Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie reports today (4th January) on the average value of a new car purchased in Ireland. Cartell.ie looked at the average Open Market Selling Price of all new cars purchased between January and October in every year between 2003 and 2020. The results showed that the average value for a new car purchased in 2020 is €33,287. This is the third year that average values have exceeded the €30,000-mark.

Furthermore the strongest growth in the new car market over the past number of years falls in the €30,000 to €40,000 price bracket (constituting 32% of the total). This band is now the second most popular bracket overall marginally behind the €20,000 to €30,000 band (34% of the total) which has noticeably dropped off since 2012 (when it constituted 53% of the market). Even the bracket at the higher end of the market, the €40,000 to €60,000 bracket has increased in popularity since 2018 (now constituting 19% of the market up from 12% in 2018).

These results clearly show that the buyer is spending more money than ever before on their new car. Reasons for this may include:

• Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
• Buyers may have more cash to spend or more available lines of credit. Financial products such as Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) came to prominence in Ireland during the recession as manufacturers sought a means to provide direct lines of credit to potential buyers
• Buyers may want larger cars. The country had a recorded population of 4.23 million in Census 2006 which increased to 4.76 million in Census 2016. This increase may have weighed on buyer decisions, for instance, buyers with younger children may need additional space
• Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the buyer now often expects certain higher specification items as standard too – larger wheels, alloys, on-board technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features – which all increase the manufacture cost
• Increased consumer demand for electric and hybrid vehicles (where technology is more expensive to implement) could be making an impact, along with changes in buyer habits to more environmentally friendly vehicles, and guided generally by the move to city-clean air policies.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead, Cartell.ie says:

“These results show that buyers are willing to purchase more expensive cars. Vehicles are tech-heavy now with manufacturers offering multiple technological enhancements to vehicles. This is undoubtedly contributing to the price. Cars are also laden with safety features which increases the cost of manufacture for the vehicle. Ultimately the buyer is prepared to buy more expensive vehicles and the availability of various different finance offerings may also be playing a role in this.”

ENDS

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. 

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Level 3 autonomous vehicles constitute the next wave of autonomy. They are vehicles which are capable of self-driving for parts of the typical car journey. Generally speaking the Level 3 car will be able to handle motorway driving including lane-changes on the motorway. The driver in the Level 3 vehicle is expected to be in position to take back control over the vehicle when the car indicates that it is passing control back to the driver. From that moment onwards the driver is expected to drive the vehicle in the way a driver would drive any normal vehicle, concentrating fully on the road and not engaging in risky distracting behaviour.

The results of the Nottingham University study are concerning. They show that for those drivers which were not given any dedicated training in how to handle an autonomous level 3 vehicle there was a considerable delay before the driver took full effective control of the vehicle (ten-times longer) than the comparative driver that had received the training. The results were startling: it took an average of 11.2 seconds to concentrate fully on the business of driving after receiving the call to take back control. On the other hand, those drivers who had received the practical training were able to shift function and start driving the vehicle free from distraction within an average time of 1.8 seconds.

Level 3 vehicles are already in advanced testing sometimes on public roads as the relevant authorities permit manufacturers and their distributors to fine-tune the technology. In Ireland, however, the driver must still always be in control of the vehicle. There are two levels beyond Level 3: Level 4 vehicles drive autonomously in a larger variety of road-types and permit the driver to face away from the road until asked to take back control. At the top-end of the scale Level 5 autonomous vehicles are fully-capable of self-driving without requiring any intervention from a driver.

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Fortunately Cartell reports today the situation has improved in respect of our emission of CO₂. In an encouraging development for Government there has been a downturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2020 average emissions decreased recording a reading of 105g CO₂ /km. This is the lowest level that Cartell has observed since recording these figures. More encouraging still is the fact that CO₂ /km had actually been going in the wrong direction until this year: the figure for 2019 of 114 CO₂ /km was higher than the figures for both 2018 (113 CO₂ /km) and 2017 (112 CO₂ /km)

Graph 1: Average CO₂   of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2020 for first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 1: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2020 for  first ten months of the year in each case – Jan to October (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Why has there been a fall this year?

One of the reasons for the fall may be the increase in Electric Vehicles (+21%) and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (+16%) relative to the overall numbers of new vehicles purchased. Unfortunately new car sales overall are down in 2020 (-26%) so the impact of the purchase of more EVs and PHEVs in 2020 has had a correspondingly higher impact on the overall level of CO_2.

Jeff Aherne, Innovation Lead Cartell.ie, says:

“We are looking exclusively at new cars sold in Ireland and not at imported vehicles. It is timely that the figures for CO₂ /km in the private transport sector are dropping. The fall between 2019 and 2020 is significant and the Government will be encouraged by these results. To put that fall in perspective we have to go back to 2010 to find a 12-month-drop as large as what these results have yielded. However, there is a caveat to this: new car sales are well down this year for obvious reasons and so the purchase of EVs and PHEVs are having a larger positive impact than we might otherwise expect in a normal year. It isn’t all bad news though: if EVs and PHEVs continue their upward trajectory we may see the reductions in CO₂ consolidated in 2021.”

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. 

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Vehicle Ownership

The first concerns your relationship to the asset: in the case of a personal loan you receive money from the bank which is often an unsecured loan which you then use to buy any item – for example a car! The car is yours as soon as you purchase it, but you obviously must repay the loan amount plus interest to the bank. In the case of a Hire Purchase Agreement you are effectively leasing the car monthly. The car is not yours until the last payment is made. At that time title in the car will transfer to you. The bank can repossess the car if you do not keep up the payments. Another type of arrangement is a Personal Contract Plan (PCP) which is similar in many ways to a Hire Purchase Agreement but differs in the way the agreement is structured and the amount of money you have to pay at the end of the term known as a balloon payment or a Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMF)

Future Obligations

The second key difference between a personal loan and a Hire Purchase Agreement concerns the relationship between the car and a future potential purchaser of the vehicle. In the case of a personal loan where the money was used to buy a car the car does not have a financial interest listed against it, the loan is often unsecured, and the loan was personal to the intended recipient – so a future purchaser may take title in the car even if the personal loan was not paid off in its entirety by the original loan recipient. (In a case like this, where a loan was not paid back in full to the bank the bank would ordinarily look to secure judgment against the loan recipient for the outstanding amount. Obviously the bank would look at the option of seeking an order to repossess the car, but, if the car has already been sold then the bank can seek judgment against another asset).

Hire Purchase main difference with Car Loan

This is a very different scenario to a classical Hire Purchase Agreement or PCP.

In the case of these types of agreement the car belongs to the bank until the original recipient has paid off the last repayment. This means if the car is subsequently sold, with title still vesting in the bank, the future purchaser can lose the car – the bank can simply take it back as it still belongs to them. This is a disasterous scenario for a purchaser – that is why it is so important to do a finance check with Cartell. It is critical that a buyer is made aware if there is any outstanding finance owned on the vehicle as they don’t want to be made liable for that debt.

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Cartell.ie wanted to find out more about what happens when things go wrong: when a person simply can’t afford to repay the loan on their vehicle; or when a person inadvertently buys a vehicle which is already on finance.

Vehicle Repossessions in Ireland

Interested in this topic, a few years ago, we contacted the Dublin County Sheriffs Office and the Dublin City Sheriffs Office who look after the county and city districts in Dublin respectively. Both of these offices have a similar story to tell: officers act on foot of either court orders or revenue warrants made out against a particular person. This gives officers the right to seize property in the name of that individual – including motor vehicles. In short they have the legal right to repossess cars in Ireland.

Officers also have the right to seize vehicles designated as specific chattels by the courts – in other words when the court gives an order to seize a specific vehicle as opposed to simply the assets of an individual – but this is far less common.

However, officers are not entitled to seize vehicles which are the subject of a hire-purchase agreement on the basis that these vehicles remain the property of the banks until the loan is paid off in full. For that reason Sheriffs offices handle a relatively small amount of repossessions. Another factor in this is the value of the vehicle. Obviously a vehicle with a lower market value stands a lesser chance of being repossessed by officers who are intent on recouping money on foot of a court order or revenue warrant made out against an individual.

Let’s look at a real-world example of how cars are repossessed in Ireland. In a high profile case from 2010 the BMW Series 7 of developer Paddy Kelly was lifted from his house in Donnybrook on foot of a warrant to the Dublin City Sheriffs Office. The vehicle was subsequently returned the following day when it was found to be registered in the name of his wife. However it was re-seized in December after Mr. Kelly was presented with evidence that he was the ‘beneficial owner’ of the vehicle based on an interview he gave several years earlier.

Types of Repossessions

The majority of cases of repossessions are bank repossessions – where financial institutions seize their own property after individuals stop making payments on foot of a hire-purchase agreement. Often times the bank will hire a Repo Agent to carry out the task of lifting the vehicle. The bank may or may not need a court order to affect a repossession – it depends on how much money is outstanding on the agreement.

Generally speaking if the vehicle is subject to a personal loan, as opposed to a car loan, then the  bank is not entitled to repossess the car unless they hold a judgment against you for the amount that is due, and sought to have the car seized in order to discharge the judgment. This is the type of scenario which the Sheriffs office deal with – and there are not that many of these repossessions in a given year.

A hire purchase agreement is where a bank owns the vehicle – they have a lien (a right to possession) over the vehicle and legally the property remains in their name until the final payment is made.

However, usually, the finance company can repossess the car – without taking legal action – if less than one-third of the hire purchase price has been paid off and you are in arrears.

Finally, just to note, the half-rule says that where the customer has paid half the balance on the hire purchase agreement they can return the car and end the agreement, provided the repayments are up-to-date.

In any case you would be strongly advised to check if there is any finance outstanding on a used vehicle you intend purchasing as you could lose the vehicle if you become the registered owner. You can check the status of the financial status of the vehicle by purchasing a Cartell car history check.

Disclaimer: the information in this article does not constitute legal advice of any kind as it is intended to give general indication only. Please consult a solicitor or relevant banking institution if in any doubt about your exposure to repossession.

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Of those 17,166 vehicles with 10 or more owners, 3,598 are located in Dublin, 1,883 in Cork, 988 in Galway, and 856 in Limerick.

Chart: Location by county of vehicle’s with 10 or more owners

The majority of vehicles in Ireland are on their first, second or third owners. The graph below documents the number of ownership changes per vehicle in Ireland. It clearly shows the importance of establishing the number of owners when buying a used vehicle. The graph also shows that people do not change their vehicle on a whim as the results show the bulk of vehicle’s are still on their first, second, or third owner.

Graph 1: Number of ownership changes per vehicle – 1 to 10 owners (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Table 1: Number of ownership changes per vehicle (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

The average age of a vehicle in the Irish fleet (all vehicle types) is currently 8.60 years and the average number of owners is 2.54 owners per vehicle. This means the average sales cycle in Ireland is 3.39 years between ownership changes. When buying a vehicle the consumer should use this rule of thumb. Any less than 3 years between owner changes and a higher number of owners than 3 owners should impact on the selling price when buying a vehicle.

Innovation Lead Cartell.ie, Jeff Aherne says:

“Obviously counting the number of previous owners and the dates of sale are a very important part of the history of a vehicle. The higher the number of owners the more important a car history check becomes. If the car has a higher number of owners, and, if it changed hands recently, then you have to question whether the vehicle has mechanical issues. Consumers can check the number of previous owners with us as part of the many checks we provide. If a car already has three owners then it is above average and this should impact on the selling price.”

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. 

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The company advises that only 27 have been registered so far in 2020 and a mere 167 were registered with a 2019 plate. The numbers peak with 2186 registered to 2007 and 1838 registered to 2006.

Graph 1 – Convertibles in the Irish fleet 1990 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

In total there are 15,738 convertibles in the Irish fleet and approximately one third of those (5325) have been imported.

The most popular model is the Mazda MX5 with 953 registered. The next most popular is the Renault Megane with 812 registered.

Cartell considered why the popularity of convertibles has fallen away:

Convertibles may have been seen as a sign of affluence: they are more popular in the “boom years” – 2003 to 2008

Even though the numbers have fallen convertibles are more popular now than they were in the early 1990s

Other body type choices: the rise in popularity of body types like the SUV may have taken the gloss away from convertible sales as the buyer opts for something more practical yet stylish.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:

“The convertible may have been seen as a sign of the times during the boom years when open-topped driving was at its most popular. The fall off since then could be due to a variety of factors – obviously the weather is not always kind in Ireland and buyers often opt for more practical options but there has been a shift in the market away from this type of car.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Irish Buyer Rejects Convertibles appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie reports today (22^nd April) on the numbers of Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari and Aston Martins in the live fleet. In total there are 1,184 high-end luxury vehicles from these marques currently in the Irish fleet.

The company notes the decline in vehicles at this end of the market for the registration year 2019 compared with the previous year with only 91 vehicles registered against 135 for the registration year 2018. The height of the market is to be found in 2015 with 228 luxury cars registered to that year.

Graph 1: Number of Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin in Irish Live Fleet 2010 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Cartstat)

Imports

More than 50% of those vehicles have been imported: 667 imports against 517 indigenous Irish vehicles.

Models

The top model among the marques was the Porsche Panamera with 276 units followed by the Porsche Cayenne with 258 and the Porsche Macan with 197. The Porsche 911 also features with 104 examples of this model live in the current Irish fleet. The top Ferrari in Ireland is the California with 6 models. According to the Government data, there is one Ferrari Testarossa. Aston Martin peaks with the DB11 – there are 7 in the country.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:
“With so much uncertainty in the current market, it is interesting to see how many top-end luxury cars are in the country. Porsche leads the way with a variety of models and the avid car spotter has the chance to see a Ferrari Testarossa and a Ferrari 458 Italia among other super-luxe vehicles in Ireland.”

Table 2 The top models from the marques Porsche, Maserati, Bentley, Ferrari, Aston Martin in Irish Live Fleet 2010 to 2020 (Source: Cartell Cartstat)

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Porsche Panamera is Top Luxury Car in Ireland appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (11^th March) that more new vehicles are being sold with automatic transmission, and the gap between manual and automatic transmission has narrowed considerably in the last 5 years for new car purchases.

For native Irish cars automatic transmission has grown from 18,831 of new cars purchased in 2015 to 36,286 vehicles in 2019 – almost doubling in numbers. By contrast, manual transmission vehicles have declined from 106,837 to 77,183 over the same period.

The ratio of manual to automatic transmission vehicles so far in 2020 now comes in at less than 2:1 –

25,474 manuals compared with 14,166 automatics.

