes Trish Whelan .  Dacia Sandero was number two best-selling car in the B-Hatch segment with the Renault Clio in fourth place. Year-to-date the Renault Group is in number one position in the competitive B segment.  The Dacia Jogger is pictured above. Renault vans performed very well in September with the Group finishing in second position with a 24.3pc market share. Master was the number one selling van in September and in the large van segment. Trafic also finished top of its segment.  Mobilize Financial Services Ireland, Renault Group’s in-house bank, lent over €11 million in September with €4 million of that lent to local businesses and SMEs purchasing light commercial vehicles.  

"We don’t consider ourselves a premium brand, yet, but the CX-60 is a step towards that." That remark from Mazda Ireland's David Bannon when he introduced the new CX-60 SUV rather surprised me, writes Brian Byrne . Personally I had always considered Mazda as beyond the mainstream, at least in touching distance of premium. Style, quality, and reliability have been hallmarks of this Japanese carmaker for a long time. And though Mazda doesn't have the variety of models of, say, Audi, I would generally figure them to be in very close company with that VW-owned premium brand. Maybe there should be an interim step, the quality brand? Anyhow, the new CX-60 does look and feel that it fits in an upper level space. It also means that you can pay premium money here now for a Mazda. The CX-60 is certainly worth a first drive report which will keep things going until I get some more significant time behind the wheel. The style is clean and uncluttered, part of the overall ethos un...

The Opel cars franchise has returned to County Meath after an absence of 12 years, with the appointment of James Reilly as dealer principal for Navan Opel on the Kells Road, writes Brian Byrne . With over 37 years in the Irish motor retail trade, Reilly began his career in the agricultural area holding various tractor agencies, prior to procuring the Navan property in 1986, where he distributed SAME tractors. He acquired the Ford franchise in 1994, working alongside his son Michael for over 25 years, first retailing Ford light commercial vehicles, followed by passenger cars. His daughter Linda will succeed her father there as dealer principal. James's other daughter Nicola leads the Aftersales department of the family business. Pictured are James Brooks, Managing Director, Opel Ireland; Alexis Moore, Opel Dealer Development Manager; James Reilly and his daughters Linda and Nicola Reilly. 

An upcoming Volvo EX90 will be the first electric car from the brand to offer bi-directional charging, allowing the electricity stored in the car to be used to power appliances in the home, writes Brian Byrne . The vehicle is due for reveal on 9 November, and the charging system will also allow an emergency charge for the car to be acquired from other compatible electric Volvos, or to give them an electric helping hand. Being able to send charge back into the home can mean taking advantage of cheaper rate electricity at peak rate times for  homes geared for such a system. These are just some of the features of a car that Volvo believes will also offer the safest driving environment possible, using artificial intelligence to monitor how the driver is feeling and regulating the car's systems appropriately.  

After not having had an electric car larger than the city Zoe while its Alliance partner Nissan pushed the compact EV envelope out with the Leaf, Renault has at last got a contender in that important family car space, writes Brian Byrne . The Megane E-Tech Electric takes the name of the hatchback that has soldiered for four generations for the French carmaker, but is built on a dedicated new EV platform and is shorter and narrower than that car. It also has very much its own style, outside and in. This is a first drive impression, as I took the car out for a couple of days in advance of a formal launch yet to take place. So the review is very much a preliminary one. Visually the first impressions are very positive indeed. There's a good balance of the car being styled for the 'ordinary' buyer — as opposed to those who like to show they are into cutting edge design — and enough flair to move the nameplate forward. The result is a handsome hatchback in a shape that suggests a...

Mercedes-Benz has updated for 2023 its third generation B-Class, originally launched in 2018, writes Brian Byrne . The revisions include new headlight systems with an option for LED, and updates to the grille as well as new options in alloy wheels. Improved aerodynamics are claimed, thanks to aero spoilers attached to the side of the rear window. The interior gets a new nappa leather covered steering wheel, changes to the centre console, and a rear-view camera becomes standard through the range. The company says improved seats are part of the upgrade. Similar changes are in line for the A-Class. 

BMW in Ireland has signed an agreement with Pod Point to offer home charger systems to its customers for BMW and Mini electric cars, writes Brian Byrne . Units will be available with either 7kW or 22kW outputs, with installed prices starting at €1,060, excluding SEAI grants. Pod Point has already been the charger partner for BMW in the UK, with more than 3,800 units installed. The chargers come with a 3-year warranty, and have the ability of software updates over the air. 

VW's ID range. Volkswagen Ireland is claiming the top-selling electric vehicles crown here with a total of 7,130 sold to date, passing out Nissan in June, writes Brian Byrne . The company says it owes the success to the ID family of electric cars, the brand’s ID. Family, first introduced here in 2020. VW Ireland has a 27pc share of the battery electric vehicle market so far in 2022, a segment which itself is currently accounting for nearly 15pc of the new car market here.