... Motoring News

• Ireland to reduce drink-drive limit

The new lower drink-driving limit was passed in the Dáil last night. Provision for a new acceptable blood alcohol limit of 50mg, replacing the current 80mg, is contained in the Road Traffic Bill. The Bill passed through the Dáil last night but was not actually voted on as agreement on its contents was reached on [...]

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• 4000 walk through Limerick Tunnel

An estimated 40,000 people walked under the River Shannon through the new Limerick Tunnel which opened to the public for an open day today. It was the last chance for the public to walk the tunnel before it officially opens at the end of July. The Limerick Tunnel took four years to construct at a [...]

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• Co-driver killed at Donegal rally

A man in his 30s has been killed in a crash at the Donegal International car rally. He was the co-driver of a car that crashed on a bad bend between Fanad and Ramelton this afternoon. The event has been suspended and a decision will be made later this evening if it will resume tomorrow. [...]

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• Final section of Dublin to Cork motorway opens

The final section of the new Dublin to Cork motorway will be opened later today in Co Laois – bypassing the towns of Abbeyleix, Durrow and Cullahill. Three notorious bottlenecks on the Dublin to Limerick route will also be left behind with the opening of a section of the new M7 motorway. However motorists will face toll [...]

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• 35000 drivers caught using mobile phone in Ireland

Gardaí and the Road Safety Authority have said that people are not getting the message about the dangers of using mobile phones while driving. Last year 35,000 people were given penalty points for this offence, the highest since the ban on using mobile phones was introduced in September 2006. That makes it the biggest penalty point offence [...]

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• Motorists warned of heavy may bank holiday traffic

Motorists have been warned of a busy weekend ahead as schools break for the May Bank Holiday and thousands of holidaymakers take to the roads. Traffic volumes are expected to pick up this afternoon and with some heavy showers expected, motorists are advised to exercise caution. Gardaí say there will be a particular focus this weekend on [...]

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• The Irish Government 5000 grant offered to electric car buyers

 The Government is to provide a €5,000 grant to incentivise the public to purchase electric cars. Energy Minister Eamon Ryan said the grant would make electric vehicles comparable in price to conventional cars, but they would run at 20% of the cost. The Government wants Ireland to become an effective test site for electric cars, with a [...]

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• Changes to Dublin 30km limit to be considered

A proposal to amend the 30km speed limit zone in Dublin city centre is to be considered by the Council’s transport committee. The motion from Labour Party councillors would mean the re-introduction of the 50km limit along most of the quays. Look at a current map of the 30km limit area The 30km speed limit was brought by [...]

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• THOUSANDS OF CAR OWNERS COULD BE UNAWARE OF URGENT REPAIRS

MOTORCHECK.IE CALLS FOR NATIONAL RECALL DATABASE  Motorcheck.ie Director and co-founder, Shane Teskey today called for a change to the way vehicles are “recalled” for urgent repairs by their manufacturer.  Motorcheck.ie has identified gaps in the current methodology which could lead to thousands of cars operating on Irish roads without notification of urgent repairs called for by the [...]

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• Over 17000 drivers escape penalty points

The Road Safety Authority has confirmed that 17,656 motorists convicted of driving offences have escaped penalty points because of a legal loophole. The RSA’s Noel Brett said court clerks were not legally obliged to pass on the licence numbers of drivers convicted in court of offences that carry points. The RSA is the body charged with applying [...]

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• Toyota’s Safety Recall Campaign

Toyota has announced that is recalling eight models of its cars across Europe to solve a potential an accelerator pedal issue. Amongst the models to be recalled are the popular Avensis, Corolla, Yaris and Auris. The company says up to 1.8m vehicles in all may be recalled because of the possibility that in certain circumstances accelerator mechanisms [...]

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• New speed limits to be enforced in Dublin city

Dublin City Council will be introducing a new traffic signalling system to encourage motorists to obey the new 30km speed limit that will be enforced from next Monday. Click here to see map of new system Motorists keeping under 30 km/per hour could meet continuous green lights on a clear road but those travelling any faster will [...]

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• Arrival of the new Audi TT Coupe

Audi have fixed September next as the date for the introduction into Ireland of their new second generation Audi TT Coupe which is currently being presented to the international motoring media. In its new form, Audi has been careful to retain the TT’s visual attractiveness whilst enhancing its dynamic appeal in terms of design, engine output [...]

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• Alfa Romeo’s New 159 Range Arrives.

Motoring aficionados often point out that Alfa Romeo’s cars are designed and engineered to provide pleasure both to the owners’ eyes and ears. Remembering that these cars are from the homeland of Verdi and da Vinci, Armani and Pavarotti, this observation won’t surprise anyone. Moreover, just as most of the world’s great opera houses are [...]

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• BMW and Eagle Star

BMW Group Ireland has announced the launch of insurance schemes developed in conjunction with Eagle Star, part of the Zurich Financial Services Group. The range of schemes includes three product lines that have been specifically tailored to the needs of BMW, MINI and BMW Motorrad owners. This is good news for the consumer as it offers [...]

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• Alfa’s New Brera Coupe arrives in Ireland

“It drives as well as it looks and it looks as good as it drives”: that’s the simple claim from Alfa Romeo about their new Brera 2+2 coupé, which has just gone on sale in Ireland. On looks alone, a Brera can stop you in your tracks, which is hardly surprising as Giorgetto Giugiaro designed the [...]

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• C4 Picasso Exclusive Preview

The New Citroen C4 Picasso – A Work of Art at Citroen Dealers The New Citroen C4 Picasso, revealed at the Paris Motor show in September, arrives at Citroen dealers throughout Ireland from the 1st of December for a pre-launch exclusive preview in advance of its official launch in January 2007. Crammed with unique features, the C4 [...]

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• FIAT’S NEW BRAVO: A JOB WELL DONE.

Bravo! In Italian it means ‘well done!’ and it’s a word understood in every country on earth. It’s that familiarity with the word, as well as the ‘well done’ meaning, that lead Fiat Auto to use name for their newest car, launched internationally on Feb 1 and due in Ireland in June. Bravo is a very important [...]

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• C4 Picasso (5-seater)

Following the successful launch of the Grand C4 Picasso (7-seater) visiospace, Citroën is broadening its MPV range further in first-quarter 2007 with the release of its second visiospace, the uniquely styled C4 Picasso (5-seater). The Marque’s new compact MPV instantly stands out with its dynamic, attractive styling. The newcomer’s assertive look conveys both the promise of [...]

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• Sweet Sixteen: FIAT-S New Sedici 4×4 SUV

  Fiat Auto Ireland has launched a new 4×4 SUV range in Ireland. The Fiat Sedici was launched earlier this year in continental and UK markets and has been a big success for Fiat, contributing to the Company’s dramatically increased sales. Sedici means sixteen in Italian. The name is inspired by the idea of the ‘4×4’ identification [...]

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