Car makers offer cash incentive to trade in older diesels
Car makers are offering deals and incentives to lure drivers of older diesel models to ditch their cars in favour of cleaner alternatives writes Geraldine Herbert So who is offering incentives? BMW and Mercedes have announced schemes and it is likely other car makers will do the same over the next few weeks. What is on offer? Mercedes is offering owners of Euro 1 to Euro 4 emissions-standard diesels, irrespective of...
New fuel and emissions tests coming in September
A new test to measure fuel consumption and CO2 emissions for new cars sold in Europe comes into force on September 1st writes Geraldine Herbert Why is a new test being introduced? The New European Driving Cycle (NEDC) will be replaced across Europe, including Ireland on September 1, 2017 by the Worldwide harmonised Light vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). The NEDC test has been repeatedly criticised for its inability to reflect...
First Drive: Range Rover Velar
Land Rover’s elegant SUV proves more than a match for Norway’s rugged landscape writes Geraldine Herbert What is it? Derived from the Latin word “velare” – meaning “to veil” or “cover” – the Velar is named after a 1969 prototype that eventually evolved into the production-spec Range Rover. It plugs the gap between the Evoque and the Range Rover Sport and is designed to...
What can motorists expect from Budget 2018
A number of changes to the Tax system are being considered as options for Budget 2018 writes Geraldine Herbert 1) The plan to equalise the excise duty on petrol and diesel and close the fuel-tax gap is probably the most likely. The OECD have recommended an equalisation of excise rates on petrol and diesel the UK, already has equalised excise rates on petrol and diesel. A number of countries, notably France and Belgium, have also...
First Drive: Jaguar F-Type 4-cyl
Jaguar has unveiled a feisty younger brother to the V8 F-Type writes Geraldine Herbert What is it? You no longer need to splash your cash on the top-of-the-range 5.0 litre V8 or 3.0 litre V6 as a new greener and crucially cheaper turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ingenium petrol engine has joined the F-Type line up. First impressions of the new Jaguar F-type? Stylish, sassy, sexy, this seductive two seater is simply one of the...