Graph and Chart showing transmission types for new cars purchased in Ireland 2015 to 2020

Reasons for the increase in automatic transmission may simply be owing to manufacturers including automatic as standard in many new luxury cars. Automatic transmission vehicles, often a relatively expensive additional option, are considered by most drivers as easier to drive. There are also now negligible differences in terms of emissions between the two types meaning environmental considerations generally do not factor in the buyers decision between the two.

Most electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs) have automatic transmission as standard. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) which are early precursors to autonomous vehicles of the future now include an advancement called predictive transmission which enables the vehicle to automatically shift to the optimal gear after identifying the road and traffic conditions ahead.

John Byrne, Cartell.ie says:

“It’s interesting to see how popular automatic transmissions have become. Automatics are easier to function and many current variants are incredibly intuitive and add positively to the driving experience. The days of the manual are not gone but remember that Electric Vehicles (EVs) generally require automatic transmission so as we phase towards EVs we can expect the growth in automatics to continue.”

For imports the manual is more popular: 319,951 of all imports (cars only) into Ireland are manual transmission while 104,323 are automatics. The whole fleet currently shows 2,624,504 manuals as against 489,414 automatics.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie is Ireland’s first and most comprehensive automotive data supplier providing Car History Checks to consumers and dealers. Launched in 2006, Cartell.ie is the automotive data expert providing tailored vehicle intelligence data to insurers, financiers, parts suppliers, vehicle manufacturers, and all sectors of the automotive industry. We supply data for multiple European countries such as, UK & Ireland, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Malta and more. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

The post Automatic Transmission on the Rise appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Toyota Corolla Review 2007 – 2011

The following is the next in our series of used car reviews written exclusively for Cartell.ie by Completecar.ie

Overview:

The Toyota Corolla isn’t exciting but it is popular for a good reason. It is a model of reliability and offers a pain-free motoring experience.

Tell me all about it:

The Corolla has been a family favourite in Ireland for generations and despite the fact that the Corolla isn’t offered in most of Europe or the UK, the Corolla saloon remains on sale alongside the Auris, which replaced the last-generation Corolla hatchback. The Corolla is a handsome enough saloon, if not dramatically styled, but these sober looks have aged well since it first arrived. A major plus point for the Corolla saloon is the fact that it is such a generously sized car for such little money.

Anything I should look out for?

Of all the cars that you could buy used, a Corolla saloon is one of the most painless to own. The Corolla is incredibly well built with hugely reliable engines and whether you choose either the 1.3-litre petrol or 1.4-litre diesel engines, both will have low maintenance costs and will be more than capable of racking up huge mileage. Make sure any diesel models have been serviced properly and that the particulate filter is in good condition.

What are my options?

The choice is very simple in the Corolla saloon; you can have a 1.3-litre petrol engine or a 1.4-litre diesel. The 1.3-litre petrol has 99 horsepower and has low emissions at 133g/km. It is a better value choice on the used market and it will return close to 50mpg on the combined cycle. The diesel model is more expensive and holds its value better. It makes a shrewd used-car buy if you intend to rack up higher mileage or if you will be buying a higher mileage example. A word of caution though, a poorly serviced diesel car won’t last as long as a poorly serviced petrol one, so make sure not to take any shortcuts.  

How much will it cost me?

Early 2007 petrol saloon models will set you back around €1,500 for the 1.4-litre petrol version from a main dealer with a full service history and this is perhaps the least you should spend on any model. You might find some cheaper examples but they would not be economically sound. You’ll only pay about €2,000 for a 2008 model, again with petrol versions more plentiful. The 2007 diesel Corollas start at around €2,000. A 2008 1.4-litre petrol model will set you back around €2,500 and there were few diesels sold in 2008, so you’ll have to get into a 2009 diesel, which will cost you around €3,000.

This Blog was produced courtesy of completecar.ie

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Ford Focus 2005 – 2011

The following is written exclusively for Cartell.ie by Completecar.ie

Overview:

The Ford Focus has been a top seller in Ireland for more than twenty years now and with good reason. It is well-built, good value and excellent to drive. There are more of them on the road in Ireland today than almost every other vehicle. By far the most popular Focus is the Mark II. Most of those have petrol aspirated engines (35,656 petrol vs 16,650 diesel) with a smallish number sporting flexible fuel capabilities (516).

Tell me all about it:

This second-generation Focus followed on from the hugely popular first-generation model, which itself had replaced the iconic, but ultimately poor Ford Escort. There is always plenty of choice on the used car market, as it continues to be a big seller. 

The Focus competes against cars like the Volkswagen Golf, Opel Astra and Toyota Auris. It is generally regarded as the ‘driver’s car’ out of this bunch, as it is considered to have the best chassis in its class by most experts.

Anything I should look out for?

By and large the Focus is a pretty well built car, with few major issues in terms of engines, electrics or components. We have noticed that some early models can have problems with flaking paint and you also need to make sure that the Irish roads haven’t taken their toll on the suspension – look out for knocking noises and have someone check the shocks. Interior quality can be a little brittle in places too, so make sure that everything is intact and working properly.

The bonnet opener, which was operated by a key behind the Ford badge, was prone to damage. Make sure on diesel models to check the quality of the diesel particulate filter, as this is an expensive fix (circa €950) to put right.

What are my options?

The overwhelming majority of early models of this generation of Focus in Ireland had a 1.4-litre petrol engine. This unit wasn’t very potent but it was ‘adequate’ in terms of acceleration and wasn’t too heavy on fuel. There was a 1.6-litre petrol engine available on earlier models too, which provided a little bit more pep and it is a better engine to go for in an early second-generation Focus.

When it comes to later examples, you are going to find lots of 1.8-litre and 1.6-litre diesel models available and the latter is the engine to choose, if your budget allows. They will probably show up as more expensive than petrol versions, which are starting to become unloved and unwanted, but they will put up with higher mileage – although they need servicing intervals to be adhered to strictly. In terms of trim levels the entry level was the LX, which was available as a special edition ‘Steel’ specification, but there were Zetec and Ghia grades available too. Zetec and Ghia grades had air-conditioning as standard and alloy wheels so they’re still more desirable. 

How much will it cost me?

Early models will now start off at around €2,000 from a main dealer with a full service history. In terms of fuel economy, the diesels are king, but check your mileage, because you might not earn back the extra money that you will almost certainly pay for a diesel model if you are a low mileage driver.

… and of course don’t forget to get a Cartell Vehicle History Check on the vehicle before you buy!

This Blog was produced courtesy of completecar.ie

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BMW 5 Series Saloon – 2003 – 2010

Overview:

Though this version of the 5 Series was replaced in 2010, the new car is already ubiquitous, which has helped to drive down prices of the older model. If you can put up with last-generation looks it’s still an astoundingly good car, with a great chassis, high quality cabin and decent economy if you choose sensibly.

Tell me all about it:

Even today the E60 generation 5 Series looks good and when it was replaced it was still at the top of the class in terms of the driving experience, quality and efficiency. There was a wide range of engines offered, from the refined, but relatively slow 2.0-litre petrol units to the fantastic diesels of varying power output. The 5 Series has proven quite reliable and despite the premium image it offers low running costs. It’s worth noting that there was a mid-life facelift in about 2007, after which economy improved substantially – try to find one of them. Make sure you test drive any example you’re considering too, as some have sports suspension and others do not – and its unyielding nature may not be to everyone’s liking.

Anything I should look out for?

On the reliability side the 5 Series has a good record, though there are some known faults. Reported issues centre on clonking suspension components and the odd electrical glitch. As with all used cars we’d recommend you take the time to test every switch, system and control in full. Along with that, several versions were the subject of recalls so give a BMW dealer a call with the chassis number to ensure that your car hasn’t missed out on any of this work. In general though it’s as safe a place as any to put your money.

What are my options?

The best all-round trim level is SE, as it features the necessities. In terms of specification, take a good look around the cabin for desirable extras such as leather trim, an automatic gearbox and built-in satnav. M Sport models will tempt you with their sportier looks, but they usually sit on harder suspension and hence are compromised on the road. Try it out for size before you commit. The excellent 520d is all the car that anyone needs (especially the post-facelift model), though if your pockets are deep enough the 530d and 535d are highly impressive with massive performance and yet still decent economy. The 520i is gutless, though the six-cylinder petrol models are pleasant enough – but we don’t think they’re worth the premium on fuel consumption

How much will it cost me?

You may find a few early petrol versions on sale with high mileages for as low as €2,000, but we wouldn’t recommend them. The 530d arrived before the 520d and there are plenty of those early six-cylinder diesel models available for well under €4,000. They’re fine cars, but annual tax will be costly. Even the first of the 520d cars are holding firm at about €3000 – €4,000. 

How does it compare to the later model?

The 2011 5 Series is considerably different. It’s far more spacious inside and generally more comfortable on the road. BMW transformed it from a luxurious sports saloon to sporty luxury car – with the emphasis now on comfort. Its interior is all-new too, and more cutting edge in terms of style, materials used and technology. The model line-up is largely the same, though BMW is more generous with its equipment nowadays, and buyers have more high-tech options than ever before. Somehow better economy has been extracted across the line-up, without sacrificing performance, and the petrol engines are virtually all turbocharged now making them faster than ever, but far more economical.

Rememeber if you do have your eye on a used BMW 5 series and if you are searching sites like CarsIreland and come across a lovely 07 BMW 5 series in reasonable condition then don’t forget to check it before buying here with Cartell.

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As drivers we’ve all experienced pedestrians crossing the road in front of us and in urban areas pedestrians appear to be particularly adept at crossing in front of two contra-flowing steams of traffic without getting hit – timing it perfectly. Well, maybe not quite, as the Road Safety Authority says almost 2 in 5 road deaths are pedestrians. In Ireland we do have a jaywalking law – it says a pedestrian must use a pedestrian crossing if they are within 50 metres of one. But, in reality, few of us could argue that law is enforced.

The AA asked almost six thousand people if they believe that pedestrians should be held to the same road safety standards as drivers and two-thirds of people agreed that they should. On the spot fines for pedestrians were favoured by those polled.

Quoting the Road Safety Authority statistic which says 2 in 5 road deaths are of pedestrians, the AA attributes this to the rise in the use of mobile phone and other personal devices.

“Looking back through our motor insurance claims records it’s not usual to see notes such as man on phone stepped out in front of me’ or ‘had to swerve to avoid cyclist with headphones’,” said Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland.

The United States, Australia and Poland are among countries that already fine people for jaywalking.

In an article published by one newspaper, Miriam O’Neill of the AA told the Herald that New York provided a prime case study of how jaywalking legislation could be enforced to maximise safety.

“There is smart thinking behind how they approach it, with the primary focus on accident black-spots and the busiest intersections,” she said.

The AA is likely to investigate how much people think wayward pedestrians should be fined, having established with this poll that significant support exists for the measure.

In the meantime if you are walking out there then do take care.

Blog partially reproduced from Irish Independent

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“We are clearly committed to the goals of the Paris climate protection agreement. For this purpose, it will be necessary to make mobility entirely CO₂-free.”

Maik Stephan, Executive Director Corporate Strategy, Volkswagen AG

Killarney, Co. Kerry – Electronomous in partnership with Mobility X report on the International Car Tech & Mobility Summit currently taking place (May 2^nd and May 3rd) in Killarney. World Class speakers from the tech world together with the auto industry, research community and stakeholders in Connected Cars, Autonomous Vehicles, Alternative Power Trains & Mobility are in Kerry for the event.

The event is hosted by the original Top Gear presenter and motoring rights campaigner Quentin Willson.

Jeff Aherne, Electronomous co-founder and Director Engineer, Cartell.ie says:

“The discussion has moved to mobility, in its various forms, and how technology is shaping the changes we are already seeing around us in this sector. This requires the involvement and attention of Governments around the world. We really are looking at the future here and Cartell.ie is delighted to be driving this discussion.”

Already the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe the event attracts C-level Industry executives, Engineers operating with OEMs, owners and operators of lease or rental fleets, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, technology providers, product developers, telecommunication operators, car sharing and automotive mobility solutions providers.

Maik Stephan, Executive Director Corporate Strategy, Volkswagen AG, says today in Killarney:

Our mission is e-mobility for everyone, with attractive vehicles at affordable prices. Volkswagen wants to make a substantial contribution to climate protection with e-mobility. We are clearly committed to the goals of the Paris climate protection agreement. For this purpose, it will be necessary to make mobility entirely CO₂-free.”

In 2019 Electronomous is delighted to announce a New Stage – curated by our partners at Mobility X Conference. The MobilityX Stage runs parallel to the Main Stage at Electronomous. The Mobility X stage will host some of the World’s leading figures in self-driving cars and mobility. It is a gathering of global autonomous vehicle leaders featuring executive level automotive professionals from across a range of industries.

Xavier Collins, Managing Director Turo UK says:

 The world of mobility is dramatically changing, and the rise of the sharing economy has a big part to play in giving people more autonomy and freedom. Through Turo’s peer-to-peer marketplace we’re redefining the economics of car ownership to support this, and put the world’s one billion cars to better use. I’m looking forward to bringing this to life as a discussion at Electronomous.”

Monika Mikac, Chief Business Officer, QEV Tech says:

I think the answer electric or gas powered is already decided. World is going electric but the bigger change is happening in a way how we use vehicles. At QEV Technologies we are focused on innovation through Formula E and we have a goal to electrify mass transport in emerging countries, area that most manufacturers don’t see as a potential market and actually those areas have the biggest pollution.”

The event provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales, Motoring and Mobility into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

Sara Hill, SVP Advanced Technologies, Enterprise Ireland says:

Enterprise Ireland is excited to support this event which showcases the future of mobility and innovations from globally leading companies. Ireland is in a unique position to excel in the connected and autonomous vehicle sector through a diverse cluster of companies, universities and research centres offering technical, industrial and engineering expertise and solutions. We have over 20 Irish companies in attendance at the conference, and welcome our group of 15 international delegates of industry experts from Silicon Valley, Germany and Dubai.”

Amer Akhtar, newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer of DeepMap, says:

The future of autonomous mobility is dependent on safety, and an accurate HD map is the blueprint of that safety. DeepMap’s HD mapping and localization solutions provide a critical component to the future of mobility by enabling AVs to create and consume an HD map that’s highly accurate, reliable, and up-to-date. I look forward to driving discussions around mapping and localization at Electronomous and the Mobility X stage.”

Hollywood Star and Racing Driver Michael Fassbender will lead the gathering when he speaks Friday in a fireside chat with Quentin Willson.

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

Electronomous is one of Europe’s leading AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY EVENTS. This International Summit brings together World Class speakers, exhibitors and delegates in the field of Electric Vehicles, Connected Car Technology, ADAS, Cyber Security, Autonomous Vehicles and all in the beautiful setting of Killarney, Ireland.

