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With today, Thursday, set to be the hottest day on record this year, Skoda Ireland are highlighting the dangers of leaving dogs in hot cars during the warm weather, writes Trish Whelan . The initiative is part of ongoing dog welfare efforts from the Skoda brand which urges car owners to consider the dangers of leaving pets in cars during this heat wave. Their campaign reveals that even a few minutes in a hot car can prove fatal to a dog. The inside of a car can reach 47deg C in just one hour on a 22deg day, while at 26deg C outside, it can reach 37deg inside a car in the space of just 10 minutes. They are advising dog owners: *Never leave your dog in a car in warm weather, even if it feels cool outside * Don’t excessively walk or over-exercise your dog * Avoid walking your dog at the hottest time of the day - often morning or later in the evenings can be cooler * Always take plenty of water with you when out with your dog * Dogs can get sun burned especiall...

If you have a bike, are single and fancy some speedy dating, this is for you, writes Trish Whelan . Skoda is hosting their first speed dating cycling event on Saturday 30 June from 8.30am in Avon Ri Hotel, Blessington, Co Wicklow. From those who cycle for fun, to the hard-core committed - you’re sure to find someone that rings your bell! Hosted by Skoda ambassador, Muireann O’Connell, the event is the first of its kind in Ireland and gives single cyclists the chance to kick their dating efforts up a gear. The 60km cycle around Blessington Lake gives single cyclists the chance to meet likeminded men and women with shared interests. There will be two lines of cyclists, males on one side and females on the other. The (bicycle) bell will ring every 3 to 4 minutes, at which point the front cyclist on the right hand side will drop to the back, and all other cyclists move up a place. To register for the event, visit http://www.skoda.ie/speeddating .   The cost...

A Skoda Kodiaq RS has set a new record for 7-seater SUVs on the Nurburgring Nordschleife (North Loop), writes Brian Byrne . The vehicle completed the 20.8km circuit in 9:29.84 minutes. The car was driven by Sabine Schmitz, the first woman to win the 24-hour race at Nurburgring, who has completed in excess of 30,000 laps of the Nordschleife. Irish pricing for the Kodiaq RS will be revealed towards the end of the year.

A new Skoda SUV has been unveiled which is exclusively for China, writes Brian Byrne . The Kamiq sits below the Karoq in the brand's range and is distinctive by having its own lights and grille design compared to the Karoq and Kodiaq we are familiar with in Europe. Skoda has been selling cars in China since the 1930s, and the third SUV is aimed at helping the company achieve 600,000 unit sales per year in that country by 2020.

Every year, students at the Skoda Vocational School are tasked with building a study of a variation on a current model from the brand, writes Brian Byrne . This year — the fifth of the initiative — they're working on a cabriolet version of the Karoq compact SUV. The finished study will be introduced to the public in June 2018.