The post Cartell.ie at the Launch of the Irish Tarmac Rally Championship appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Successfully lobbying Government to criminalise the practice of vehicle “clocking”

It took time! We drafted our own  in-house “clocking bill” in 2010 and the Government of the day rejected our suggestion completely! But, we persisted, and in 2014 our proposal was successfully incorporated into Road Traffic Legislation and is now law in Ireland!

Launching MIAFTR and lobbying for regulation of write off data in Ireland

In 2010, aware that not all write-off information was available to the Irish consumer, we set up a facility called the Motor Insurance Anti-Fraud and Theft Register (Ireland) which allowed insurers to upload their write off data so the consumer can access it – when you carry out a check with Cartell.ie! We also called for the Government to regulate this area, to make it mandatory for insurers to provide their data, and we are continuing to work on this! The latest news is that the Government has already drafted legislation and handed it over to the Transport Committee in the Oireachtas for their views!

Launching the National Mileage Register & achieving almost 15 million mileage readings!

Shortly after launching Cartell.ie we set up the National Mileage Register in 2006. We understood that vehicle history checking on our site would be better served with a huge mileage database! We have nearly 15 million readings now and that number is growing all the time! Considering there are around 2 million vehicles in the Irish fleet we think this is an impressive achievement!

Sponsoring Irish Sport!

Since 2010 Cartell.ie has been proud sponsors of the International Rally of the Lakes in Killarney! This pivotal event for tourism in the South West is staged every year during the May Bank Holiday weekend and features some of the most stunning rally stages in the world! We are tremendously proud of our association with it and the benefits it brings to the local economy.

So, all in all, not too bad for 9 years… help us celebrate by availing of our birthday discount: Just type “cartell9” into the voucher section of the site before completing your vehicle history check (discount applies to consumers availing of our 3 star and 2 star vehicle history checks!)

The post It’s our Birthday! Lets celebrate with a discount voucher! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Barrable set several fastest stage times over the weekend while the remaining drivers who completed the top five in the international category were Alan Ring, Stephen Wright and Joe McGonigle. The modified category was won by Roy White in his MG ZR, while second place was enough to give Fergus O’Meara maximum points in the Modified Championship.

Denis Moynihan won the Historic section in his MK1 Escort while Rob Duggan won the Junior section in his Fiesta.

Once again we wish to express our thanks to all participants and organisers for making this a terrific spectacle and to the flocks of spectators too for creating such a stirring atmosphere for the drivers in Killarney.

The post Congratulations to Donagh Kelly & Conor Foley in their Focus WRC! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The entry list can be viewed on the official Cartell.ie Rally of the Lakes site.

Currently, the Tarmac Championship leaders are as follows:

# Driver           Points
1 Declan Boyle 30
2 Garry Jennings 22
3 Donagh Kelly 16
4 Sam Moffett 12
5 Josh Moffett 10.5
6 Stephen McCann 9
7 Eugene Meegan 7.5
8 Martin Doherty 6
9 Brendan Cumiskey 4.5
10 Pat Kirk 3

We are really looking forward to this rally weekend!

The post Irish Tarmac Leaders to go head-to-head in Killarney appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The 34-year-old Northern Irishman will drive one of the team’s DS3 WRCs on all rounds of the series, starting with the world-famous Rallye Monte Carlo in January. He will be co-driven by Paul Nagle, the Killarney man who sat alongside Kris during his successful Intercontinental Rally Challenge campaign in 2009.

The new deal follows a pair of outings in the DS3 WRC in 2013. Kris’s speed in both Finland and Australia helped to convince Citroën Total Abu Dhabi WRT boss Yves Matton to give him the exciting opportunity of a full season in 2014. His team mate will be the rapid Norwegian Mads Ostberg.

Kris said, ‘It’s an incredible opportunity. I’ve always been close to Citroën over the past few years. I’m really lucky to be able to work with a team that has so much experience and so many titles.