It provides a unique glimpse at how technology will affect the Automotive Industry, Insurance industry, Car Finance Industry, Car Sales and Motoring into the future. It also offers an unprecedented opportunity to Network with Industry leaders and leading experts in the fields mentioned above, while also providing a great platform to create new business relationships.

The MobilityX VIP Weekend Package 

Kicking off right after the conference, on Friday 3rd at 12pm. Designed for Executives, Policy makers, and Transportation Authorities, this weekend will be a private event designed to help you get to know some of the most innovative executives in the self-driving industry. Places on this event are limited to a small number of VPs, Founders, Investors, CEOs and other invited guests from the Industry. It is an opportunity to get to know some of the best people in the industry, while also relaxing in the beautiful Killarney.

For more information about the event see:

http://www.electronomous.com

For more information on Mobility X see: www.mobilityx.co

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests please contact:

John Byrne, 087 4199018 or john at cartell.ie

The post Electronomous – The International Car Tech & Mobility Summit appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes Preview

By: Sean Moriarty

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announce today (April 29th) on the preview for the 40th edition of the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes.

The biggest sporting occasion in the country this weekend will be the 40th running of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes which gets underway from Killarney on Friday night (May 3rd).

Killarney and District Motor Club have pulled out all the stops to mark the event’s ruby anniversary in style.

A star-studded and capacity entry, a new and challenging route a host of side events and celebrity guests from a range of spectrums will make it a weekend to remember in Killarney.

Friday night ceremonial start

The celebrations get underway on Friday evening with the traditional ceremonial start in the Fair Hill Car Park in the town.

This will give fans their first opportunity to meet the 150 contestants and see the cars for the first time. Each competitor will go over the start ramp at the College St exit of the car park, led by the Ford Fiesta R5 of Craig Breen and local co-driver Paul Nagle.

Each competitor will be interviewed on the ramp by former RTE broadcasting legend and rally enthusiast Michael Lyster, to the backdrop of traditional music, led by local star Liam O’Connor.

Members of the Killarney Valley Vintage and Classic Car Club will display some of their classic machinery and several rally cars of historical importance will also be on static display.

It will also be the public’s first opportunity to meet event ambassadors, Hollywood A-lister and local man Michael Fassbender and Formula 1 Grand Prix legend Tommy Byrne.

“This is a huge family occasion,” said clerk of the course Dermot Healy “Come down, see the cars and meet the stars.”

Activity in Fair Hill Car park will start around 5pm and will run until around 8pm when the action shifts to the Scott’s Gardens auditorium in the same area.

Here, Lyster and other well-known motoring and motorsport broadcasters will interview some of the top drivers contesting this year’s rally.

This event is also free and open to the public but is likely to fill fast so early arrival is advised.

Sporting contest and entry

The sporting element of the rally gets underway bright and early Saturday morning with the first of three runs over the iconic Moll’s Gap stage which is set to get underway at just after 9am.

Leading the field is the Waterford/Kerry pairing of Craig Breen and Paul Nagle in their Ford Fiesta R5. They arrive in Killarney as leaders of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship following victories on the Galway, West Cork and Easter International rallies. Aghadoe man Nagle, the winner of five rounds of the World Rally Championship and almost every major rally in Ireland has never won his home event.

“This is the one to win,” he said, “It was nice to get my hands on the famous Circuit of Ireland trophy [for winning the Easter Stages] but this is the big one.”

Last year’s champion Manus Kelly with Rory Kennedy on the notes starts at number two in his new for 2019 Hyundai Accent R5.

Letterkenny man Kelly has won his home rally, the Donegal International on three occasions but his secret weapon this weekend could Kennedy who has won the Rally of the Lakes on seven different occasions (six with the late Bertie Fisher and once alongside Stephen Finlay), a record that is unlikely to be surpassed.

Alistair Fisher and Gordon Noble are next up in another Fiesta, followed by Josh Moffett and Keith Moriarty in a similar car.

Last year’s second placed crew, Robert Barrable and Damian Connolly field a Skoda Fabia R5 ahead of the second of the Moffett brothers Sam and co-driver James Fulton in another Fiesta.

One of the dark horses for a surprise result is Desi Henry and Liam Moynihan in their Skoda. They were third here last year and finished a strong second on the Easter Stages two weeks ago.

Daniel Cronin and JJ Cremin will be hoping for a reversal of their recent misfortune, they retired their Ford Fiesta on Cod’s Head last year with an electrical problem and an engine failure on the St Patrick’s weekend West Cork Rally forced early retirement.

Lack of seat time since Cork, aspirations to contest both the Circuit of Kerry and the Easter Stages, failed to materialise as they waited for their engine to be rebuilt, will go against them in the early stages.

Callum Devine and Brain Hoy are newcomers to the top ten in Killarney, but they finished sixth in West Cork and fourth on the Easter Stages already this year. On his last visit to County Kerry in 2016 he put his small Opel Adam into tenth place. Now armed with an R5 Fiesta like most of his rivals, he is another capable of springing a surprise.

The top ten is rounded off by Johnny Greer and Kristy Riddick who were fifth last year in their Fiesta and by Welsh crew Merion Evans and Jonathon Jackson who are on their first visit to the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes aboard a Hyundai Accent R5.

Route

Killarney and District Motor Club have laid on one of the most difficult routes in the rally’s 40-year history.

Clerk of the course Dermot Healy really wanted to do something very different to mark the special occasion.

Reversing old favourites like Cod’s Head and Ardgroom, something that has not been done in over 30 years was only the start of it.

The Healy Pass has been run from the Cork side in the past but running the stage finish passed the doorstep of the Sibin pub in Lauragh is a new departure.

Sunday will feature two runs over Moll’s Gap, the return of the Sheen River Stage, not used in the Rally of the Lakes for a long time, a new stage near Rathmore and the full- length Gortnagane stage from Ballydaly to Headford to give a total of 230kms of competitive action, making it one of the longest rallies in recent years.

The first car leaves Parc Ferme on the Lewis Road at 830am on Saturday morning and at 720am on Sunday. The first car is due back on the finish ramp at the Gleneagle Hotel just after 5pm on Sunday evening.

Locals

The top local seed is defending national rally champion, Rob Duggan. Reunited with former co-driver Mikie Galvin, it is their first time working together in six years but a defence of last year’s national title is the only target in their hired Ford Escort Mk2.

Kevin O’Donoghue and Timmy Kelly are next up their gloriously sounding BMW M3 E30 and are the current leaders of the two-wheel-drive class in the Southern 4 Rally Championship.

Dave Slattery and Ger Somers will share a rally car for the first time in years. Strong contenders for the Kingdom of Kerry title, they won’t have an easy time with local father and son team Charlie and Johnny Hickey right behind. Adding to the local battle Tadgh O’Sullivan and John McCarthy start one place behind the Hickeys, all three crews in nearly identical Ford Escorts.

“It is going to be some craic,” said middle man Charlie Hickey.

Defending junior champion Colin O’Donoghue steps up to the full two-day rally for the first in a newly built Ford Escort.

“This is a big step,” he said,”This is my first two-day rally and there is a lot more preparation needed.”

Shane McCarthy from Kenmare will be one of the contenders for class 11F honours in his Honda Civic and will face the similar car of Steven O’Connor and Christy Nagle.

Kevin O’Sullivan and Sean Nolan are contenders for class 12 in their Escort.

Local co-driver Denis Coffey will navigate for Raymond Spence from County Down in their Escort. Tommy Moynihan is another local co-driver, alongside Laois’s Patrick O’Connor in a Mitsubishi Lancer.

Class 9 is nearly an all Kerry affair. Limerick’s Roland Doherty is the top seed in his Vauxhall Nova, but he will face locals like Denis Nagle/John Falvey (Nissan Micra), Noel O’Sullivan/Nicky Burke (Ford Escort) and Charles O’Neil/ Tony McCarthy (Honda Civic).

It is a huge occasion for O’Sullivan and Burke, as the rally celebrates its 40th anniversary, Noel lines up for his 37th attempt and Nicky will partner him for the 23rd time.

Killarney’s Con Lucey has entered in another Ford Escort and he will face class 11R competition from Donal Flynn and Niall Myers in their Toyota Corolla.

Shane Doyle and William Kelleher will be looking forward to the latter half of Sunday in their BMW E30 as the stages pass close to their Barraduff base.

Pat Sheahan and Denny O’Riordan will contest the rally in their unusual left-hand drive Renault Clio.

Kerry Motor Club’s Mike Dowling will start his fourth rally in his Ford Escort Mk1 while Anthony Sheahan brings up the rear in his Honda Civic.

Moriarty’s Centra Kingdom of Kerry championship

Defending Moriarty’s Kingdom of Kerry co-driving champion Damien Fleming returns alongside Monaghan-based Raymond Conlon in their Toyota Corolla. The pair are not enjoying the best of seasons so far and have retired from several recent rallies, including the Rose Hotel Circuit of Kerry where a faulty engine sensor put them out.

Darren Young arrives in Killarney as the second placed driver in the Kingdom of Kerry championship and will be hoping to add to his class win on the event last year.

Sean Hickey and Noel Fleming were third in this championship last season and they currently occupy joint-third in the series, just two points off the leader Tom Relihan who won’t start.

Locals in historic rally

Local driver Alan Ring has placed surprise entry in the Historic section of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes.

It will be his first appearance on his home rally since 2016 when he finished fifth overall in a Ford Fiesta R5

PJ O’Dowd and John Young from Tralee ran their new Talbot Sunbeam for the first time on the Circuit of Kerry and overcame brake issues to finish fourth on that event.

Southern 4 championship

The Southern Four Rally Championship is currently being led by the Cork team of David Guest and Jonathan McGrath in their Skoda Fabia S2000

Family affairs

Father and son team Charlie and Johnny Hickey will be joined on the rally by Charlie’s brother John and John’s daughter Michelle. It will be Michelle’s first rally, she celebrated her 16th birthday in early April and this is her present. Both John and Charlie have over 30 starts each on the rally.

“There are not too many brothers who can say they have 70 starts on the one rally between them,” said John.

Rob Duggan’s brother and sister Andrew and Tara are contesting the rally in a Ford Escort Mk2.

Dave Slattery’s son Dean makes his rally debut in a Honda Civic.

Junior

Peter Falvey, fresh from his Junior rally win on the West Cork Rally is the top seed in the junior section of the rally in his Toyota Starlet.

Conor Murphy and Keith McCarthy are next up in a Honda Civic, but a continuous engine problem has prevented them from starting several recent rallies in their Honda Civic. Kieran Reen will be another local frontrunner in this class, as will Donagh Crowley who won the category on the recent Circuit of Kerry

There are 24 juniors entered, with nine of them from Kerry.

Overseas interest

The rally lives up to its international status with visitors from England, Wales, Germany and the USA entered in the event.

Herefordshire-based Phil Collins, who first came to Killarney in 1981 is a local favourite and will be a serious contender for national rally honours in his Ford Escort.

Welsh visitor Sacha Kakad is on his first visit to Killarney in his new for 2019 Ford Fiesta R5 while Duncan Williams from England is another regular in a historic-spec Ford Escort.

Galway native Liam Egan is another regular and returns from his New York-base in a Ford Fiesta R5.

Declan Jackson represents the Isle of Man in his historic Escort.

Andy Davies is another Welsh driver on the entry list in his Subaru Impreza.  Andrew Felgate from England is on his first visit to the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes in a BMW M3.

Sean Kenny makes the trip home from Germany in his Honda Civic.  Scotland is also represented on the entry list, Jonny Greer’s co-driver Kirsty Riddick hails from the Haugh of Urr.

Home for the rally

Several Kerry competitors have returned home from their overseas bases specially to contest this year’s Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes.

Cousin’s Aidan and Shane Buckley from Listry are based in Bristol and London respectively and will compete in Aidan’s newly built Ford Escort.

Ronald O’Riordan works for Liebherr Container Cranes in Fossa but is often sent on overseas assignments. He has just returned to Kerry after an extended period in Brazil where he was installing container cranes in an inland port on the banks of the River Amazon.

London-based Ray Hilliard and his North Kerry co-driver Conor Walsh make their World Rally Car debut in a Subaru Impreza WRC.

Killarney native and London Irish Motor Club chairman Mick Smith has entered the Rally Fest section in his Chrysler Avenger.

Celebrities in town

Michael Fassbender, the Hollywood A-lister and Fossa native is no stranger to motorsport having contested several Ferrari and Porsche one-make races in the United States in the past, but this is his first attempt at a rally and he will drive a Ford Escort in the Rally Fest section. Local co-driver Barry Goodman will guide him around.

Fassbender will also be in attendance at the start ramp on Friday night and the awards presentation on Sunday night in the Gleneagle Hotel.

Formula One Grand Prix legend Tommy Byrne from Dundalk is also in town, he will attend a book signing in Eason’s on Main St on Saturday as well as being at the finish celebrations on Sunday.

Rally Fest

New for 2019 is a special exhibition class that features cars from the pre-1990 era of rallying, often referred to as at glory days of the sport.

There are some incredibly beautiful rally cars, many with an interesting history, contesting this section of the rally.

Leading this field away is Denis Cronin and his Kilgarvan co-driver Helen O’Sullivan in their BMW M3 E30. This pair won the international rally in 2010 driving a Subaru Impreza.

Conor Falvey and Fearghal Pattwell will drive an ex-works Porsche 911.

This rally was won by Ger Buckley and Demi Fitzgerald in 1980 and 1981 respectively and the Vauxhall Chevette HSR they drove to their victories returns to Killarney in the hands of Mick Dunnion.

Michael Buckley, who appeared on the entry list of the very first Rally of the Lakes as a co-driver, will debut his newly restored Audi quattro this weekend.

Other cars of interest include an MG Metro 6R4 in the hands of Frank O’Mahony, a rear-wheel-drive Peugeot 205 driven by Brendan Brosnan, a Subaru Impreza 555 driven by Paul Ahern and an ex-works Chrysler Avenger driven by Killarney native and London Irish Motor Club chairman Mick Smith.

Programme

Killarney and District Motor Club will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes by producing a special rally magazine focusing on the history of the rally.

The official programme for this year’s rally will be a real collector’s item with articles and photos, some of which have never appeared in print before, spanning the rally’s four decades.

Produced by KC Print in Killarney, a sister company to the Killarney Advertiser, the special 120-page book went on sale in Killarney and other local towns last week.

As well as a look back on the history of the rally, the programme includes the most up-to-date entry list and maps of this year’s route.

It is priced at €15 and the rally-pack includes a free rally-style bobble hat and a voucher for a free membership to Motorsport Ireland’s loyalty membership scheme – valued at €10.

It can also be purchased online via https://www.killarneyadvertiser.ie/product/rally-of-the-lakes-programme-2019/

ENDS

Note to Editor:

For further information please contact Sean Moriarty on 087 6771019 or check out https://rallyofthelakes.com/  for further information.

