- 'Disappointing' results in holiday car rental tests
GOOD SERVICE from holiday car rental companies is a concept “unknown” to many European rental agencies, and Irish motorists may expect problems ranging from demands for extra money to missing wheel nuts, according to a new survey. - Irish classic motor show Hard shoulder: THE 18TH annual Irish classic and vintage motor show takes place this Sunday at Terenure College, Dublin. Featuring more than 1,000 exhibits, the show will showcase classic vehicles, including military and commercial vehicles.
Motors Feature
- More than just hot air at the BMW centre BMW's new aerodynamic test centre is reducing emissions and streamlining models, writes
PADDY COMYN
- 'Four-bore' Panamera leaves us cold
FIRST DRIVE - PORSCHE PANAMERA: Porsche reckon the Panerama is a class-defining car, but
KEVIN HACKETT finds it a few degrees below freezing. - A revival of post-war tradition and home of historic racing
PAST IMPERFECT: Goodwood Motor Circuit has its origins in the days of the second World War and heralds a bygone era, writes
BOB MONTGOMERY . - Mass appeal from third Prius model
FIRSTDRIVE TOYOTA PRIUS THIRD GENERATION: Honda may challenge Toyota over who brought hybrid to market first, but the Prius brought it to the masses, writes
MICHAEL MCALEER , Motoring editor - Very little uphill struggle for this addictive form of motorsport
Hill climbing is the motorsport that keeps on giving, offering endless satisfaction with very little wallet strain, writes
ALISDAIR SUTTIE - Solid, safe and reliable - Renault's new Megane estate is only lacking a dose of personality
FIRSTDRIVE RENAULT MEGANE SPORT TOURERRenault’s newest Mégane, the estate, has bags of space and safety specs, but it’s all a bit anodyne, writes
MARK NICHOL - Hard shoulder First sighting of Mercedes M-Class THIS IS the first sign that Mercedes is preparing the next generation of its M-Class SUV range, with the test car spotted close to the firm’s German headquarters. While the new model will not be making forays onto forecourts until 2011 at the earliest, work seems to have started on the next generation.
- Motors quiz 1 What was the main car that featured in The Transporter (2002) movie?
- Cost of change most important figure MICHAEL McALEER answers all your motoring queries
Motor News
- The 500C - a sunny delight
FIRSTDRIVE FIAT 500C: Fiat has gone back to its roots, but the result is a very unique type of open-top motoring, finds
MARK NICHOL. - Indian launch for luxury car brands
THREE MONTHS after launching the world’s cheapest four-seater car, the Nano, Ratan Tata, the Indian owner of Jaguar Land Rover, introduced the two luxury vehicles into the domestic market, hoping to better the group’s flagging fortunes by targeting the emerging rich in India. - Tesla confirms right-hand Roadster TESLA HAS confirmed right-hand-drive variants of the electric, two-seat Roadster will be on sale early next year. The California-based company announced the news at the opening of its European showroom in London, from which it hopes to sell up to 100 cars in its first year. The London dealership will serve the Irish market, with Irish prices due to be released in coming months.
- Motors Gadgets
This week's gadgets reviewed
Road Test
- Ford's focus on performance results in a RS that's in a class of its own
Ford's new focus drives like a supercar and handles like a dream, writes
MICHAEL McALEER , Motoring editor, but beware the temptation to push it to its limit. - Competition: the alternatives
Four alternatives to Ford's new Focus. - Second Hand Sense The VW Passat offers reliability and space, writes
DONAL BYRNE .
Ford's focus on performance results in a RS that's in a class of its own