‘I have only competed in ten World Championship rallies in a World Rally Car. I think I’ve got some potential, but I still need to get some experience under my belt. The Citroen DS3 WRC is a terrific car and I’m going to be able to use the team’s knowledge to help me improve. I know that I’ll have to be patient in the first half of the season and learn all about the rallies that I haven’t done before.’

The Citroën team is the most successful in the recent history of the WRC, with eight manufacturer’s titles since 2003. The company’s cars – Xsara, C4 and DS3 – also took Sebastien Loeb to an astonishing nine driver’s titles in a row between 2004 and 2012.

Kris has had a long relationship with Citroën. Much of the Dungannon driver’s early WRC mileage came in a C2 Super 1600 in the Junior series, and he has since conducted many development tests for the French manufacturer.

As a result, Kris already has extensive experience of the DS3 WRC and the Citroën engineers. He has also contested many rounds of the WRC in a wide variety of front- and four-wheel-drive machinery, although some rounds – such as Sweden and Mexico – will be new to him in 2014. He is the first British driver to have a full WRC campaign in a top-line seat since his mentor Colin McRae drove for Citroën in 2003.

You can find out more on Kris’s career in his Biography section, along with his thoughts on the cars he’s driven over the years.

CREDIT: Motorsport Ireland

The post Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle to drive for Citroen in 2014 WRC appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Doors Open: 7.30pm | Show starts: 8.30pm

COMPETITION IS NOW CLOSED

If you wish to buy tickets click here

Michael Flatley, creator and director of this award-winning international dance phenomenon, proved his vision that hearts and minds, united through music and dance, cross all traditional boundaries. His Lord of the Dance continues to shatter box office records all over the world, leaving audiences breathless and clamoring for more.

Described by the Los Angeles Times as a “show piece extravaganza,” Michael Flatley’s Lord of the Dance is a magical adventure of sight and sound that transports its audience to a mythical time and place, lifting the spirits and capturing the hearts of all who experience it.

From the moment the lights go down to the last encore, audiences are spellbound by a masterfully orchestrated combination of precision dancing, state of the art lighting and pyrotechnics. The musical score leaves no soul untouched.

Based on Irish folklore, this classic tale of Good vs. Evil, expressed through the universal language of dance, has thrilled audiences worldwide and catapulted Irish dance to a new dimension and unprecedented worldwide acclaim.

As the story unfolds, the Little Spirit travels through time to help the Lord of the Dance protect his people from the challenge of Don Dorcha, the Dark Lord. As this evil dark power challenges the hero, the incredible adventure continues, drawing its audience into a mythical universe of love, danger, and desire.

Michael Flatley’s timeless production has barely been out of the best sellers list, and for the last 11 years has continually established itself as the No. 1 dance spectacular.

As Michael says “It’s absolutely fantastic being No. 1 and we intend to stay that way.” Michael is committed to his art and to giving his audiences “The World’s Greatest Dance Show.”

For more information and tickets, see here

Congratulations to Janet Maloney who won 2 tickets to see the show

For your chance to win 2 tickets to see the show on Sunday 15th or Sunday 22nd September, simply log onto our Facebook page www.facebook.com/cartellcarcheck to enter. Thanks to our friends in the INEC for the prize

The post Win tickets to see LORD OF THE DANCE appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In the first six months of 2013, £30,221,987 worth of vehicles were saved from being scrapped, helping finance companies reduce their losses by reclaiming their assets. Working under the umbrella of the FLA’s Vehicle Recovery Scheme, HPI, our UK partner company, brings together motor lenders and police to reclaim illegal cars, rather than having the vehicles scrapped. The scheme is known as HPI CrushWatch.

The latest figures from HPI suggest that drivers of mid range higher volume vehicles, often the popular Vauxhall/Opel, Ford and Volkswagen models, remain the most likely to be offenders of tax or insurance evasion – which can lead to the vehicle being crushed.