The post Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2019 celebrates its Ruby Anniversary appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie looked at the first two months of the year for every year between 2003 and 2019 and the data yielded the following results:

Why has the average value been increasing?

In 2018, Cartell reported to the market that the value of the average new car sold in Ireland has been increasing steadily. We reported a figure of €30,130 for the first 6 months of 2018 in a detailed analysis. The final end-of-year figure for 2018 returned €30,082 – the first time that average values for a full year have fallen above €30,000.

In 2019, for the first two months, the average new car value has broken through the €31,000 marker returning €31,003 – an increase of 3 per cent.

Graph 1: Average value of new private vehicles (Open Market Selling Price (OMSP)) bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Cartell.ie considered several possible reasons for the continued increase in the average value of a private vehicle purchased in Ireland over the last several years:

• Consumers may be opting for more expensive vehicles, or more expensive vehicle types like SUVs and Crossover vehicles, or MPVs
• Buyers may want larger cars. The country had a recorded population of 4.23 million in Census 2006 which increased to 4.76 million in Census 2016. This increase may have weighed on buyer decisions, for instance, buyers with younger children may need additional space
• Buyer has more cash to spend or more available lines of credit. Financial products such as Personal Contract Plans (PCPs) came to prominence in Ireland during the recession as manufacturers sought a means to provide direct lines of credit to potential buyers
• Vehicles are more expensive to manufacture, to comply with NCAP safety ratings, for example, this increases the cost of manufacture: the consumer now often expects certain higher specification items as standard too – larger wheels, alloys, on-board technology, Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) features – which all increase the manufacture cost

Table 1: Inflation adjusted Average Values 2004 to 2019 (first two months of each year) (Source: Cartell, Carstat)

As we said last year the buyer of a new vehicle is getting more features than before particularly on the safety side. Over time new-car-buyers have grown accustomed to a greater range of features and these are often rolled-out as standard in future generations as manufacturers add new features as additional extras. This cycle may increase the cost of manufacture on the one hand but it can also increase the price consumers are willing to spend to acquire features seen as desirable. Simple examples of this phenomenon are electric windows and alloy wheels. Possibly, the buyer in some cases may be opting for more expensive cars owing to more readily available lines of credit or simply because buyers are keen to buy a larger car when fuel economy and motor taxation figures have dropped so significantly across the board.

Larger, bulkier cars like SUVs are becoming fashionable. Often the reasons for a buyer opting for a vehicle of this type are based on practicalities like easier access to rear seats and loading areas. It stands to reason that vehicles of this type, as they are larger, are more expensive to manufacture. They can also increase the average levels of CO₂.

One concern which arose from the introduction of the World Harmonised Light Duty Vehicle Testing Protocol (WLTP) was whether more stringent rules on emissions testing would spell the end for optional extras in new cars. Based on this birds-eye market analysis by Cartell.ie there is no strong evidence this is taking place.

CO₂ Emissions – the trend is unfortunately upwards

In 2018, Cartell looked at the state of CO₂ emissions in the private transport sector. It had been then reported that Ireland faced a significant fine in 2020 for a “serious rise in Irish greenhouse gas emissions” – which had been partly attributed to the transport sector where emissions increased by 3.7 per cent in 2016.

Unfortunately Cartell reports today the situation has actually worsened in respect of our emissions of CO₂. In a worrying development for Government there has been an upturn in the average CO₂ emissions of new vehicles sold in Ireland: in 2018 average emissions increased for the first time since 2004 recording a reading of 113g CO₂ /km. More concerning is that the trend is now upwards – the reading recorded for the first two months of 2019 is 115g CO₂ /km.

Graph 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Average CO₂  of new private vehicles bought in Ireland 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Remember, we are looking exclusively at new cars sold in Ireland so any arguments with respect to imported vehicles can be entirely discounted. The report considers whether the average emissions are possibly increasing in line with a buying trend towards purchase of more expensive vehicles, meaning these results are correlative with the general increase in the value of new vehicles sold. However, this wouldn’t really explain the increase in emissions per se as manufacturers have invested considerable amounts of money to reduce emissions in their fleet in-line with overarching concerns for the environment globally.

The reason for the increase may simply be the buying trend towards larger more practical vehicles like SUVs in favour of saloons. Certainly the buyer is spending more money as will be more in evidence when the reader looks at the next section of this report.

Buyers buying different vehicles – more money to spend?

One intriguing aspect we found in the data is the changing consumer trend towards buying vehicles in the €30k to €40k price bracket. This is now the second most popular price bracket for purchasers overall and it is well on course to becoming the most popular bracket – possibly as early as next year – as the gap is closing markedly. This can be seen in the graph below.

Graph 3: Value of New Vehicles purchased in Ireland by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The price bracket €30k to €40k is also the bracket where the average value lays – currently €31,003. As more and more purchasers become accustomed to spending in excess of €30,000 so the cycle continues as more and more different buying options are presented by the various manufacturers in this bracket to feed the demand.

This is in contrast to the position in the lowest price bracket – less than €20k where fewer and fewer consumer purchases are taking place. This is reflected in the graph which shows a significantly sharp decline in the numbers of buyers purchasing in this bracket: in 2003 this bracket constituted half of the entire market and now brings in less than 20 per cent of the overall sales by numbers of units. Again, the effect is cyclical as the smaller number of purchases in this bracket reflects, or results in, a smaller number of buying options available in the segment as manufacturers concentrate their efforts elsewhere.

Graph 4: CO₂  emissions by price bracket 2003-2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Another interesting aspect to this consumer shift is the commensurate impact on CO₂  emissions: The graph above shows that, in line with the general upward trend in the market, CO₂  emissions are increasing over the course of the past couple of years except for one bracket – the €30,000 to €40,000 price bracket. This is exactly the price bracket where Electric Vehicles (EVs) enter the frame as this is the price bracket where those vehicles are sold and consequently EVs are clearly impacting on average emissions in that bracket. Though EVs are not yet being sold in numbers which are having the same impact on CO₂  emissions in the market overall.

Electric Vehicles (EVs), hybrids and the consumer shift to more expensive vehicles

One of the reasons mentioned widely for the slow growth in Electric Vehicles (EVs) is the increased manufacturing costs for vehicles of this type and consequently the higher purchase price of this vehicle-type. To some extent this higher price-point has been offset by Government incentives. Our report looks in more details at the value of EVs at the time of first purchase in the market and returns the following results.

Table 3: Value and units of Electric Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The table above shows the recent growth in the numbers of EVs – up 6 times on last year. It also shows the price-point for this vehicle-type has settled just above €33,000. Combined with the growth in this price bracket (see previous section) and the recent consumer trend towards (i) buying a car which is more expensive and (ii) buying an EV the market should be prime for EV sales in 2020/21.

Table 4: Value and units of Hybrid Vehicles sold first two months of the year 2017 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

In terms of hybrid sales the market has advanced 20 per cent. The overall numbers of hybrids sold in the first 2 months of 2019 displays a healthy annualised increase of 20 per cent. This growth weighs against the backdrop of a decline in diesel sales – down 23 per cent.

One thing that is open to interpretation is the future market demand outcome – whether demand will move more towards Electric Vehicles or towards their hybrid equivalents. Self-charging hybrids now make up 7.7 per cent of the car market against 2.2 per cent for EVs. In volume terms, hybrid growth continues on an equivalent level to EVs.

The advantage with the hybrid is that it is much closer to what the average consumer is already familiar with and it fends off so-called range anxiety. The case for the EV turns more on the additional environmental benefits a car of this type delivers (in terms of its day-to-day performance) and the fact that range anxiety will also become less of an issue as additional battery capacity coming on stream pushes vehicles of this type to deliver more range in the future.

Michael Gaynor, Marketing Director, Toyota Ireland told Cartell.ie:

We continue to see consumers make the shift from diesel to self-charging hybrids where 80% of all our car sales in 2019 will be hybrids. Our next generation hybrid engines can now deliver up to 60 per cent zero emissions driving, giving consumers much of the benefit of a pure electrified car without the compromise of re-recharging or range anxiety. It’s why we expect self-charging hybrids to account for 12 per cent of private car sales in 2020, growing to 20 per cent by 2021.”

Obviously there is a Brexit uncertainty in the market, however, this point aside for the moment, we would expect to see self-charging Hybrids grow to 12% or 1 in 8 of new cars sold in 2020.  Very healthy growth in EVs in 2020 – more than 3,000 units for the first 2 months of next year is easily achievable and 5,000 units is not impossible. This anticipates EVs being sold at a value in the low €30,000s and the continuing consumer advance towards buying cars in the €30,000 to €40,000 bracket. As we expect this to be the most popular bracket for new car sales within the next two years this should yield significant growth in EVs over that period as consumers are faced with a like-for-like choice in terms of price knowing that EVs can yield savings down the line in terms of running costs. So, in January and February 2020 we can make a prediction of sales in the region of €100m+ EV sales.

Notes 

1. While compiling these figures Cartell assessed, for all the years, the Open Market Selling Price for each vehicle purchased, based on the Jato List price.
2. The study deducted public grants and VRT rebates for environmentally friendly vehicles such as Electric Vehicles and Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicles (EVs/PHEVs).
3. The values given for New Private Sales in the Tables are those successfully matched to the OMSP. The study successfully matched in excess of 98 per cent of vehicles.

The post New Car Market Profiling and EV/Hybrid Predictions for 2020 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Honda Urban EV

Electric vehicles are the talking point of the industry at the moment as manufacturers push to displace petrol and diesel aspirated models with electric vehicles. There is a lot of chatter about this in line with overall concern for the environment and carbon emissions. Electric vehicles are certainly cleaner to run day-to-day and despite a slow start show recent signs of great progress. The Honda Urban EV is a car set for production. The design is quite futuristic, and, as you would expect, urban. It displays sporty wheels and nice touches such as lighting. It’s shape is designed for mass market appeal but with touches that will appeal to buyers in the upper end of the market who are looking for a city spin-around car.

New Renault Clio

The Renault Clio is popular with those buyers influenced by neat design cues and the mk5 Clio continues in the tradition of offering affordable vehicles to those looking for a bit of style. However while the exterior presents more of an evolution a design revolution is underway inside as the interior undergoes a significant makeover. A tablet-like screen is the main focus inside as it juts out from the centre console in the fashion of many vehicles on display in Geneva. The chrome dials help to give the vehicle a sporty and angular look and everything looks comfortable and functional.

BMW 7 Series

This flagship saloon from the Munich-based Bayerische Motoren Werke contains all of the gadgets and plushness required of the successful senior executive. The 7 series follows the successful presentation to market of the 8 Series at last year’s show. As always, we like the styling of the BMW – a firm Cartell favourite.

Mitsubishi Engelberg

Geneva always gives us an impressive line-up of concept cars. This Mitsubishi Engelberg possibly indicates future design-cues for the EV range of the brand and sits well on its stand in Hall 4. It’s not clear whether it will enter production but concepts can often influence future line-ups even if it isn’t offered for sale.

Lamborghini Huracan Evo

A more angular rear bumper is one of the predominant design changes in respect of this supercar. Displaying flashy looks and sleek profiling – as befits a Lamborghini – this Huracan Evo is the easiest thing to photograph in Geneva!

The Skoda Kamiq

This vehicle appeals to the worldwide push towards the SUV. It is the smallest Skoda SUV yet and its sharp lines and sporty appearance is bound to appeal to a market keen to indulge the latest offerings in the SUV-line. It’s interesting the noticeable shift (particularly in Europe) away from saloon models and towards vehicles that, in some respects, are seen as more practical. Higher load access to the rear combined with practical space in the boot have helped this development.

New VW Passat

The new Passat is tech-heavy with lots of lean towards the latest Advanced Driver Assistance Systems features such as a semi-autonomous autopilot assistance package capable of operating at higher speeds than before. It’s a first for Volkswagen and is called “travel assist”. Other features are the now-standard LED lights with new wheel designs and colours available too.

Porsche 911

Geneva wouldn’t be Geneva without a look at the supercar line-up displaying in the Palexpo. The new Porsche 911 Cabriolet is, as you would expect, loaded with performance: optional Sport Chrono Package produces 0-62mph in 3.7secconds in the Carrera S and 3.6 seconds in the Carrera 4S – typical supercar returns.

Peugeot 208

Last but by no means least we look at Peugeot the company that has shown a design resurgence of late We really liked the 508 from the Show last year. The 208 carries onwards the sleek lines and futuristic curves in a smaller package. What we like about the 208 is the market demographic flexibility it displays and how we really think it could appeal to a variety of potential buyers. The interior is really on-point as well, we really liked the storage for the phone and the little shelf to display it horizontally if the driver needs it for navigation – really cool car that shows this brand is on the up-and-up.

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Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (February 13^th) that the age of the imported fleet is now at its lowest level since May 2010 and the native fleet age is now at its lowest level since September 2013. The overall picture shows the age of the private fleet, both native and imported, has returned to a level last seen in August 2013.

Cartell.ie tracked the age of the fleet (both native fleet and imported fleet) on the first day of each month between February 1999 and February 2019. Between February 2018 and February 2019 the imported fleet has declined in age from an average of 9.0 years to 8.76 years (-88 days). For the equivalent period the native fleet has declined from 8.57 years to 8.48 years (-32 days).

Graph 1: Age and Size of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The age of the fleet oscillates throughout the year as vehicles leave the fleet and others enter. However the drop in age of the imported fleet since February 2017 (-209 days) has been particularly notable. In February 2018 the difference in age between the (older) imported fleet and the (younger) native fleet was 158 days while today the difference in age has narrowed to 102 days.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie, says:

“A lot has been said lately about imported vehicles. The results of this analysis show the average Irish buyer importing a vehicle is evidently opting for a younger vehicle than before and this is bringing down the age of both the imported fleet and the combined fleet, native and imported.

In January 2015 Cartell released data which showed the age of the private fleet in Ireland had levelled-off significantly for the first time in over 10 years – supporting our view the market was then going into recovery.”

In November 2017 Cartell reported the age of the native fleet stood at 8.62 years while the age of the imported fleet stood at 9.02 years: which was the youngest recorded age for the imported fleet since July 2011. The overall age of the private fleet in Ireland (native and imported) stood at 8.7 years: representing a decline of 80 days since January 2017. That equivalent figure now stands at 8.55 years representing a decline of 68 days since those figures were released.

