Full electric C-Class Mercedes pricing announced

Looking every millimeter the premium mid-size saloon that it is, prospective new owners can plan their winter purchase with the announcement by Motor Distributors Limited of the pricing for this good-looking car. Due here in Q4 the all-new electric C-Class has pricing starting at €72,290 for the C400 4Matic and €78,990 for the range-topping C400 4Matic in AMG Line plus trim.    Looking no less premium than its bigger siblings, the Mercedes-Benz E-Class and S- Class, the C-Class has evolved since first arriving on the scene carrying the 190 branding to become a mainstay of the Mercedes-Benz global product offering and one of its best-selling and most popular model series.

Published 4 months ago

Dancing in the Dark with new Jeep Compass at Slane Castle

We can justifiably call it by its name, one that every Sports Utility Vehicle on our planet is referred to, its seven-bar grill and American heritage as rock and roll as they come. So, it was more than appropriate that Slane Castle was the chosen launch venue for the latest Jeep Compass to take the Irish stage for the first time.

Published 4 months ago

New car registrations: up 39% in May 2026; Consumers driving battery electric vehicle growth

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released its official 261 new vehicle registration statistics for May.

Published 4 months ago

Kevin O’Leary Bandon brings Renault and Dacia to West Cork

Bandon, the gateway to West Cork and a true vehicle hub for anyone seeking to enhance their transport needs as they tackle roads that can vary from amusing to demanding in just one corner. The name, Kevin O’Leary has etched his identity as the supplier of numerous brands, since he began in 1963, retailing Opel, Mazda, Honda, and Suzuki cars.

Published 5 months ago

Citroën to bring street smiles back to motoring

If you are born prior to 1990, the motoring identifier, Deux Cheveaux or 2CV, will very probably not resonate with you. Those of us more crispy will nod heads and smile, as we riminess on this odd shaped, funny sounding French car for the people that only Citroen could bring from concept to reality, famously making its presence known worldwide alongside Roger Moore in the James Bond film, For Your Eyes Only.

Published 5 months ago

Liam Denning announced as the New President of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) is pleased to announce Liam Denning as its newly elected Presidentat the organisation’s Annual General Meeting (AGM), held in Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare.

Published 5 months ago

SEAT seek to lure as 262-year approaches

As we await outside the door of the new 262-registration year, SEAT has announced its new ‘262’ offers, introducing finance offers across the Ibiza, Arona, Leon and Ateca; alongside notable updates to two of its most popular models.

Published 5 months ago

BYD brings additional mobility to Mullingar

Chinese motor brands are certainly well represented in Mullingar with the addition of Mullingar Autos as a newly appointed retailer of the BYD Brand by importers Motor Distributors Limited (MDL). They join fellow Chinese brand Leapmotor in providing mobility in this busy Midlands town and populous catchment area.

Published 5 months ago

INEOS Grenadier completes Two Cape Crusafe

British fine-art photographer and adventurer, John Balsdon, has completed the legendary 20,000km Cape to Cape road challenge in record-breaking time, at the wheel of an INEOS Grenadier. Balsdon and his five-strong support team achieved the feat in just 28 days and 13 hours, breaking the previous record, set in 1984, by five hours.

Published 5 months ago

Bradys bring Volvo to North Dublin

Bradys, Castleknock, Dublin, a well-respected and long-established family business, for over 50 years, will now be named as Volvo Cars North Dublin. Volvo Cars North Dublin will commence operations as an authorised Volvo Cars retailer in an interim showroom on the Old Navan Road, Castleknock, Dublin 15 (D15 V440), featuring the full Volvo range available for demonstration.

Published 5 months ago

KIA Ireland support 71st Ras Tailteann

Kia Ireland have announced that they will continue their sponsorship of the Rás Tailteann cycling race that will be taking place across Ireland from May 20th to 24th.