The highest value vehicle HPI CrushWatch recovered between January-June this year was a Ferrari FF V12 worth £177,000.  Indeed, of the top 10 highest value recoveries, four were Ferraris, two were Porsches and two were Lamborghinis.

44 of the UK’s police forces now actively use HPI CrushWatch, including the Metropolitan Police, supporting the industry’s campaign to clamp down on illegal motoring. The Met Police and HPI CrushWatch enabled finance companies to save £14,995,625 worth of vehicles – accounting for nearly 50% of the total value of cars recovered by HPI CrushWatch in the six month period – from being crushed.   West Yorkshire and Strathclyde Police Forces were the second and third in the list, but with significantly fewer recoveries at just over £1m each.

Daniel Burgess, managing director of HPI, commented, ‘The continued success of HPI CrushWatch, shows just how effective it is in clamping down on insurance and tax evaders making the UK roads safer for law abiding motorists.’

The post HPI CrushWatch saves millions for finance houses in UK appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

The Run took to the road traveling over Moll’s Gap through Kenmare and the first stop was at Pat Spillanes Bar. From there to Sneem and on to O’Carroll’s Cove and to Irelands only Beach Bar & Restaurant for lunch. After everyone had their fill we presented some more prizes. A Special Award was presented to John Keating from Midleton, Co. Cork. for his 1972 Opel Manta A 1900 SR, The Perpetual Shield was awarded to Declan Horan from Killarney, Co. Kerry for  his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette.

The Used Car History Check Experts Cartell.ie Perpetual Cup was presented for the Best Vauxhall and was awarded to Tommy Burke from Lisburn, Co. Down for his 1978 Vauxhall Chevette HS.

The Kevin O’Leary Opel Perpetual Cup was awarded for the Best Opel to John Unkles from Sligo with his 1978 Opel Manta. The Group Motors Rallying Team which were in attendance presented a Memorial Trophy in honor of one of it’s late members Jackie Small and that was presented to Denis Murphy of Macroom, Co. Cork for his 1976 Vauxhall Magnum Sports Hatch.

The convoy then continued through Waterville, and with a brief stop in Drumid, another Special Award was presented, this time to Martin Tracey from Belleek, Co. Fermanagh. for his 1984 Opel Manta 400 (Rothmans Replicia). The stunning mountain views of the Ballaghisheen Pass and Beallaghbeama were next before returning to the Quality Hotel in Killarney via Moll’s Gap.

The last of the Special Awards was presented at the Hotel to Brian Conway from Derry for his 1977 Opel Kadett City SR. The last of the Perpetual awards was presented that evening for “Spirit of the Run”, this was awarded to the Group Motors Rallying Team for their enthusiasm, support of the event, assistance to others who had mechanical difficulties on the Run.

The night concluded with a great social gathering in the Hotel bar and a singsong till the late hours.

The post Cartell.ie Perpetual Cup goes to Tommy Burke appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

4TH JULY IN THE INEC KILLARNEY – SHARON POWER

5TH JULY IN THE O2 DUBLIN – ANTHONY MOODY

7TH JULY IN THE INEC KILLARNEY – TED O CONNELL

Congratulations! Please email richard@cartell.ie to claim your tickets.

Thanks to everyone who entered and for the winners, we hope you have a great time!

“I don’t honestly know if I am going to do anymore international trips” – Kenny Rogers, May 2013

American Country Music Legend Kenny Rogers is embarking on what looks to be his last ever UK and Ireland tour, speaking on Irish Radio on the 31^st of May he said “I don’t honestly know if I am going to do anymore international trips, mainly because of my boys.  You know I feel this is a 3 week tour and that’s a long time to be away from them”.  Do not miss this opportunity to see him perform 25 of his most famous songs including:  The Gambler, Lucille, Islands in the Stream, Lady and Ruby, Don’t take your love to town, She Believes in Me and Lady.