The imported fleet is now at its youngest level since 1^st May 2010.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – 2018 to 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

Table 2: Age of Native Fleet and Imported Fleet – February 1999 to February 2019 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

References:

https://www.cartell.ie/2015/01/age-of-fleet-levels-off-as-car-industry-in-recovery/

https://www.cartell.ie/2017/11/age-fleet-falls-imports-time-high/

https://www.cartell.ie/2018/10/age-private-fleet-drops-younger-imports/

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

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Vehicle data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (January 9) that the proportion of vehicles offered for sale (across all years) with finance outstanding is at 16.61% – back to the highest levels Cartell.ie has ever recorded. This figure is up from 14.3% in December 2017 and 12.5% in July 2017. From a sample of over 5,906 vehicles offered for sale and checked via the Cartell.ie website in 2018 it was found that overall levels of finance have increased 16.15% in 12 months since December 2017 and 75% since June 2016 when the rate recorded was 9.5%.

Graph 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Jeff Aherne, Director, Cartell.ie, says:

We have now returned to the highest levels ever recorded by Cartell.ie for vehicles offered for sale with outstanding finance. In December 2014 we saw levels of finance outstanding at 7%: so in 4 years the rate has more than doubled. A buyer is advised to check a vehicle for outstanding finance as the finance company owns the vehicle until the last payment has been made – the bottom line is that you can lose the vehicle.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie: Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Notes to Editor

Table 1: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

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Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie report today (September 5^th) that 17,363 private vehicles in Ireland (excluding imports) have 10 owners or more over the lifetime of the vehicle –excluding garage sales. The highest number of owners recorded for a single vehicle is 31 owners. There are 145 vehicles with 17 owners, 82 vehicles record 18 owners, 128 vehicles have 19 owners or more; and 11 vehicles have 25 or more owners over the course of the lifetime of the vehicle.

The highest number of owners recorded for a single vehicle is 31 owners: a Honda Integra registered in Galway with a 1998 plate. This vehicle was imported from Japan in 2006. In 150 months in Ireland it has averaged an owner change every 147 days. One owner held that vehicle for just 14 days. Two vehicles in Ireland record 30 owners: a BMW 530 registered in 2004 and a Lexus IS200 registered in 1999.

The number of vehicles currently displaying 25 or more owners is 11 vehicles. Cartell last looked at the equivalent number of vehicles displaying 25 owners or more in 2015 when the number returned was 5 vehicles.

Number of Ownership changes per vehicle in private fleet (excluding imports) (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

The number of owners for a vehicle can sometimes be overlooked by a potential buyer as a less important data marker but it’s an important part of the vehicle’s history: a higher number of owner changes can sometimes indicate hidden issues such as mechanical problems with the vehicle. A higher number of owner cycles means the continuing upkeep of the vehicle becomes an issue too as some owners are more particular than others about ensuring vehicles are serviced regularly. You also have the issue of driving style which can impact on wear and tear of components and can point to increased maintenance costs down the line. We are commonly seeing more owner changes for vehicles which are taxed at a higher rate – many owners simply find it difficult to justify paying high values for motor tax for older vehicles over long periods.”

Size of the Fleet

Cartell.ie also report today that the size of the fleet in Ireland (all vehicles) hit 3.2 million for the first time when it returned a number of 3,204,161 registered vehicles on 30^th July. The unprecedented size of the fleet presents issues for the road network and parking – particularly in urban areas.

John Byrne, General Counsel, Cartell.ie says:

The unprecedented size of the fleet will not come as a surprise to commuters who will have noticed increased congestion on our roads network and shortage of parking in urban areas. Issues around free-flow of traffic, enforcement of parking, access to business and footfall, will prove increasingly challenging as the economy continues to grow. Residential zones will also have noticed overflow parking in urban areas as we accommodate a larger fleet than ever before.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie:

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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Q. In a nutshell, what are you going to be talking about at Electronomous 2018?

A. I’ll be sharing the story of what3words. I’ll share our journey and why it’s time for a new addressing system that was designed for the digital age – for Airbnb users, global travellers, road trippers, millennials who want one-hour delivery slots and don’t own a car – and for autonomous vehicles and UAVs.

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your involvement in the relevant space (Connected, ADAS, Autonomous or Electric Vehicles)?

A. We need more precise addresses for the machines of today and tomorrow – what3words was the first address system designed for voice input, and for autonomy. We’re a company of 70 people, mostly based in our London HQ – together with our innovative partners, including OEMs, and mobility and navigation companies, we’re making our address system the global standard. 3 word addresses are used all over the world – they’re used in travel guides, by pizza delivery companies, and by Airbnb hosts, while our technology is built into Mercedes cars, taxi apps, and navigation apps.

Q. Any other speakers you are looking forward to hearing?

A. I’m looking forward to hearing from Sharon Masterson – I’m always fascinated by how public and private organisations can work together to create fairer, more accessible and more inclusive cities, especially in transportation.

Q. In your experience, what is the number one challenge currently being faced with developing your area of technology?

A. As new technologies are adopted, people are often trying to shoe-force them to work with old solutions that just don’t quite fit. Improvements in mapping and navigation tech – and they’re only accelerating with the advent of autonomous vehicles – have been incredible over the past few years, and yet we’re still using an addressing system that was designed hundreds of years ago. Technology fit for the future needs to rethink a lot of things that we take for granted – like a street address.

Q. How important is technology in paving the way towards a new era of personal mobility?

A. Technology is, of course, critical – but we need to think, at the beginning, about the interplay between humans and machines. We need to think about the people that are going to use these technologies – whether those are autonomous vehicles, or ride-hailing apps, or voice assistants. If people can’t trust these machines to get them to the right place, if they can’t feel comfortable using them, we’ll have all spent incredible amounts of time and money designing something that doesn’t quite do the job. It’s exciting to be working on technology at that interface between humans and machines, making sure it’s human-friendly even as the tech itself becomes more complex.

Q. Have you been to Kerry/Ireland before, and what are you expecting?

A. My Mum’s family is from the West of Ireland, in County Mayo. Ireland one of the places I love most in the world – there is so much to explore, especially in the countryside. And here in Ireland, you do need 3 word addresses quite badly, too – how else can you find the best cold-water surfing spot on the beach – or that rural Airbnb farmhouse, or the beautiful stone circle you want to visit? I’m very happy to be back and to talk mobility of the future.

Twitter: @ClareMaryJones

LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-jones-48053139/

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Q. In a nutshell, what are you going to be talking about at Electronomous 2018?

A. I will start by talking a bit about Bosch’s  early involvement in automated driving and its new focus on mobility of the future. Once I have set the scene, I will then go into MOVE_UK, which is a leading CAV project taking place in the UK at the moment, led by Bosch and supported by five other industry partners and the UK government.  The project involves the trial of a new, more efficient, method of validating Automated Driving Systems (ADS) using a small fleet of Land Rover production vehicles driven in real world conditions on the roads of Greenwich, London.  My presentation includes the motivation for the project, the key technologies, some of the results collected so far, and also mentions what is to come up in the remaining 15 months of the project.  

Q. Can you tell us a little bit about your role and your involvement in the relevant space (Connected, ADAS, Autonomous or Electric Vehicles)?

A. I am a Project Manager within Bosch’s Driver Assistance division and the Lead Project Manager for MOVE_UK.  This means that I work closely with our engineering team in Germany who are at the forefront in the development of autonomous vehicles and automated driving technologies.  I am also an active member of the Society of Motor Manufacturers & Traders’ (SMMT) Connected and Autonomous Vehicles group, a member of the Automotive Council’s working group on Intelligent Connected Vehicles, and have good connections with the UK governments Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) as well as other CCAV funded projects.

Q. Any other speakers you are looking forward to hearing.

A. Marcus Rothoff from Volvo cars – because I would like to hear how the Volvo Drive Me pilot project that was launched in Gothenburg last year is going.

Q. In your experience, what is the number one challenge currently being faced with developing your area of technology?

A. The complexity and time it currently takes to test automated driving systems in order to make them ready for market.

Q. How important is technology in paving the way towards a new era of personal mobility?

A. It is essential.  Without technology, we will not reduce the number of deaths on roads or traffic congestion.

Q. Have you been to Kerry/Ireland before, and what are you expecting?

A. Although I have been to Ireland (Dublin) before, I have never visited Kerry.  One of the reasons I wanted to come to this event was to get a glimpse of the west coast of Ireland.  I have heard that it is very beautiful and that the beer is not bad either!

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1. Lamborghini Huracan Performante Spyder

Let’s start with something top-end. This Lamborghini has a 5.2-litre V10 naturally-aspirated engine and accelerates from 0-100 kmph in 3.1 seconds while 0-200 kmph in 9.3 seconds. It’s expected to cost $300,000 in the USA.

2. Jaguar I-Pace

From old skool performance to new era: this I-Pace has been catching the headlines all week. It’s an electric SUV which uses some clever tech to keep the battery at optimal performance. It’s the first electric SUV from a premium European car maker when deliveries start in July this year.

3. The Kia Ceed

Cartell has long been a fan of this model since we test drove it several years ago. This new Ceed clearly has its focus on design as it looks sportier and more appealing than older versions. The front end looks more aggressive and we like the front-three-quarter view.

4. Mercedes Benz A Class

Sporting a new engine-line-up we expect the new 1.4-litre turbo petrol 161bhp to be the pick for Irish buyers. Mercedes are focusing on the appealing tech on board and the plusher interior as selling points. The previous A Class was a big seller across Europe so this model is an important one for the company to get right.

5. Audi A6

This one will rival the BMW 5 Series for best in class and it looks superb in the metal. The detailing on the lights in particular look really classy.

6. Hyundai Santa Fe

Technology takes a step forward over the previous model, with Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), lane keep assist and lane departure warnings all standard on the new car. This vehicle also sports a Safety Exit Assist system, which uses sensors in the rear of the car to prevent rear-seat passengers from opening their doors into the path of approaching traffic – and also warns front-seat passengers if they are about to do so.

7. Ford KA+ Active crossover

This new vehicle features a ride height raised by 23 millimetres and exterior styling enhanced with a unique black finish for the upper and lower front grilles, and roof rails for carrying bikes and sports equipment. It’s designed support active lifestyles.

8. Peugeot 508

With a lot of talk of crossovers and SUVs it’s nice to see an alternative. Peugeot has moved from a saloon to a fastback bodystyle as the segment battles growing SUV sales. One press report from Ireland described the new design as “desirable”.

9. Aston Martin Lagonda Vision

This is Aston’s vision of the future. The Lagonda is an opulent vehicle envisioning a self-driving future where the interior of the car becomes the main focus for its occupants. With help from clothing designers Aston has produced something extremely luxurious. This is a concept model.

10. McLaren Senna

And finally we’ll finish with another talking point: the look of the new McLaren Senna has been divisive – its certainly not particularly pretty from its rear three-quarter view. It sports McLaren’s 4.0 twin-turbo V8 producing 789bhp: and is seen by many as a track replacement for the P1.

And that’s it from Geneva from us!

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Below you’ll find an infographic from our friends at Southside Motor Factors which details the top 10 worst driving habits as calculated from a study by The Fuelcard Company:

The post 10 Worst Driving Habits appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history and data expert CARTELL.IE reports today (November 29^th) that the age of the fleet in Ireland is falling while the size of the imported fleet reaches an all-time high.

Cartell.ie first tracked the average age of all native private vehicles in Ireland (excluding imports) for each month between 1999 and 2017. Between January 2017 and November 2017 the fleet age has fallen by 75 days. Next Cartell.ie tracked the age of imported vehicles into Ireland for each month between 1999 and 2017 and found that between January 2017 to November 2017 the age of the imported Irish fleet has fallen by 112 days as buyers are bringing in newer vehicles.

Graph 1: Age of Private Fleet, Native fleet, Imports 1999 to 2017 (Source: Cartell Carstat)

The overall age of the imported fleet has fallen in 2017 but still stands higher than the native fleet. The age of the native fleet currently stands at 8.62 years while the age of the imported fleet stands at 9.02 years: which is the youngest recorded age for the imported fleet since July 2011. The overall age of the private fleet in Ireland (native and imported) stands at 8.7 years (3,181 days): representing a decline of 80 days since January 2017.

Cartell.ie next looked at the size of the imported fleet in Ireland for every month between 1999 and 2017 and found that the size of the imported fleet is now at an all-time high with 480,606 vehicles registered in Ireland after previous registration in a different country. The size of the private fleet (native and imported) stood at 2,289,922 on 1^st November 2017.

John Byrne, Legal & Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says:

The size of the private fleet in Ireland continues to grow but the age is declining: imports are reducing the age of the Irish fleet as buyers move up the years and bring in a car from the UK. Possibly buyers are importing newer vehicles without retiring older vehicles in the fleet – this may explain why the age is declining while the size is still increasing. The imported fleet now stands at nearly half a million vehicles. Buyers should be careful when importing a vehicle as it may carry a hidden history from another country – such as where the vehicle was previously written-off or still has finance outstanding on it, or was clocked.

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

Table 1: Size and Age of Private Fleet on 1^st November between 2006 and 2017

Table 2: Size and Age of Private Fleet on 1^st day of each month in 2017

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

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Cartell.ie recently took ownership of a new Nissan Leaf as part of our Green Fleet Programme. The Leaf will join our fleet of vehicles and it enjoys Zero Emissions as it is 100% Electric and has a range of 250Kms on a single charge – it can also be fast-charged to 80% in under 25 minutes. As there is no engine to service this means no issues with timing belt, clutch, gearbox, points or exhaust to replace.

In common with many companies Cartell.ie is concerned to protect our environment for future generations. We are looking to create a positive environmental impact by purchasing a fleet car which affords zero emissions. We also anticipate this vehicle will reduce our running costs significantly- possibly by as much as 82% over a diesel car. The Leaf should also reduce driver fatigue by affording stress-free driving assisted by a silent automatic drivetrain. The Leaf also moderates driver speed.

Cartell also proudly supports Electronomous: Aiming to become the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe over the coming years and in collaboration with global industry leaders Electronomous addresses the Connected Car, Autonomous vehicles, Electric and Hybrid Car models and the technology that will populate the future automotive landscape.

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The UK Government has launched a new initiative for the development of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAV), according to Autovista Group.

The project, called Meridian, is jointly founded by the government’s £100 million CAV investment programme and by industry, and will create a cluster of excellence along the country’s M40 motorway corridor between the cities of Coventry and London, to accelerate the development of this technology, grow intellectual capital and attract overseas investment in the UK.

By 2035, the government predicts that the global market for CAV technologies will be worth £907 billion.

The launch of the Meridian follows a call for evidence by the Centre of Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) in May 2016 into how the UK can integrate and strengthen its CAV testing facilities and to consider the case for a test bed to provide a focus for the industry.

By establishing a leadership position for the UK in CAV technologies, the government believes the UK market could reach £52 billion (€58 billion) by 2035. In addition, the UK will have over 27,000 jobs connected to the sector by this time, with 70% of these estimated to be highly-skilled professional and technical roles in software-related industries.

