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The new generation Nissan Leaf electric car has gone on sale in Ireland at a starting price of €26,290, writes Brian Byrne . The car has also just been awarded the 'World Green Car 2018' accolade. The car has a 40 kWh battery which gives it a real-world range of 260km and a potential range, depending on conditions and driving style, in excess of 350km. Before the new Leaf arrived, Nissan Ireland had already 200 firm orders following a social media campaign. As the best selling electric car in Ireland since the first version was launched in 2010, a further 2,300 potential owners have expressed interest in the new version. Nissan Ireland say they will probably sell 1,000 units of the C-segment Leaf this year, though they admit that 'supply may be a problem'. In direct comparison with a 1.2 petrol Qashqai, operating savings of around €1,200 a year are estimated. We'll have a first drive review here later.

The new Volvo XC60 midsize SUV has been named World Car of the Year 2018 at the New York Auto Show, writes Trish Whelan . The World Car of the Year win is the first in this competition for Volvo Cars. Volvo say the XC60 is one of the safest cars they have ever built. It also scooped the prestigious North American Utility of the Year Award earlier this year while the XC40 small SUV was named European Car of the Year at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month. In the XC60, Euro NCAP’s best overall performer in 2017, Volvo’s City Safety Autonomous Emergency Braking system has been enhanced with steering support for when automatic braking alone may not help avoid a potential collision. In addition, Oncoming Lane Mitigation with Steer Assist which helps mitigate head-on collisions and Blind Spot Information System with Steer Assist has been added to reduce the risk of lane-changing collisions.   XC60 scored a near-perfect 98 per cent in the Adult Occupant cat...

Mini revealed two special cars at the New York Motor Show, in one case bringing back the original Mini from almost six decades ago, but with an electric powertrain, writes Brian Byrne . That one was designed to foreshadow the all-electric new model Mini due for launch next year. Also, a special Mini Countryman Panamericana shown is specially designed for extremely challenging routes. With its underpinnings taken from the brand's first plug-in hybrid vehicle, the Mini Countryman PanAmericana has been designed for a long-distance tour from North America to Tierra del Fuego, showcasing the power and durability of Mini's largest model.

An RS 5 Sportback debuted at the New York Motor Show makes it the first time the RS performance grade has been available in the format, writes Brian Byrne . The 5-door coupe features the RS style cues outside and in, including the typical flat-bottomed steering wheel and red stitching in the leather trim and seats. The car is powered by a twin-turbo 2.9 V6 petrol engine.

I recently had the undeniably fun experience of driving the 2019 Ford Mustang through the very drivable mountain areas of Provence, writes Brian Byrne . The reason for the latest ride was the mid-life upgrade of the current generation of the car. And if you think that's rather quickly after the model was introduced to Europe just three years ago, that's because it had then already been on sale in the US for a couple of years. There's a new grille and facia, sexier lights, and a lowered hood front. There's a new rear spoiler option too. All together give a measure of extra visual sophistication. But nothing has been done to take from the style of the version which is generally agreed to be the closest in concept and execution to the original of 1964. Inside, there's an upgrade in the quality of the trim material with more soft-touch surfaces. The main differences are in the instrumentation and central display, the former completely digital and providing di...

Ford Ireland has renewed its partnership with Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind, writes Trish Whelan . Ford has been a partner of the nationwide charity from soon after the charity was established in 1976.   At the announcement of the partnership renewal, Ciaran McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland said “Ford are hugely proud of the long-standing partnership with Irish Guide Dogs - the charity’s work is literally life-changing for the hundreds of people throughout the country who have a Guide or Assistance Dog that has been trained by Irish Guide Dogs and we are delighted to support the staff and volunteers at Irish Guide Dogs in the valuable work they do.” At the launch of the Ford partnership renewal were two new puppies, Henry and Ford (aptly named in honour of Ford’s ongoing support of the charity). These puppies are two of the latest ‘intake’ of puppies who will be trained as Guide or Assistance Dogs by the charity. It takes a full two...

