Renault Megane TCe 130 Petrol Now Available In Ireland
Renault Ireland has added a new engine to the Renault Megane Hatch and Sport Tourer range. The Megane is now available to order in Ireland with a 1.2-litre TCe 130 turbo petrol engine, priced from €20,740.
The new Megane TCe engine is available across Expression, Dynamique Nav, Dynamique S Nav and GT Line Nav versions of the Megane Hatch and Sport Tourer.
According to Renault, this engine brings "a new level of refinement and performance to Megane, while offering lower nitrogen oxide and particulate emissions than diesel versions".
Updated infotainment for new Megane
Dynamique Nav trim and above includes Renault’s RLink 2 multimedia system, which now features Apple Car Play and Android Auto, as well as built-in satellite navigation.
Patrick Magee, Country Operations Director, Renault Ireland: “As the demand for petrol continues to grow, we are delighted to increase our range of petrol cars with the new Megane Hatch and Sport Tourer TCe 130 in 2018, the most powerful entry-level petrol engine in its class. The Megane range continues to be our best-selling Renault model, proving its popularity among customers.”
For more information visit www.renault.ie
Tesla Store In Ireland Hosts Journalists And Owners
Tesla recently hosted a group of Irish motoring journalists and some of Tesla's Irish owners at an event in their Sandyford store in Dublin.
The event was an opportunity to find out more about Tesla's operations in Ireland, hear owner's stories and test drive the Model S and Model X.
Three Irish owners were present to give an insight into what it means to own and drive a Tesla in Ireland. They shared with us why they chose a Tesla, what they owned before and why they made the switch to electric.
Their experiences were all positive and they all emphasised how cheap the cars were to run, while the long battery range makes them easy to get around in Ireland.
Ireland currently has Tesla Superchargers in Ballacolla and Birdhill, with two more locations on the way at Lisburn and Enfield.
Tesla's Irish store is located at 92 Bracken Road, Sandyford, Dublin 18. For more information click here.
Volvo XC40 Wins 2018 European Car Of The Year
The new Volvo XC40 has been named the 2018 European Car of the Year. The small SUV from Volvo won with a healthy lead of 325 points over the SEAT Ibiza with 242 points, and the BMW 5-Series with 226 points.
This is the first time that Volvo has won this prestigious award.
The Volvo XC40's quality, looks, ruggedness and safety impressed Jury members.
“Winning this award with our new XC40 is perfect timing,” said Håkan Samuelsson, President and CEO of Volvo Cars. “Volvo now has three globally available SUVs in its range for the first time. The XC40 will be a strong contributor to further growth, taking us into a new and fast-growing small SUV segment.”
The Volvo XC40 is the first model on Volvo Cars’ new compact modular vehicle architecture (CMA), which will underpin all upcoming cars in the 40 series, including fully electrified vehicles.
“We have a clear strategy for growth and we are committed to leading in automotive safety, connectivity services and electrification,” said Håkan Samuelsson. “The XC40 reflects that commitment, and looking at the response from our customers and from the Car of the Year jury here today, we are on the right track.”
The Volvo XC40 is on sale in Ireland now. For more information visit Volvo's website.
Ireland's New Car Registrations In February 2018
Official statistics released today by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show that total new car registrations for the month of February were steady. The month finished with 17,081 new cars registered compared to 17,089 in February 2017.
New cars registrations year to date are down 3.5% on the same period last year at 54,143 vs 56,092 in 2017.
The Commercial Vehicle sector showed a mixed result between Light and Heavy Commercial Vehicle registrations. New Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) registrations were up 6.13% (2,634) on February 2017 (2,487) and year to date are up 6% (9,356).
New Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HGV) have declined 10% for the month of February (243) compared to the same month last year (270) and are down 11% (646) year to date.
Used car imports have increased by 14.4% in February 2018 (8,903), and year to date are 17.3% (17,964) ahead of 2017 (15,317).
Alan Nolan, SIMI Director General, said "New car registrations for the month of February delivered a steady performance when compared with the same month last year, however registrations overall remaining 3.5% down year to date. The increase in the light commercial vehicle sector reflects the strong economic growth for businesses, particularly in the local economy, while HGVs which may be more impacted by Brexit concerns, remain down 11%. The Brexit impact is also visible in the continued growth in used car imports which were 15.7% up in February."
Diesel market share is continuing to move back toward more traditional levels in new car sales, having reached an artificially high peak of 73% in 2014. So far in 2018, diesel accounts for 57% of the market. As a consequence of this shift, the average CO2 emissions for new cars registered this year have increased by 2.1%."
What were the bestselling brands and models?
The top five bestselling car brands so far in 2018 are Toyota, Hyundai, Volkswagen, Ford and Nissan.
The top five bestselling car model’s so far in 2018 are the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Ford Focus, Skoda Octavia and Volkswagen Golf.
The bestselling car in February 2018 was the Skoda Octavia.
Audi is Ireland's bestselling premium brand, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class is the best selling premium car so far in 2018.