Published 5 months ago

Colton Motors bring Leapmotor to the Midlands

Colton Motors, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath is the latest addition to the Leapmotor family in Ireland, the ninth franchise to join this ever-growing brand. It is also the brand's first partnership with a non-Stellantis dealer group, signalling a new chapter of growth in the heart of the Midlands.

Published 5 months ago

New car registrations up in April, driven by strong demand for Electric Vehicles

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) today released its official 261 new vehicle registration statistics for April. New car registrations for April were up 17.0% (10,184) compared to April 2025 (8,707). Registrations year to date are up 2.1% (75,074) on the same period last year (73,491).

Published 5 months ago

Mercedes-Benz CLA – starring on a street near you in 2026

The new third generation Mercedes-Benz CLA has now arrived in Ireland, this new model is larger than its predecessor in every dimension, with the electric variant starting at €53,425. Launched at the very impressive Mercedes-Benz, South Dublin showrooms on Pottery Road, I got the chance to see, hear and drive the future for this 140-year-old brand, this CLA the first of some forty-three new models coming to similar star-lined forecourts in the next two years.

Published 5 months ago

New Audi RS5 PHEV ready to bring the horizon into your lap

Those with the need will salivate merely at the thought of sharing time and travel with the new Audi RS 5 Sedan and Audi RS 5 Avant, both high-performance plug-in hybrids that will be available from €115,000, with first deliveries expected from July 2026.   To coincide with their arrival, the Audi Ireland RS 5 Roadshow kicks off from Friday 17 th  of April for two weeks and will visit all Audi Sport dealerships in Ireland. This is Audi Sport’s first-ever high-performance plug-in hybrid delivering 470 kW (639 PS) of system output, with a top speed akin to something out of NASA’s stable and delivers up to 87 km of electric driving only driving (WLTP).

Published 6 months ago

New 2026 Nissan Micra still has the Magic

Now powered by two electric variants, a 40kWh and 52kWh choice, the new Nissan Micra, 5-seater, is sure to find popular refuge in many Irish driveways and comes at an introductory price of €25,995. No question, this lasted manifestation of one of our nation’s favourite small cars, is distinctive from whatever angle you approach it, and visually worlds apart from the 1983 original. Circular LED lights, back and front, make it an easy spot on the roads and an easy find in the car park. At its launch, I got the opportunity to sample the new Micra on roads from the west side of our capital to those bringing me to Virginia, County Cavan. For a small car, it drives big, coping with the open and back road demand with the serenity of its electric propulsion and delivering a good driver’s drive, the steering and suspension ticking all the right tactile boxes.

Published 6 months ago

Kia EV2 – Compact City Car with Big Intentions

Compact city cars are very popular, (referred to as the B-SUV, accounting for some 22% of total Irish car sales), their main attributes manifesting in their ability to carry people, cope with traffic and not cost a fortune to run. Having won many hearts and driveways over the past three years, Kia have now added the boxy-looking, (seen on the EV5 and REV9), EV2 to their motor-menu, and on an initial launch drive, showed me enough of its considerable talents to both warrant a longer association and recommend same to any commuter, or family buyer. Entering this segment, The Kia EV2 needs to hit the ground a full gallop, such is the quite frantic growth of 37% year on year. The EV2 line-up starts from €28,660 or €182 per month thanks to a 0% finance launch offer.

Published 6 months ago

Fiat Grande Panda Rings in a New Era

The Olympic Federation of Ireland HQ was a wonderful setting to get my first introduction to the new Fiat Grande Panda, with the additional delight of pressing palms with Fiat Ireland Brand Ambassador, Kate O’Connor, winner of a Bronze Medal at the recent European Indoor Championships. Always great to see Irish sport being commercially supported, as the home of Team Ireland, to whom Fiat is the Official Vehicle Partner, this very impressive complex allowed for the gathered Irish Motoring Journalists to sample the delights of this very important car for Fiat, now grown up to stand in Ireland B-segment and is available in full electric and mild hybrid variants, with prices starting from €22,995.