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Vehicle manufacturers are increasingly switching to low to zero emission alternatives, after Volkswagen Dieselgate scandal and petrol’s high CO2 emissions, according to Autovista Group.

Petrol power emits higher CO2 levels, leading manufacturers towards diesel, which emits less CO2 and therefore helps them achieve a lower overall carbon footprint. However, this has resulted in other consequences with higher levels of nitrogen oxides, which are known to cause serious health issues and have been linked to further air pollution issues.

Some manufacturers are trying to develop technology that will allow them to continue running petrol vehicles, with Mazda launching a new engine, which does away with spark plugs and works on the same principle as diesel, using compression to produce the ignition of fuel and therefore making the engine more efficient and less polluting.

Delphi has also developed a fuel saving technology using petrol, improving efficiency figures without the risk of further pollutants.

Bosch has also developed synthetic fuels; whose manufacturing process involves capturing CO2. This means that this greenhouse gas can become a raw material from which synthetic petrol and diesel can be produced, and when produced together with renewable energy sources, the fuel is carbon-neutral.

Synthetic fuels are still away from becoming a reality in the motoring industry once the processing facilities are expensive to set up. However, the German Ministry of Economic Affairs and Energy is supporting synthetic fuels as part of its alternative energies in transportation initiative.

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Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie reports today (16^th August) on the numbers of Diesel Euro 4 (EU4) emission standard vehicles and below in the Irish fleet that could be entitled to a trade-in bonus.

With reports in the media that some vehicle manufacturers are set to introduce diesel scrappage schemes to incentivise the roll-out of electric mobility and low emission vehicles, Cartell found the total number of private diesel cars in the Irish fleet EUR 4 (EU4) or below (which would be eligible for such schemes) is currently 474,624.

Graph 1: Private Diesel-powered Cars in Irish Fleet by EU Emission Standard – EU4 and below (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Table 1: Private Diesel-powered Cars in Irish Fleet by EU Emission Standard – EU4 and below by Registration Year (Source: Cartell.ie Carstat)

Jeff Aherne, Director Engineer, Cartell.ie says:

Vehicle manufacturers such as BMW are clearly making moves to take older diesel-powered-vehicles off the road. We feel the market has reached tipping point now and the consumer is ready to adopt low emission vehicles if the incentives are there. The numbers we are publishing today show the manufacturers can make considerable inroads by focusing simply on EU4 emission standard vehicles and below where there are almost half a million vehicles in play.”

ENDS

Example of Diesel Scrappage Scheme

https://www.bmw.ie/en/topics/fascination-bmw/BMWLowEmissions.html

https://www.press.bmwgroup.com/ireland/article/detail/T0273590EN/bmw-ireland-announces-lower-emissions-allowance

About Cartell.ie

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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Given the keys to quite possibly one of the largest unsung heroes of the motoring world (maybe not), in the biggest and wildest city in the world, what do you do? That’s right go for a good oul drive.

My first time ever driving a left-hand drive vehicle and I threw myself in the deep end with it being in New York City. The previous days leading up to the collection of the car I was discovering this amazing country using taxis and the subway system, I continually asked myself why am I about to drive in this crazy place? The drivers are nuts and the soundtrack of the city really is that well-known mix of car horns and emergency-service-sirens; never has a place been better known for its distinct sounds of thousands of vehicles all rushing to find the fastest route around a concrete jungle.

Turning up on collection day at West 49th street Midtown, I was first greeted with a vehicle that, to be completely honest, I had not much affinity with since it started production – the Kia Soul. The 1.6 petrol 130hp engine mated to a 6-speed-automatic transmission sounds like a recipe for a disaster to us diesel loving Irish, however as it turned out it was the perfect vehicle to travel the great USA in.

So, after the paperwork was signed I was on my way, let loose with 130 rampant horses on the streets of the craziest city in the world! Almost straight away the horns of the impatient yellow cab drivers in their battered hybrid Camry’s were ringing in my ears, however, after only a few minutes the Kia and I were cruising up 8^th avenue with not a care in the world.

With no location set for the day of collection a cheeky spin around the city was in order. Driving blocks and blocks until I circled back to Times Square to discover the difficulties of the real NYC. However, again no issues but for the constant presence of the almost maniac like yellow cabs and the multitude of Uber drivers.

Many drivers undertake and expose gaps that would put an F1 driver to shame as they set about making the fastest possible time to their destination, after all time is money! In a way, somehow, it reminds me of a busy rush-hour filled M50, with many drivers treating the roads as an obstacle course, this strangely created an element of fun while driving. After very little time I was the one using the horn to express my anger towards the slower drivers, even if the lights only turned green milliseconds beforehand!!!

After navigating through the busy streets of NYC, it was time to retire the Kia for the night in my hotel’s underground parking lot on 31^st and 7^th. Unsurprisingly like many major cities parking prices are restrictive and for the 12 hours the car was resting the price came to a whopping $53!

Soon the 4^th of July was upon the United States, and, warned of the high levels of traffic expected to be leaving the city, an early start was required; so at 8am on the 4^th the car was pulled to the front of the hotel and jam packed with all the necessary luggage. This, however, had been needless, as no traffic was to be seen! The cruise control was set to 55mph and the Kia set about eating up the miles for the 2 hour journey to Poughkeepsie upstate New York.

Soon into the trip the roads widened to 6 lane highways and the Kia was in its element. However, this was all to change as the road started to climb and narrowed to 2 lanes on the Taconic highway. The 55mph speed limit on a narrow bending stretch of road proved dangerous with run offs into stone walls and steel barriers; it was a little uncomfortable, the cruise control was quickly disengaged and the gearbox shifted to manual as traffic speed was too inconsistent.

After the 10-15 minutes of sweeping bends the road widened again and unveiled a picturesque landscape. Trees and wide meandering rivers covered the land as far as the eye could see. The bridges used to cross these wide rivers were classic Americana, finished in red they looked like they had been designed in the 1800’s and had stood the test of time.

Life was easy, the cruise control was set now to 65 and the Kia once again set into its stride, until the dreaded toilet break was required:  A quick stop off the Taconic to the closest “gas” station quickly resolved the situation! While in the gas station the purchase of some beef jerky was a necessity as all American road trips require this, (top tip: never try beef jerky it’s absolutely awful and left a dreadful smell in the Kia). Soon after due to the rural location of our whereabouts the phones lost signal which meant the sat nav failed to work and the Kia found itself landed in a small rural town named Hopewell. With no locals to be seen due to it being the 4^th of July discovering the way back on track was impossible; then for a brief moment the sat nav rebooted and we were back on course using the backroads to guide us to our destination.

I am somewhat happy the sat nav failed as what was unveiled was absolutely incredible, the farmland and the rural housing with the mailboxes out front, the wooden porches with the rocking chairs and the American flags flying proudly at the forefront of each house. The white picket fence at the end of each driveway with outrageously large “trucks” parked up – it was a sight I thought was only something dreamed about in movies.

The difference between the city and the more rural areas is something to behold and I urge anyone travelling to the USA or planning to, to rent a car and discover the country from behind the wheel as it is another experience altogether. You can read numerous blogs and posts about driving in the US (good and bad), however, there is only one way to fully experience it and that is from behind the wheel. Try it you will not regret it.

The post Road Tripping in the USA appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In the case of one-year-old vehicles (2016) the levels of vehicles offered for sale with finance outstanding has risen from 31.58% for the full year 2016 to 36.83% so far in 2017 – representing an increase of 16.62%. This means there is now almost a two-in-five chance of a one-year-old vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding.

Similarly in the case of two-year-old vehicles (2015) there is a 32.64% chance of a vehicle being offered for sale with finance outstanding based on checks on Cartell.ie in 2017.

Graph 1: Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance by Registration Year checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

 Graph 2: Historic Percentages of Vehicles with Outstanding Finance checked on Cartell.ie (Source: Carstat, Cartell.ie)

Statistics published by Cartell.ie indicate that buyers have a one-in-three chance (33%) of purchasing a three-year-old vehicle (2014) with finance outstanding. Even older vehicles are regularly offered for sale with finance outstanding – 8.97% of all 2010 registered vehicles offered for sale had outstanding finance against them. 

John Byrne, Cartell.ie, says:

33% of all three-year-old vehicles (2014) checked so far this year on Cartell.ie have finance outstanding. This is up from 26.8% of three-year-old vehicles (2013) checked last year on the site. The rise is probably due to expiring PCPs where owners are testing the market to see if they can return a higher price than the Guaranteed Minimum Future Value (GMFV) guaranteed by the dealer.

What’s really concerning is that 34% of all vehicles registered in the last three years are offered for sale with finance outstanding.

In terms of the overall picture 12.5% of all vehicles checked with Cartell.ie so far in 2017 have finance outstanding. This is up from 11.5% in January and 9.5% in June 2016. These are very significant jumps. A buyer is advised to check a vehicle for outstanding finance as the finance house owns the vehicle until the last payment has been made – the bottom line is that you can lose the vehicle.”

ENDS

About Cartell.ie

Cartell.ie was set up in 2006 to help buyers make an informed choice when buying a used vehicle – including imported vehicles – by providing a user-friendly and cost-effective vehicle data checking service. Cartell.ie is a totally independent company and fully Irish owned.

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

The post Finance Levels Way Up as PCPs expire and hit the market appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Give the car’s interior a clean

The majority of motorists are not particularly careful about keeping their cars very clean – inside or out. A recent Continental Tyres survey of 2,000 motorists showed that one in five claimed to tidy the inside of their car just once a year, generally when it is facing an NCT or garage visit. However, when you are embarking on a long journey such as heading off on holiday, it is important to have the cabin area of the car clear of the usual clutter that can accumulate. For example, an empty can, bottle or other piece of rubbish rolling under the brake pedal while driving could have very serious consequences.

Check the car’s tyres

Premium tyres in good condition can make a huge difference between avoiding trouble or having an accident. Advance Pitstop recommend regular tyre safety checks to avoid such scenarios. For example, the next time you fill up your car with fuel, check your tyres air pressures and inspect the tread depth of all four tyres, not forgetting the spare wheel, if you have one. If there are any bulges or cracks, take your car to your nearest garage to have them professionally checked. Tyres are your only point of contact with the road, so it is very important to regularly check on the condition of them.

Check the car’s windscreen wipers

On holiday, we are all hoping for good weather but sometimes it doesn’t always go according to plan, so be ready for some of those sudden, heavy summer downpours. So make sure to check the condition of your car’s wiper blades. Lift the front and rear windscreen wipers away from the glass and check that their rubber blade isn’t worn down or peeling away from its base. If they are not totally clearing the water, see about replacing them before you set off and we have a stock for all makes and models in each branch.

Check the car’s lights

Driving with defective lights is both illegal and dangerous for you and for other road users. So take a couple of minutes to ask a family member or friend to walk around your car as you switch on the side lights, the headlights, operate the main beam and then check the indicators and brake lights. And don’t forget the fog lamps and reversing lights. If you are travelling to the continent, don’t forget to use headlamp converter stickers so that your headlights do not dazzle oncoming traffic.

Check the car’s service schedule

Occasionally checking the level of oil in the engine is not enough to keep your car in good health. It should be serviced according to the vehicle manufacturer’s recommended service schedule, which can be found in the car’s handbook. During its service, important items such as the tyres, brakes, suspension, engine, exhaust, and transmission will all be inspected. And simple items such as the filters will be changed, important when you are embarking on a long drive, perhaps (hopefully!) in warm weather, so you don’t want to circulate dirty air in the car or – even worse – risk a breakdown because an old fuel filter is clogged with debris.

The number of road accidents actually increases during the summer months as many more people take to the roads for holidays and outdoor activities. So above all, make sure to drive in a careful and courteous manner paying particular attention to more vulnerable road users: pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists.

To ensure your car is fully prepared for your summer trip you can get a range of car and tyre services at local Advance Pitstop branches.

The post Is your Car Ready for the Holidays? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

With that in mind we are happy to publish the following infographic from Southside Motor Factors which looks at some of the different angles.

The post Where next for car technology? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Congratulations to Sam Moffett in his Fiesta R5 and his co-driver Karl Atkinson for taking victory in Killarney at the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017. There was drama in the end when long-time leaders, Roy White and co-driver James O’Brien, hit a chicane bale and bowed out after limping to a stage finish.

Robert Barrable in his Hyundai i20 R5 and his co-driver Damien Connolly came second –  29.5 seconds behind the leaders and around three-and-half minutes ahead of third place finishers Stephen Wright/Arthur Kierans in their Fiesta R5.

The opening stage was the world-renowned Moll’s Gap where Fermanagh’s Alastair Fisher set the pace and led by 4.7 seconds with Roy White in second.  At the second to last service White had a lead of some 22 seconds before the late drama unfolded.

The post Sam Moffett wins the Cartell.ie International Rally of the Lakes 2017 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

 April 27^th – The INEC Killarney, Co. Kerry. Rep of Ireland

Hosted by The Original TOP GEAR Presenter Quentin Willson

Vehicle history and data expert Cartell.ie announces today April 4^th 2017 the launch of an exciting new and innovative event called “Electronomous”. Aiming to become the Leading Car Technology Event in Europe over the coming years and in collaboration with global industry leaders Electronomous addresses the Connected Car, Autonomous vehicles, Electric and Hybrid Car models and the technology that will populate the future automotive landscape!”

Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS), Connected and Electric Vehicles (EV) have a huge part to play on the so-called “Road to Autonomy”. Lives will be saved, accidents reduced, the environment protected and opportunities will present themselves.

Cartell are delighted to announce a One-Day-Conference aimed towards industry executives, engineers operating with OEMs, Dealer Principles, Senior motoring executives, owners and operators of lease or rental fleets, regulatory bodies, insurance companies, technology providers, product developers, telecommunication operators and car sharing and automotive mobility solutions providers.

The conference will take place at the INEC Killarney on April 27^th with a packed program of National and International speakers, including the Managing Director of BMW Ireland, the Managing Director of Volvo Ireland and representatives from companies such as Valeo, ESB Cars, Thatcham Research and Cubic Telecom the event is not to be missed.

The event will be hosted by the original Top Gear presenter and motoring rights campaigner Quentin Willson.

Commenting on Cartell’s newest venture, Jeff Aherne, Cartell, Director says:

“The rate of change of technology in cars is at an all-time high. The technology we will be speaking about at Electronomous really is the future of the automotive sector and the changes we will see in our lifetime will be staggering. Cartell has always been an innovative company that is delighted to move into this exciting arena.”

…………………………………………………………………………..

For more information on the event and to find our full list of speakers log on to www.electronomous.com

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online at a cost €300 per person.