Subaru And Castle Garage Bray Sponsor Monkstown Hockey Club
Subaru Ireland and Castle Garage in Bray, Co. Wicklow have announced their sponsorship of Monkstown Hockey Club U-16s. As part of the sponsorship, the teams will receive new kit, a welcome boost for the rising stars of the well-known and very successful South Dublin hockey club.
Castle Garage was set up in 1955 and is a family-owned Subaru dealership in Bray, serving customers in South Dublin and Wicklow. With nearly 30 years’ service as the Subaru Main Dealer for South Dublin and Wicklow, Castle Garage is the longest serving Subaru Dealer in Ireland.
Derek Bradshaw, Dealer Principal of Castle Garage, commented: “We are delighted to get involved with Monkstown Hockey Club in sponsoring their U16 teams. This is a great initiative that allows us to get our name out there and support one of our local sports teams. These are a great bunch of kids and the bright young stars of local sports so we hope the support and new gear will bring as much of a boost to the teams as it will to Castle Garage.”
Trevor Watkins, President of Monkstown Hockey Club, added: “Monkstown Hockey Club are delighted to welcome Subaru & Castle Garage on board as sponsor of the U-16 section of our club. The club, teams, mentors and parents are delighted with this new partnership.”
Orders Open For The New Fiat Tipo S-Design
Fiat is adding a new trim level to the Fiat Tipo hatchback range. The Tipo S-Design gets a number of styling and equipment upgrades and starts from €22,995 for the 1.4 T-Jet 120hp petrol.
Styling updates include grille with glossy black trim, which continues around the edges of the fog lights and on the mirror caps. It also encases the Bi-Xenon headlights, which make their first appearance in the Tipo range. There is also new diamond cut 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows and body coloured door handles.
The new Fiat Tipo S-Design It is available in a choice of five colours including the exclusive new Street Grey.
Inside, the S-Design model has new 'Techno' leather and fabric seats with double stitching that extends to the gear knob and steering wheel. Glossy black accents highlight the dashboard and Tecnico Grey fascia, which spans the entire width of the passenger compartment.
Standard equipment includes the next-generation UconnectTM 7-inch HD LIVE infotainment system, fitted with high-resolution 7-inch touchscreen, and Apple CarPlay and Android AutoTM to allow drivers to access their phone's functionality while in the car.
The Fiat Tipo S-Design is also available with the 1.6 Multijet 120hp diesel from €24,745.
The Fiat Tipo S-Design hatchback is in showrooms now.
New Car Registrations In Ireland Down In January 2018
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) has released the official new vehicle registration figures for January 2018. New car registrations are down 4.8% to 37,125 compared to January 2017 when 39,003 new cars were registered.
Light Commercial registrations are currently up 6.3% to 6,728 compared to January last year (6,329), while HGV (Heavy Goods Vehicle) registrations are down 11.84% to 402 compared to January 2017 (456).
Alan Nolan Director General SIMI commented: “2017 finished down 10.4% as anticipated and also recorded a shift in the market-share of Diesel cars from 70% to 65%. The same trends have been apparent in January’s new car sales, which have delivered a steady start to the 181 registration period but Brexit has continued to impact with new car sales down 4.8%, while used car import registrations are up 20% compared to January last year. Diesel continues to be the choice of engine for over half of Irish new car buyers however the noticeable trend towards petrol and hybrid vehicles which started last year has continued in 2018. We expect this pattern of sales mix to continue for the rest of the year. While the number of Electric cars registered in January (104) shows a decline on January 2017 (168), this is a timing issue with supply and later new model delivery dates. The Sector remains confident that EV registrations will increase significantly in 2018.”
The top five selling car brands in the month of January were:
1.Toyota
2.Hyundai
3.Ford
4.Volkswagen
5.Nissan
The top five selling model in January were:
1.Hyundai Tucson
2.Nissan Qashqai
3.Ford Focus
4.Volkswagen Golf
5.Ford Fiesta
Ireland's bestselling premium brand was Mercedes-Benz, while the bestselling premium car was the Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
BMW X2 To Launch In Ireland In March
The all-new BMW X2 will arrive in Ireland in March 2018 priced from €43,960.
This is a brand new model for the brand and the BMW X2 is somewhere between a coupé and a small SUV.
The new BMW X2 is eight centimetres shorter and more than seven centimetres lower than the BMW X1, yet has the same wheelbase.
At launch the BMW X2 xDrive20d diesel variant will be available (from €51,910). It generates a maximum output of 190hp and 400Nm of torque enabling a zero to 100km/h time of 7.7 seconds. Official fuel consumption is 4.8l/100km (combined), while CO2 emissions are as low as 124g/km in base trim.
The engine range will be expanded shortly after launch adding a further three engines in the form of the sDrive18d, xDrive18d and sDrive20i.
The range of exterior paint options include brand new colours for the brand including Galvanic Gold and Misano Blue, and perforated Dakota leather in Magma red.
Interior design highlights include a new driver display with black panel technology as standard, while the BMW ConnectedDrive features the latest digital services.
There are four trim levels for the new BMW X2 in Ireland: SE, Sport, M Sport and M Sport X.
