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Other motors news in brief

New driving campus in Kildare lets drivers learn the rules in safety

A new purpose-built driving campus has opened outside Maynooth, Co Kildare. With over two kilometres of private roadway and a skid pan to train drivers on how to handle a car when it slides, the Leinster Driving Campus is aimed at both teenagers who need initial training before going on public roads, learner drivers and those seeking advanced driving tips.

The five-acre facility includes regulatory road signs, roundabouts and offers a controlled environment, according to Padraic McHale, whose family have opened the facility on their farm land.

"All cars on the track are dual control and there are four RSA approved driving instructors working at the facility. We also have a qualified motorcycle instructor at the campus."

Training at the campus costs €40 per hour of instruction.

"The purposely designed circuit includes some of the most common traffic control features and challenges that beginners must learn to negotiate including roundabouts, traffic lights, yellow boxes, hill starts, zebra crossings and an ABS braking skill area," according to McHale.

"This will make the learning process a safer operation for all concerned and avoid rushed commuters being delayed behind beginner drivers while driving to and from work."

The McHale family hope to offer fleet training as well as early learner training.

Cost cutting at GM sees Oscar stars without a ride this year

Movie stars will need to find alternative transport to the Oscars next year after the decision by cash-strapped General Motors to end its 19-year sponsorship of the awards.

America's largest carmaker is slashing its promotional budget as it struggles to trim losses that topped $18 billion (€12 billion) in the first half of the year.

GM has traditionally been one of the biggest advertisers at the Academy Awards and even persuaded stars to ditch their usual limousines in favour of travelling to the show in a fleet of 75 hybrid or fuel cell-powered cars.

"With the current business challenges and tightening budgets, we've decided to focus our advertising dollars on activities that reach customers in the most impactful ways," a GM spokeswoman said.

"The Academy Awards was a very good platform in the past but is not part of our 2009 business plans."

On a brighter note, chairman Rick Wagoner said there was significant interest in the firm's planned sale of up to $4 billion (€2.7 billion) of assets, but no deals were expected soon.

The US car firm, claims it's on track to free up €10.2 billion in liquidity with cost-cutting, asset sales and borrowing under a July plan to reassure investors.

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times