Published 6 months ago

Former Executive Chairman, Michael Maughan - an appreciation

Former Executive Chairman of Gowan Group, Michael Maughan, passed away on Thursday 26 th  March 2026, following a short illness. A stalwart of the Irish Motor Industry, Michael was great company around the dinner table, his easy way belying the massive drive he brought to his business interests.   Educated at Clongowes and College of Commerce in Rathmines, Michael began his brilliant career in Domas advertising at the tender age of 19 in 1957. In 1965, at just 27 years of age, he acquired Wilson Hartnell, one of the longest established communications consultancies in Ireland, growing the business exponentially. Michael then bought Bell Advertising in 1976 to service Wilson Hartnell's conflicting accounts, and it too blossomed to become a major force in Irish advertising. After a number of years at the helm, Michael Maughan agreed a deal with WPP’s Martin Sorrell to sell the group to Ogilvy.

Published 6 months ago

CUPRA Raval on a street near you this September

CUPRA has added a new name to our motoring conversation with their Raval scheduled to arrive here this September, its entry-level pricing expected to start from approximately €26,000.   This is a 4-metre long, 5-door hatchback, electric urban offering, its compact exterior belying a roomy interior that will appeal to families, those looking to downsize and those looking to go electric for the first time. Designed for Urban Life, Built for More Developed and produced in Barcelona, the CUPRA Raval is based on the Volkswagen Group’s advanced MEB+ platform. Despite its compact footprint, it offers a spacious interior and a generous 441-litre boot, making it a practical choice for both city driving and extended travel.

Published 6 months ago

Sealion 5 Crossover set for family fame

At 4,738mm in length, the latest BYD glides onto our streets, this mid-sized, Sealion 5 Crossover SUV, its eight model to grace our driveways in three years. Two trim levels are offered, ‘Comfort’ and ‘Design’, and are introduced at the price of €36,990 (Comfort) and €40,990 (Design). It is a test of our absorption when the capability of this car brand many may never have heard off, are outlined in numerics. In 2025 they sold 4.60 million vehicles, employ somewhere close to 1 million employees, with 120,000 in their R&D Department. Having been introduced here by Motor Distributors Limited (MDL) in 2023, BYD now is placed amongst the leading five EV and PHEV brands in Ireland.

Published 6 months ago

Opel’s new Astra here for 262-registration year

Opel’s new Opel Astra and new Opel Astra Sports Tourer will launch in Ireland in late Spring, just ahead of the 262-registration plate, offering customers a wide choice in powertrains including petrol hybrid, plug-in petrol hybrid, all-electric and diesel. Designed, engineered and built at Opel's headquarters in Rüsselsheim, prices and standard equipment for the Irish market will be announced closer to the launch.

Published 6 months ago

OPEL FRONTERA

The all-new Opel Frontera SUV, launched in Ireland just ahead of the 261- registration plate, has struck a chord with customers across Ireland, evidenced by its 859 registrations, and placing the model in the top twenty best-selling models (No. 17) in Ireland this year. The strong Opel Frontera performance has thus culminated in a combined passenger car and light commercial vehicle share of 3.5% year to date, returning the German brand to the overall top ten sales chart in 2026.  Available in three trims and in five-seat or seven-seat guise, the capacious newcomer to the Opel stable boasts a striking, rugged design, packaged in a range of bright new colours and powered by efficient petrol hybrid and all-electric drivetrains. It retails from €24,606 inclusive of grants for the all-electric version, or from €27,995 for the efficient petrol hybrid powertrain, representing great value for family motorists.

Published 6 months ago

Fiat Grande Panda takes top European Design Award

FIAT have announced that the Autobest Conquest Award 2026 Design category has been awarded to their Grande Panda, recognising it as the Best Car Design of Europe 2026 ahead of five strong finalists. The victory results from the combined vote of the AUTOBEST Jury voting from 32 European countries and direct European public voting across AUTOBEST official platforms. This achievement follows an intense European competition in which, for the first time, the public was invited to select the cars that best represent the future of mobility in three key areas: Design, Technology and User-Friendliness.

Published 6 months ago