Josh Moffett and Stephen Thornton in action. Pic: Ger Leahy. Monaghan pair Josh Moffett and Stephen Thornton came through on the closing stages to take a fourteen second victory in the second round of the Valvoline National Forestry Rally Championship, Limerick MC’s Treaty Plant Hire event at Silvermines at the weekend, writes Richard Burke . Moffett, a former title holder, lay third for much of the day, but increased his pace just as early leader Andrew Purcell hit trouble, losing 40 seconds and two places to finish behind Barry McKenna, with all three driving Fiesta R5s. Best of the two wheel drive brigade were David Crossen and Aileen Kelly in their Escort, taking eighth place overall, with Marty Gallagher narrowly beating Derek Mackarel for the Junior class, and finishing twelfth and fourteenth overall, just twelve seconds apart. The Tynan family dominated the Monaghan Navigation Trial at Newbliss, with Mickey and his nephew Ciaran coming out on top after ...

This is the three-millionth car built by Kia at its factory in Zilina, Czechoslovakia, since December 2006, writes Trish Whelan . The white Kia cee'd is destined for a customer in Iceland. The factory also produces Sportage and Venga models, and engines. More than four million engines have been built there.

Opel will launch a new sporty Corsa in September, the Corsa GSi, writes Trish Whelan . It will have a sports chassis and an as yet unannounced engine power, likely a 1.4 with around 150hp. The car will feature enhanced GSi styling, and will also have the Opel Intellilink infotainment system as an option.

Mercedes-Benz has revealed new versions of the C-Class coupe and cabriolet, writes Brian Byrne . The sharper design of the new saloon and estate models is brought over to the other two. The cars will feature a digital cockpit and dynamic body control suspension and new 4 -cylinder engines, some of which are equipped with 48V technology. The two-door vehicles will go on sale in first markets from July.

If it hadn't already been announced that the Volvo XC40 is the European Car of the Year 2018, I'd be making a very strong case for it to be, writes Brian Byrne . If I had a vote there, though I don't. But after my recent week with the car, I'm already going to have to be given some very strong reasons why it shouldn't be close to the top of the Irish COTY 2019, on which I will be voting towards the end of this year. Am I jumping the gun? Nope. Just laying down a marker for every other contender. This is the one that, so far, I think they're all going to have to beat. That thought said, let's move to the car as experienced. It looks, well, very distinctive. The latest in a line of new and revamped crossover/SUVs from the iconic Swedish carmaker — now Chinese owned, but that's not proving to be a problem — it is styled in a much edgier fashion than the recent vehicles which have worked to bring Volvo back from the precipice over oblivion it had te...

Donagh Kelly and co-driver Conor Foley Donegal driver Donagh Kelly, the former National and Tarmac rally champion, extended his already long list of achievements by becoming the first driver ever to win the Quality Hotel Clonakilty West Cork International five years in a row, writes Richard Burke . At the finish in Clonakilty yesterday, he and co-driver Conor Foley had almost two minutes to spare over runners up Josh Moffett and Andy Hayes, who led the R5 challenge to Kelly’s more powerful Ford Focus World Rally Car. The Monaghan-Wexford pair took their Fiesta to maximum points towards the Clonakilty Blackpudding/Michelin Irish Tarmac title, as WRC cars are no longer eligible for the series. Defending Tarmac title holder Sam Moffett, Josh’s elder brother, had a good day yesterday, as he climbed from fourth place at the end of Saturday’s eight stages, to overtake Declan Boyle, finishing the weekend just nine seconds behind his sibling. Dubliner Rob Barrable, a...

Ford Ireland has completed its ST-Line grade here which now includes the EcoSport, Mondeo, Kuga, S-MAX and Edge models, writes Brian Byrne . All include with sport suspension, unique body kits and alloy wheel designs; sport seats, steering wheel and interior details. Engines range from 1.0 EcoBoost with up to 125hp for EcoSport ST-Line to 2.0 TDCi with up to 210hp for Edge ST-Line. Only higher-powered engines from each model's range are available with ST-Line.

Audi's first all-electric car in Ireland will be an SUV with a rated range of 500km, writes Brian Byrne . The vehicle will be delivered to first customers here in 2019, and will be based on the e-tron quattro concept model. Audi is also a partner in a joint venture with BMW, Daimler, Ford and VW to build a network of charging stations around Ireland in association with Topaz.