*This includes the pre-event Networking dinner on the evening before the conference at the Brehon Hotel Killarney.

ENDS

Editors Notes:

• Electronomous takes place on Thursday April 27^th at the INEC Killarney

• Tickets for Electronomous are available by logging on to http://www.electronomous.com

• Tickets cost €300 per person.
• The Full list of speakers is available at www.electronomous.com/speakers

About Cartell:

• Cartell are the organisers and creators of Electronomous. Cartell was launched in 2006 to help motorists make an informed choice about the used vehicle they intended to buy. Cartell is Ireland’s first and leading vehicle data supplier providing car history services to the trade and public.
• The suite of products continues to grow and Cartell can now provide vehicle valuations and market intelligence guides to the entire service sites for BMW, Toyota and VW bringing speed and efficiency when getting a service quote.
• Perhaps Cartell’s biggest achievements are enshrined in legislation. In 2010 Cartell submitted a bill to criminalise vehicle clocking. After years of lobbying this was put forward as a Private Members Bill in 2012 and the principle was enshrined in legislation in 2014 (Road Traffic Act 2014, s.14). In 2014 Cartell issued a Press Release calling for Regulation of Written-Off vehicles in Ireland. This was raised in the Dáil a few days later and the Minister for Transport agreed to legislate.
• For more information on Cartell please visit our website cartell.ie

For further media information/press accreditation/images and interview requests with Quentin Willson please contact:

Keith Whelan

Cartell- Electronomous Event Manager

Email: keith@electronomous.com

The post Press Release: The Car Tech Summit appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Inside, we first spend some time moving slowly through Hall 7 where there are many interesting after-market companies eager to chat to Cartell.ie about the market and their latest offerings. Up the elevator and along a corridor we enter the main show into Halls 3, 4, 5 and 6. As always the Fiat stand in front and the Ferrari stand to the left are the first we see. Ferrari, understandably, attracts the crowds with the line 5-deep in front of its stand.

Ferrari

Ferrari showcase the 812 Superfast, which is the replacement for the Ferrari F12. The 812 Superfast is front-engined and can hit 60 miles per hour in less than 2.9 seconds! This car sports a 6.5 litre v12 engine outputting 789hp. Top speed checks in at 211mph. Queues were epic around the Ferrari stand – as always – but this year they’ve definitely produced a crowd-favourite. The look is sharp and the wheels look great. We particularly like the front-end. The rear spoiler and diffuser increase downforce significantly. This car has a 4-wheel steering system and software which affords greater oversteer function.

Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo

This vehicle proves how good an estate car can look if it’s designed right. Gone the boxy elongated shapes. Instead we see something incredibly sporty. From any angle this vehicle looks spectacular. The wheels look fantastic and the rear light design have been a favourite of this car enthusiast for a while. Interestingly this Sport Turismo is no longer, wider or taller than the saloon version but it does offer practical benefits that make it far more usable: including rear headroom. Probably we are actually looking at a replacement for the saloon here if the market considers it offers more. It certainly looks sharper and more muscular.

In fact Cartell.ie thinks this vehicle could be the most significant vehicle at the Geneva Show this year as it shows off a design for estate cars which could herald a new wave of popularity for that type of vehicle.”

McLaren

One of the biggest highlights from the Show is the all-new McLaren super series – the 720 S. This is a replacement for the 650S. Sporting 745 bhp this vehicle will unbelievably brake from 124mph to dead in just over four seconds! That’s not a million miles from F1 performance! The dramatic ‘fighter jet’ glass roof looks amazing. “It is special. It almost feels like a milestone in the maturity and development of the company,” said McLaren Automotive chief executive Mike Flewitt to Forbes in Geneva.

Pagani Huayra Roadster 

Pagani showcase the €2.28m Huayra roadster. This is a beautiful car – even in standard form – the attention to detail from the Italian car-maker is superb. Most of these have sold out already – showing there is a great deal of respect for Pagani at the top-end of the market: and only 100 are being produced. This has a carbon panel with a glass mid-section which can be removed. The front end has been reconfigured slightly and it weighs less than the coupé. Sporting the same v12 twin-turbo engine this machine looks fantastic in the flesh – check out those new wheel designs.

Parked on the floor of Geneva’s Palexpo convention center, with its front, sides, and rear all opened up and exposed, the Roadster looked like an insect transformer in a discombobulated shell. Its tiny side mirrors stuck out like spindly antennae; its spindle-spoked 20- and 21-inch wheels looked like wings frozen mid-flight. The jewel-blue and carbon fiber exterior looked exactly like the back of a gorgeous garden beetle. Crowds can’t keep away.” (Bloomberg)

Ford Fiesta

Back down to earth now and Ford unveiled the Fiesta at this year’s Geneva Show.We know how popular the Fiesta is – the 8^th most popular car overall in the used market in Ireland in 2016 – it was also the best-selling new car in the UK in January with 8,495 registrations. This segment of the market has now become particularly interesting with the new Nissan Micra receiving a rave review from The Irish Times in January. This particular version is the Vignale – an upmarket version.

Seat Ibiza

Upstairs in Hall 2 there is another big unveiling. The Seat Ibiza “comes loaded with the latest technology features, outstanding dynamics, and impressive improvements in interior space and comfort,” according to the company. It’s the first offering from the Volkswagen Group’s all-new MQB AO platform.

Interestingly this vehicle has grown in width over the old Ibiza but it’s actually shorter and lower than before. Is this an early indicator that vehicle manufacturers are content to reverse the trend of providing buyers with new models larger than the previous generation?

Suzuki Swift

Lots to admire for the small-car-buyer this year in Geneva: another unveiling brings the curtain down on the new Suzuki Swift. The new Swift is 5-door-only but where are the rear door handles? They are actually hidden in the blacked-out C-pillar. It’s welcoming to see these design tricks – remember the Hyundai Velostar and the Ferrari Testarossa (ok a little bit further upmarket!)– examples of when manufacturers try to woe the galleries with something different.

Kia Picanto

The company is promising “greater potential for customer personalisation, inside and out.” This third-generation Picanto will only be offered as a five-door model, as the three-door struggled to find customers in the current generation. The car sports a longer wheelbase and shorter front overhang but the new car is no larger than the previous model. It does offer more head and legroom and the boot is larger.

Toyota Yaris Gazoo

Ending our look at small cars from Geneva Toyota have unveiled this fabulous looking creation called the Yaris Gazoo or Toyota GRMN (standing for GAZOO Racing Masters of Nurburgring). Almost small enough to pick up you know from looking at it how much fun it would be to drive. Really looking forward to watching video reviews of this one which is actually a Yaris hot-hatch sporting over 210BHP.

BMW 5 Series Touring

BMW unveiled its new 5 Series Touring in Geneva. This is a stylish looking vehicle and it really is a fantastic all-rounder: it’s practical but classy. Boot capacity is now 1700 litres when at full capacity (useful for myriad day-to-day and weekend projects) and claimed fuel consumption, comes in at 4.35 litres per 100km. It isn’t cheap though, retailing from €56,590 in Ireland, but it’s likely to have a dedicated following. It looks magnificent in the metal, particularly its front three-quarter view which you may have seen from press photos, and we expect it will convert some saloon buyers to cross over to an estate.

Range Rover Velar

After the success of design of their Evoque Land Rover are back at it again with the new Range Rover Velar. This vehicle was attracting lots of attention in Geneva today with considerable numbers of potential well-heeled buyers flocking to see the new sleeker design. This is a BMW X6 rival. Meaning it won’t go missing in the traffic: it’s big and imposing but it’s also got that renowned Range Rover versatility.

VW Arteon

Another sleek design  – this time from VW – sees the VW CC (formerly the Passat CC) replaced by the Arteon. This is an all-new vehicle and sits above the Passat in the range. It’s expected to go on sale in the Summer. The interior looks particularly well finished. Not a lot of rear-seat space but this is a coupé model – so it’s to be expected. You will certainly notice this machine in your rear view mirror – look at that front grill! Time will tell if the market takes to this one however.

So, that’s it from the show this year. You can check out our full album over on our Facebook page. There was plenty of variety: nice to see a lot of unveils of mass-appeal small cars. At the higher end we saw some spectacular machines with the McLaren and Pagani Huayra Roadster standing tall. We’d love a go in that Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo though… but judging by the masses gathered at the Porsche stand … we’re not the only ones.

Check out our facebook page this week for exclusive Geneva Motor Show competition!

The post Cartell.ie at the Geneva Motor Show 2017 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Car-Pass is a document that provides a guarantee of an accurate odometer. It shows the odometer history of a vehicle and, when a vehicle is sold, the seller is legally required to provide a Car-Pass to the buyer.

Car Pass is very similar to a measure proposed by Cartell.ie in 2010 when we lobbied Government for introduction of a “Vehicle Mileage Certificate” as part of our Bill drafted in-house to criminalise the practice of odometer fraud. While our overall proposal was adopted by the Government in 2014 (s.14 of the Road Traffic Act 2014) the Vehicle Mileage Certificate element was unfortunately dropped.

You can read our Press Release from 2010 when we submitted the Bill including the proposal to introduce a Vehicle Mileage Certificate.

It’s interesting that something similar to what Cartell.ie proposed is now heralded as a success in Belgium. Cartell.ie maintains the National Mileage Register (NMR) which currently contains over 21 million mileage readings.

Campaigners in Germany are calling for new measures to prevent the practice of clocking after estimates put the number of vehicles effected at “about one-third of all used cars in Germany”.

Clocking  impacts on the value of a vehicle – as mileage is a critical factor in establishing value along with the age of the vehcile and the conditon of the vehicle including any hidden history. Autovista reports extensive fraud will eventually force down values for used cars across the board  – even those which have not been tampered with.

Wolfgang Köhler, a spokesman for the Automobilclub von Deutschland (AvD), is reported as saying:

Buyers need to be sure when they are buying a used vehicle that the mileage is accurate. This is one of the key influences on the value of a used car. About 30% of used cars have been tampered with and it is a really big problem because of the damage it is causing.”

That organisation is calling for mileage to be collected automatically and shared nationally and internationally, so that every vehicle has a full odometer history that prevents scams.

The post “Car-Pass” a Success in Belgium – Cartell.ie proposed something similar appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Vehicle history expert CARTELL.IE reports today (November 16) that annual mileage in newer cars is increasing as the country recovers. The average annualised mileage travelled by a car 5 years-of-age or less (“newer cars”) in 2016 is 21,028 KMs. This represents an increase of 7.1% over the equivalent figure for 2008 (19,635 KMs).

Cartell.ie compared the average annual mileage in 2008 of private cars registered between 2003 and 2008 and compared the results to the average annual mileage in 2016 of private cars registered between 2011 and 2016. The results showed that vehicles in the second range were driven more – up 1,398 KMs.

The study considered various possible reasons for the increase:

• A buyer shift towards diesel engines over the second date range (2011 to 2016) may have contributed. Diesel vehicles are generally more economical and individuals may have felt encouraged to use their vehicle more buoyed by lower costs;
• Finance was less readily available in the market for some in the second date range (2011 to 2016) so buyers of newer vehicles then may have had a more definite purpose for their use, eg work;
• Two-car-households are possibly using the newer car for longer journeys as it is more economical.

John Byrne, Legal and PR Manager, Cartell.ie says:

What makes the results interesting is that between 2003 and 2008 the economy was performing well throughout most of that period so we might have been expecting to see a decline in mileage in newer cars since then. It’s difficult to say with certainty why we’re seeing an increase. Possibly the buying trend towards diesel engines has encouraged buyers to use their car more – buoyed by the fact that costs are lower relatively. Another possibility is that finance in the market may have been harder to obtain for some between 2011 and 2016 and those who purchased a newer car then may have had a more definite purpose in mind for their use – work purposes for example.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

Mileage data courtesy National Mileage Register (NMR.IE -which contains more than 20 million mileage readings for the fleet)

Chart 1: Average Annualised Mileage for Private Fleet (Cars 5 years old or less) in KMs

(Source: Cartell Carstat)

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

The post New Cars Driving More Miles than Pre-Recession (up 7%) appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

General Motors issued record Q3 results in October. GM said revenue rose 10 percent to a record $42.8 billion. Compared with a year ago, GM said it had about 110,000 more vehicles in stock at U.S. dealers as of Sept. 30 2016. Still, its share price fell on investor concern that discounts on large pickup trucks are rising.

It was reported that GM’s results and its outlook depend on its performance in the U.S. and Chinese markets as it is currently finding Europe “very, very challenging” according to one analyst. 

The post As USA goes to the Polls how is its car industry doing? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The Irish Times reports that Tomasz Kroker (30) smashed into the vehicle carrying Tracey Houghton (45), her sons Ethan Houghton (13) and Josh Houghton (11) and her stepdaughter Aimee Goldsmith (11) at 80km/h (50mph) on August 10th.

Their car was shunted underneath the back of a heavy goods vehicle and crushed to a third of its size, immediately killing the family, from Bedfordshire, at the scene on the A34 dual carriageway north of Newbury in Berkshire… The court had heard that Kroker, who himself had become a father five months before the incident, was so distracted by his phone that he barely looked at the road for almost a kilometre. Passing sentence, Judge Maura McGowan said his attention had been so poor that he “might as well have had his eyes closed.””

In the wake of the sentence The Telegraph quotes various experts on mobile phone use in the vehicle. The range of the contributions are interesting and point to a serious concern about mobile phone use – with or without hands-free kits. Simply put, the report says we should be questioning whether we allow drivers take calls at all while they are driving the vehicle. The newspaper says:

A recent paper on driver distraction by the University of Sussex found that phone conversations in a car are equally dangerous, whether you’re talking legally with a hands-free set-up or not. It explained that when we’re talking, we visualise what we’re chatting about. That process uses the same part of the brain that should be employed watching the road.

In the test, scientists asked drivers questions through a nearby speaker to simulate hands-free operation. When questions required drivers to visualise something, for example describing where an item was, they took nearly a second longer to respond to hazards such as pedestrians stepping in front of them.”

It also looks at the option of a kind of “flight mode” for cars – a so-called “drive-safe” mode. On this point there is resistance from vehicle manufacturers with unnamed sources saying any agreement on this issue would need to be agreed across all car companies as there is a risk with losing sales.

The key point from this discussion appears to be the question whether hands-free kits are safe – the arguments here say they are not safe enough.

The post Lorry Driver conviction re-opens debate about mobile phones in vehicles appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Interesting are some of the reasons for the possible demise of the project: the high cost of parts and the low expected margins. On the first point it’s reported the difficulty is that Apple is not able to wield the same influence over parts suppliers as it can in the smartphone market:

In smartphones, Apple wields extensive influence and often secures exclusive rights to certain parts from suppliers. For cars, the heavy investment required to make automotive parts means suppliers are less willing to commit their products to a vehicle like Apple’s which may have initially shipped in small quantities.”