Standard specification on SE includes 17-inch alloy wheels, BMW Navigation (RTTI), dual zone climate control, Front fog lights, ISOFIX front passenger seat, power tailgate, rain sensor and BMW emergency call.
Standard specification on Sport includes 18 inch-alloy wheels, sports steering wheel, black high-gloss trim with pearlescent chrome finisher, exterior styling trim, black high-gloss, LED foglights and headlights with cornering function.
Standard specification on M Sport includes 19-inch light alloy multi-spoke style wheels, ambient LED lighting, LED headlights, front LED fog lights, M Sport suspension, and heated sport seats, two-zone control air conditioning, cruise control with braking function, Park Distance Control, Bluetooth hands-free, BMW ConnectedDrive (BMW Emergency Call, BMW Navigation, BMW Online Services, BMW Teleservices, Real Time Traffic Information), Drive Performance Control and the Control Display - 6.5-inch display screen.
Standard specification on M Sport X includes 19-inch M Sport light alloy wheels, leather upholstery, aluminium interior trim with pearlescent finisher, and satinated aluminium roof rails.
Fiat Ireland Adds Brian Reynolds Car Sales To Dealership Network
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ireland has added Brian Reynolds Car Sales, Drogheda, to its dealer network as its newest sales and aftersales partner for both Fiat passenger car and Fiat Professional brands.
The family-run business has been appointed to represent Fiat in Drogheda, providing customers across both County Louth and County Meath an accessible new home for Fiat. The newly refurbished showroom will stock the full Fiat passenger car range including the iconic Fiat 500 and its family of vehicles: 500X, 500L and 500L Living, plus the C-segment Tipo range and Panda and Punto city cars.
Fiat Professional’s range, including the Fiorino, Doblo, Talento, Ducato and Fiat Fullback pick-up, will all be available at Brian Reynolds Car Sales.
Brian Reynolds Car Sales has been in business since 1989. The company became a Mazda dealership in 2004 and has built a strong tradition of putting customers first. It has won many awards for sales, aftersales and customer service, and is now looking forward to bringing these attributes to this new partnership.
“This is a really exciting time to be part of the Fiat brand in Ireland,” says Alan Reynolds, Dealer Principal, Brian Reynolds Car Sales. “We are thrilled to be on board with the franchise and are looking forward to putting Fiat back to its strong position in the Louth/Meath area.
“I’d also like to extend a warm welcome to all our future Fiat and Fiat Professional customers, and urge them to drop in to see us at our showroom on Matthews Lane, Drogheda, to test drive this fantastic range.”
“We are delighted to add Brian Reynolds Car Sales to our Fiat network and bring the brand back to the important Drogheda market,” adds Paul Hunt, Managing Director, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ireland.
“This appointment represents a significant step in our plans to expand and strengthen the Fiat dealer network across Ireland. The location and accessibility will ensure customers in both Louth and Meath can now sample the Fiat range.
“We are confident that, in the Reynolds family, we have secured a partner and team that will deliver the highest levels of service to Fiat customers both current and new to the brand.”
Following on from this appointment Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Ireland will now focus on further network expansions across the counties of Galway, Kildare, Westmeath, Wexford, Sligo and Mayo.
New Car Registrations For 2017 Down 10%
Official statistics released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) show that total new car registrations for 2017 finished at 131,356, a 10% decrease on 2016 (146,649).
The top five selling car brands in Ireland in 2017 were Volkswagen, Toyota, Ford, Hyundai and Nissan.
The top five selling models in Ireland in 2017 were the Hyundai Tucson, Volkswagen Golf, Nissan Qashqai, Skoda Octavia and Ford Focus.
Grey was the most popular colour for new cars in 2017.
New Light Commercial Vehicle registrations (LCV) finished at 24,195 for 2017, down 14.2%. New Heavy Commercial Vehicle registrations (HGV) finished the year at 2,602, down 9.4% on 2016.
Used car imports reached 93,454, which was an increase of 29.5% on 2016 (72,153).
Used Commercial Vehicle imports also increased during 2017 with LCV imports up 21.3% and HGV imports up 14.8%.
Commenting on the figures, SIMI Director General, Alan Nolan, said "2017 was a very challenging year for the Motor Industry, mainly due to the impact of Brexit on Euro/Sterling exchange rates. Without Brexit we would have anticipated a reasonable level of growth in the market but in the aftermath of the UK Brexit vote we had modified our projection to 132,000 and that prediction turned out to be very accurate with the car market finishing at 131,356. This number is still better than most recent years and produced reasonable volumes across all vehicle sales sectors.
We are, of course, now at the commencement of the new 181 sales period which is hugely important for our members who remain optimistic for the coming year. For new car buyers competition in the choice of models, the various incentives and special offers, as well as the range of finance options, mean that competition is driving value for consumers. The obvious value available in the Irish new car market has been apparent over the past 12 months with only 79 new cars imported in 2017, despite the low value of sterling. While used imports have been increasing strongly, new car imports have fallen by 25% in the last year and by almost 60% over the last three years. With such a range of models, offers and finance options available to consumers to choose from, the best advice, as always, is to research in advance, shop around and, if you can, shop local and support businesses in your home place.”