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Ford Ireland has partnered with the Cork Opera House to sponsor the summer production of the well-known classic - The Wizard of Oz, writes Trish Whelan . The musical theatre production will run from 19 July until 26 August, 2018, with a total of 45 performances scheduled. Directed by internationally acclaimed director Wayne Jordan, the Cork Opera House production of The Wizard of Oz is a reimagined version of the heart-warming story with many surprises and twists along the way. It promises audiences lots of singing, dancing, laughter and a few tears with Dorothy, her dog Toto, the Scarecrow, Tin Man, the cowardly Lion, the Wicked Witch of the West and of course the Wizard, telling the magical story of friendship along the Yellow Brick Road. Eibhlin Gleeson, CEO, Cork Opera House said: “It is great to have a trusted Cork brand on board as our sponsorship partner for The Wizard of Oz. Following on from the sell-out success of Annie last year, we can promise audie...

Jason O'Brien is pictured with his father, picking up his new Impreza from Michael Slattery. Jason O’Brien from Mullinahone in South Tipperary has won TG4’s GAA Beo competition and is now the proud owner of a new Subaru Impreza, writes Trish Whelan . Jason is a big follower of the GAA and came up to Parnell Park to meet Jonny Cooper from Dublin GAA to do a television piece for TG4. Subaru are the official car partner of Dublin GAA. He picked up his new Impreza from Michael Slattery, Dealer Principal of Slattery’s Garage, Tipperary’s authorised Subaru Dealer, last weekend. The latest Subaru Impreza hatch has been redesigned inside and out. This new car features the brand’s new global platform. Subaru say it offers unprecedented levels of driving pleasure, agility, crash protection and ride comfort and has achieved the maximum five star overall rating in the 2017 Euro-NCAP safety performance test. Pricing starts at a competitive €25,995 for the new 1.6i ...

The first DS Store showroom on the island of Ireland was opened last night at Eglinton outside Derry, writes Brian Byrne . The luxury-themed facility reflects the sumptuous ethos of the newest luxury brand, with details that originate in the Paris home of DS, and are also found in the growing range of cars being produced by the French manufacturer. Mark Blundell, Marketing Director, DS Automobiles UK; Andrew Miller, Dealer Principal, JC Halliday & Sons DS Store Eglinton; and Alain Descat, Managing Director, DS Automobiles UK. Dealer Principal Andrew Miller of JC Halliday & Sons Eglinton welcomed guests and customers to the showroom for the official opening by Alain Descat, the new Managing Director of DS Automobiles UK, who only took up his position at the beginning of the month after previously being in charge of DS Automobiles Benelux. Pride of place in the Store was the latest DS 7 Crossback model, an SUV which is the first of a new generation of DS cars that w...

Ford's first hybrid electric car is now on sale in Ireland, the Mondeo HEV, priced from €32,745, writes Trish Whelan . Based on the 4-door saloon, the car has a 187hp 2.0 petrol engine with automatic transmission, and is available in both Titanium and Vignale grades. Ciarán McMahon, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland, expects that 20pc of next year's Mondeo sales will be hybrids. "It is the the first step in a progressive Electric Vehicle (EV) development plan for Ford that will see 13 new full or partial EVs hit the streets of Europe and North America by 2020," he says. These will include a hybrid version of the iconic Mustang that will deliver V8 power with a 4-cylinder engine. Ford says the Mondeo Hybrid is capable of driving at up to 135 km/h in electric mode and the official fuel consumption rate of 4.2 L/100km compares to that of a 2.0 diesel 150PS Powershift automatic transmission that would deliver a fuel consumption rate of 4.8 L/100km...

The new generation Mercedes-Benz A-Class is longer, wider and taller than its predecessor and also has a longer wheelbase, writes Brian Byrne . With more shoulder room and a bigger capacity boot, the car is overall a significant move onwards for the nameplate in its fourth generation. There are also new engines, including 1.3 and 2.0 petrol units and a 1.5 diesel. Semi-autonomous driving will also be available in certain conditions, according to the company. The full range of current Mercedes-Benz connectivity and safety technologies will be included in the specifications. The interior design includes a double instruments and infotainments screens system in one wide module. First market launches commence in May.

Stephen Byrne, MD, Mercedes-Benz; Robert Poole, former Secretary of SIMI; author Bob Montgomery; Larry Mooney, former MDL employee and Chairman of C.A.R.; and Gavin Hydes, President of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, pictured at today's book launch. Today marked a special day for the Irish Motor Industry with the launch of Bob Montgomery's 'Motor Assembly in Ireland' which charts 50 years of car assembly in this country, writes Trish Whelan . The event took place in the marvellous car museum in Motor Distributors Limited on the Naas Road in Dublin, home to Mercedes-Benz, and was attended by a huge audience from the motor industry, past and present. Bob's book is the story of the fifty plus makes of cars that were assembled during the fifty-year lifespan of the Industry. With 240 pages and 205 illustrations, this book is full of information about the makes of cars assembled, many of them surprising, and the personalities involved with them. Ros...

Lexus Ireland is launching LezusService.ie, a new website which will provide Lexus owners with fast and accurate service quotes for their vehicles as well as booking a service online or through their Retailer/Authorised Repairer, writes Trish Whelan . Lexus owners can enter the registration number of their vehicle and select the service work needed on the car to receive a hassle-free quote immediately. By using LexusService.ie customers will benefit from knowing that Lexus trained technicians using Lexus diagnostic equipment are working on their car. In addition to fitting only genuine Lexus parts, only a Lexus Retailer or Authorised Repairer can carry out a hybrid health check on their vehicle. A full Lexus service history can help customers achieve stronger resale value when changing their vehicle in future. Ian Corbett, Head of Lexus Ireland said: "We are delighted to now offer this new service which gives our customers accurate and immediate service quotes as well as t...