On the second point the report notes that car manufacturers are accustomed to operating in a market where they can expect net margins well below 10% – where margin means revenue minus cost. Investors in technology companies are more used to “fat profit margins” according to the report but it is still expected Apple could control a healthy margin if they release a quality Apple product. The difficulty is that there could be no compromise on quality as – “that could hurt the perception of its other products.”

The news that Apple is finding the going tougher than expected will be met with a mixed response. While Apple is obviously seen as a rival for long-standing car companies its entry is also heralded as a means to introduce the iphone generation to the motor sector. For that reason news that Apple is scaling back is certainly newsworthy.

The post Apple reportedly scaling back its drive for autonomous vehicle appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Simon Blackburn, chairman of the UK Local Government Association (LGA) Safer and Stronger Communities Board, is quoted as saying 1.7 million vehicles on the roads in the UK may be clocked, he said:

With up to 1.7 million clocked and potentially dangerous vehicles on UK roads, anyone buying a second-hand car should make as many checks as they can to ensure that the vehicle is showing its true mileage.”

The Local Government Association represents more than 370 councils in England and Wales, and is urging people to check a vehicle’s history thoroughly before buying it to avoid becoming a victim of fraud.

Clocking is now a criminal offence in the Republic of Ireland pursuant to section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2014. Cartell had long campaigned for the introduction of such an offence. In 2010, Cartell presented to the Dáil draft legislation which sought to criminalise the practice. That legislation was initially rejected by the Government but a modified version of it was subsequently moved as a Private Members Bill in December 2012. The Government then decided to move on the issue.

The European Commission indicated its position in 2015 when it said: “if the odometer is found to have been manipulated with the aim of reducing or misrepresenting the distance record of a vehicle the Member State shall ensure that appropriate penalties are in place”.

The post UK Government launch Consultation on “Clocking” appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Now Kia has called for the UK Government to invest more in Hydrogen infrastructure. The call was reported in Auto Express where it is stated “a new report concluded there could be as many as 1.6 million hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) on Britain’s roads by 2030.” The article says the Centre for Future Studies found that in less than 15 years the UK car market could see more than 300,000 hydrogen cars sold each year, supported by 1,150 refuelling sites. This is a huge number of vehicles. While EV commentators have signalled a huge expected growth in EV use before the year 2030 these figures for hydrogen fuels signal hydrogen will be a serious competitor. UC Davis professor of environmental science Joan Ogden is quoted as saying:

Hydrogen fuel cell cars offer consumer value similar or superior to today’s gasoline cars. The technology readily enables large vehicle size, a driving range of 300 to 400 miles, and a fast refueling time of three to five minutes.”

Furthermore the technology is ready: “The question isn’t whether fuel cell vehicles are technically ready: They are” said Ogden.

For Ireland -which is slowly rolling out EV infrastructure- the news that hydrogen is set to become this prominent in the market place in the near future is bound to have policy-makers on red alert.

The post Could Hydrogen-Powered-Vehicles be the future? appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Updated 9th August 2016: This blog has been updated to include news that a Tesla Model X in self-driving mode is credited with saving a drivers life

Vehicle history expert Cartell.ie is looking at the issue of automated car technology: vehicles which are capable of operating independently on public road networks. Obviously the big talking point at the moment is the recent fatality in Florida when a Tesla in self-driving mode crashed into a tractor and trailer while the driver was reportedly watching a Harry Potter movie inside:  A portable DVD player was recovered from the vehicle. An eye witness is reported as saying the impact was so fast he barely saw it.

Tesla think the issue was caused by light – the car failed to recognise the white side of the trailer against a bright sky. This is a recurring bugbear for automated technology: reflection of light including reflection in pools of water (which the car can interpret as a hazard) is a problem which appears to require further work. Still, Tesla are pointing to their excellent safety record saying this is the first fatality in a car driven in automated driving mode and this after 130 million miles have been clocked up. This undeniably compares favourably with the ordinary fleet which clocks up a fatality every 60 million miles worldwide.

On 12th September Tesla announced an update for the semi-autonomous driving aid. Instead of prioritizing data sent from a camera, the updated system will rely more on radar for sensing its environment. The advantages with radar are that it doesn’t rely as heavily on light  – which causes problems as mentioned above. The difficulty with radar, however, is that while it ignores rain, darkness and fog it has trouble spotting certain materials like wood. Likewise it can over-exaggerate obstacles – like tin cans. So, to avoid issues with radar, Tesla in its latest software update (Autopilot 8.0) has built in a couple of important safeguards according to The Car Connection:

1. Before hitting the brakes, Autopilot will compare multiple radar images of an object to verify that it’s worth braking for; and

2. Autopilot will gather data from other drivers to spot tricky environments.

News of the Tesla fatality came just as BMW announced that it is joining with Intel and Mobileye, an Israeli tech company, to develop its own self-driving cars. Ford also demonstrated its self-driving car today (September 13) and Uber have launched a fleet of self-driving taxis in Pittsburgh for a trial. You can catch the new automated cars in this video. The Uber trial has been criticised by safety experts according to The Washington Post. Former National Highway Traffic Safety Administration head and consumer protection advocate Joan Claybrook is quoted as saying: “there will surely be crashes involved in the testing program”.

Still, this is new technology and it is inevitable there will be set-backs.  Tesla shares fell as much as 4 percent on the first trading day after the accident was disclosed but then ended the day up 2 percent – indicating the market appreciated events such as this would unfortunately occur. In any event, news in August 2016 told a far different story: after it was announced that a Tesla Model X in self-driving mode was credited with saving the life of a driver when it drove him to the hospital.

These different stories show both the difficulties in integrating these self-driving vehicles into the fleet but also the benefits of achieving this integration.

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Of course incidents like this one will inevitably open up a debate about the capabilities of older drivers. In the UK in June a judge called for an urgent review after he spared jail for an 80-year-old motorist who mowed down eight schoolgirls.

There are two main points: firstly, it would be wrong to generalise. Isolated incidents involving particular drivers should not taint other similarly aged drivers who are perfectly capable of driving. Secondly, research recently released suggests that older drivers are safe – and preventing them from driving can hasten their death. The Telegraph reports online that Swansea University’s Centre for Innovative Ageing has been carrying out tests to determine whether elderly drivers cause more accidents, by timing their responses during tricky manoeuvres and checking police crash data. They found that:

Although the over-70s are more likely to be injured or die in accidents compared with the public as a whole – because they are frailer – they are no more likely to cause a crash, researchers found. In fact they are around four times less likely to be involved in an accident than males aged 17 to 21.”

Dr. Musselwhite of Swansea University says:

While people think older people are dangerous on the road, they aren’t. People also think testing old people will make the roads safer – it won’t.”

In Ireland Guidelines on Medical Fitness have been issued by the Road Safety Authority. The guidelines help clarify issues for doctors in advising patients about their fitness to drive and their requirements for reporting concerns to the driving licensing authority.

Under existing legislation in Ireland, all motorists aged over 70 must renew their driving licence every three years. This is subject to receiving a medical certificate from GP about fitness to drive and successfully passing an eye test. Medical certificates are also required by driving licence applicants who suffer from specified disabilities or diseases – e.g. diabetes, epilepsy, or stroke.

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TISPOL refers to drivers who are speeding, drink-driving, not wearing a seat belt, using the phone while driving, using vehicles they have not kept roadworthy, parking their cars on bicycle lanes, blocking pedestrian crossings, not turning on their lights or engaging in risky manoeuvres.

The TISPOL site also points out it isn’t just drivers who are at fault, it mentions cyclists too:

But it’s not just drivers who are at fault. Many cyclists and pedestrians increase their risk levels by choosing to ignore the rules or look for risky short cuts.  In the days leading up to the Project EDWARD day, we want all road users to think – even for a few short minutes – about the risks they face, the risks they may pose to others and how they can go about reducing those risks.”

The RSA says:

Road Safety is a shared responsibility, just as our roads are a shared space. None of us has a right to behave in a way that endangers others. You may think that it’s ok to drive a little bit above the speed limit, or to just have a couple of drinks and drive home. But the tragic reality is that these actions could have serious and devastating consequences for others.”

You can make the pledge on the TISPOL site. Cartell.ie has pledged that it will:

• Remind my family, friends and colleagues to take extra care on the roads.
• Put my lights on for safety.
• Drive as safely as I can and follow the rules when behind the wheel or riding a motorbike or bicycle.
• Be extra vigilant and attentive to the needs of pedestrians, cyclists, children, older people and horse riders.
• Drive at speeds that are both legal and safe.
• Pay particular attention when driving near schools, and where there are lots of children.
• Never drive after drinking alcohol or taking drugs/medicines that could impair safety.
• Look as far ahead as possible and not tailgate other drivers
• Always wear my seat belt and ensure that everyone with me wears theirs.
• Not use my mobile phone while driving.
• Ensuring I am not distracted by anything inside or outside the car, or inside my head.
• Set a good example to my passengers by driving calmly and safely.

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Cartell.ie has always sought to assist the consumer at every stage of the vehicle history check process and the NMR is designed to assist by providing access to a large repository of readings!

We’ve been pro-active in other ways too:

Regular readers will know that Cartell.ie set its sights on the issue of criminalising the practice of vehicle clocking as early as 2010 when we took the time and resources to draft a legislative  Bill in-house which sought to criminalise clocking as well as introducing related matters. The Oireachtas went on to enact Road Traffic Act 2014, section 14 which criminalises clocking.

As a company we are delighted to continue to take active steps to assist and protect our customers.

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Vehicle history expert CARTELL.IE reports today (August 10^th) that the age of the fleet in Ireland continues to rise while the size of the fleet appears to have levelled off.

Cartell.ie tracked the average age of a private vehicle in Ireland in January of every year between 2000 and 2016. Between January 2015 and January 2016 the fleet age has risen by 40 days. This is despite the fact that the age of the fleet had slowed markedly last year – recording just an 11 day rise between January 2014 and January 2015.

While more new cars have been sold this year than last year there is no indication it is yet impacting on the overall age of the fleet. In July 2016 the age of the fleet stood at 8.85 years which is actually older than the comparable level from 2014 (8.69 years) and significantly older than the age of the fleet in July 2012 (8.13 years). Year-over year the age of the fleet in July 2016 is marginally lower than July 2015 (8.86 years).

Graph 1: Size and Age of Private Fleet since 1999 (Source: Carstat Cartell.ie)

While the age of the fleet continues to creep upwards the size of the fleet shows signs of levelling off. Currently at 2.23 million vehicles the private fleet size in July 2016 is the same as the size of the fleet 12 months ago.

John Byrne, Legal & Public Relations Manager, Cartell.ie, says:

The age of the fleet is continuing to creep upwards based on this analysis. The age fluctuates throughout the year as cars enter and leave the fleet but analysing the age in January of every year since 2000 shows our cars are still getting older. Interestingly, the size of the private fleet is levelling off. This indicates market potential for manufacturers to sell more new vehicles as vehicle owners, solely based on this analysis, are still more inclined to retain an older vehicle than buy a newer model.”

ENDS

Notes for Editors:

For further information please contact John Byrne on 087 4199018 or at john at cartell.ie or check out www.cartell.ie  for further information.

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Clocking is now a criminal offence in the Republic of Ireland pursuant to section 14 of the Road Traffic Act 2014. Cartell had long campaigned for the introduction of such an offence. In 2010, Cartell presented to the Dáil draft legislation which sought to criminalise the practice. That legislation was initially rejected by the Government but a modified version of it was subsequently moved as a Private Members Bill in December 2012. The Government then decided to move on the issue.

When Cartell.ie last looked at the rate of clocking in Ireland- based on a random sample of 4,479 vehicle history checks carried out on the site by potential buyers over a two month period- it showed that a potential buyer of a UK vehicle is almost twice as likely to check a “clocked” vehicle as a buyer of a domestic vehicle. The percentage of UK vehicles checked which recorded a mileage discrepancy stood at 14.5% while the equivalent figure for the domestic fleet stood at 8.4%.

The evidence that a buyer of a UK vehicle is more vulnerable to “clocking” is borne out from other sources. In March the RAC published a blog which asked whether clocking had returned “to the bad old days?” They said it was “re-emerging as as issue”. Other sources pointed out the problem as well: The Telegraph in the UK published an article which referred to our UK data Partners HPI when it stated:

HPI, which provides car history checks, claims the number of cases of clocking has increased by 10 per cent  between March 2015 and October 2015 alone. The firm claims that there are potentially 1.7 million mileage-altered and potentially dangerous cars on our roads.”

The RAC note the practice appeared to have cooled down but has now resurged:

Clocking a car is an underhanded practice that was especially prevalent two decades ago, when a number of shady dealerships would deliberately alter the milometer reading to make it seem as though a second hand vehicle had not spent quite as long on the road as it really had. While there was a subsequent period during which the clocking craze died down, the Telegraph notes that in the past half-decade there has been a significant resurgence in the number of vehicles which are reported to have some kind of mileage discrepancy. Back in 2010 the Office of Fair Trading estimated that just under half a million cars in the UK were impacted; by the autumn of 2015 the figure was believed to be closer to 3 million.”

This news from the UK could be significant for the Irish buyer with sources already indicating the recent Brexit vote may have pushed Irish buyers to consider UK imports. Obviously, if you are in the market for any second-hand vehicle – whether imported or not – we recommend a Cartell.ie Three Star Check.

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In common with many companies Cartell.ie is concerned to protect our environment for future generations. We are looking to create a positive environmental impact by purchasing a fleet car which affords zero emissions. We also anticipate this vehicle will reduce our running costs significantly- possibly by as much as 82% over a diesel car. The Leaf should also reduce driver fatigue by affording stress-free driving assisted by a silent automatic drivetrain. The Leaf also moderates driver speed.

Cartell.ie has published many blogs about the market growth and development of electric vehicles. We were therefore delighted to do our bit of “future-proofing” by taking ownership of this Nissan Leaf. The Leaf featured in our extended blog on Electric vehicles in July 2014 following its break-out success in Norway when it was the most popular electric vehicle in Q1 2014 with 2,059 new vehicle sales. The Nissan LEAF is the world’s first purpose-designed, mass produced, 100 per cent electric car.

The Leaf is currently celebrating its 5th birthday so it felt especially appropriate in the year we celebrate our 10th Birthday to team up with Nissan and purchase a Leaf. This model has sold more than 200,000 units worldwide in those 5 years and it has been driven for more than 2 billion Kms. The Leaf stands for Leading, Environmentally friendly, Affordable, Family. We can’t wait to test those attributes and post our results on this blog in future.

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