This summer sees him play the Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff (June 29^th) LG Arena Birmingham (1^st July), O2 Apollo Manchester (2^nd July), INEC Killarney July 4^th and 7^th and due to popular demand O2 Dublin (July 5^th). In addition to these performances in the UK and Ireland this summer, he will be one of the headline performers on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival.  Other Pyramid Stage performers include the Rolling Stones, Mumford & Sons, Vampire Weekend and Arctic Monkeys.  Kenny will also headline Festival Timitar, a world music festival, in Agadir, Morocco.

In May 2012, Rogers completed his Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Artist-in-Residence in Nashville, which was marked by two amazing intimate performances at the Hall of Fame’s Ford Theater. It was announced there that he had signed a long-term recording contract with Warner Bros. Records. Rogers is recording a new album for Warner Music Nashville, which is scheduled for release in 2013.

It was also announced earlier this year on April 10^th, it Kenny will be inducted into the Country Music Hall of fame this October in Nashville, Tennessee during a special medallion ceremony.

Joining him as support for his UK and Dublin concerts is Irish singer Tommy Fleming.  Tommy Fleming is now recognised throughout his homeland of Ireland and across the world as one of the finest singers of his generation.  He has recorded 13 Multi-Platinum solo albums to date with combined sales of 1.5 million in Ireland alone.

“I really, really love what I’m doing,” Rogers says. “People survive longer if they love what they’re doing – because you just don’t quit.”

Kenny Rogers is the singer, musician, songwriter, photographer, producer, actor, and of course…The Gambler.

For real Kenny Rogers and American music fan’s this is a chance not to be missed this summer.

We are giving away 3 PAIRS of tickets to see Kenny Rogers Live. For full details and to enter please visit

www.facebook.com/cartellcarcheck

Tickets for his UK concerts available from www.ticketmaster.co.uk and his Irish concerts on www.ticketmaster.ie

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June 29^th – Motorpoint Arena, Cardiff

July 1^st – LG Arena Birmingham

2^nd July – O2 Apollo Manchester

4^th and 7^th July – INEC Killarney

5^th July The O2 Dublin

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The post WIN Tickets to see KENNY ROGERS LIVE! appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

This monster of a roadster, the fastest in the world, has a 16.4 litre W16 engine pushing out 1,200BHP. Unfortunately in Ireland with its C02 at 867 g/km, it would fall into tax band G which is €2231 a year to tax and the VRT is at 36% although I’m not too sure you would be too bothered seeing as it would cost more than €2 million to buy!

My personal favorite everyday car is the BMW M550D X-Drive. This is BMW’s new 3 litre Triple turbo Diesel which pushes out 376 BHP, and does 0-100 Km/h in 4.7 seconds, top speed of 185 Mph or 300Km/h (when unrestricted). And the best about this marvel from BMW is the efficiency of this rocket, 6.3 Litres of fuel per 100 km or 44mpg in old money, and the C02 is just 165 g/km meaning the tax is just €481 and fits into tax band D. Its hard to believe the stats for this eco-friendly Concorde! Lets hope we’ll see it arrive in Ireland.  To see all our pictures from the show and to enter our competition for your chance to win an Android Tablet, just like our Facebook fan page, www.facebook.com/cartellcarcheck

The post Cartell.ie at the 82nd Geneva Motor Show 2012 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Congratulations to everyone who took part in this year’s historic rally in Killarney. Below are the winners and their times:

Historic

1: Ray Cunningham/Ross Forde – Morris Mini Cooper S – 1:19:53.2
2: James O’Mahony/Paddy McDonnell – Volvo 144 s – 1:22:30.8
3: John Spiers/Suzanne Niedrum – Porsche 911 – 1:24:13.4

Post-Historic

1: Denis Moynihan/Eamonn Hayes – Ford Escort Mk1 – 1:14:26.3
2: Mark Falvey/Colin Moynihan – Ford Escort Mk1 – 1:14:59.0
3: Keith McIvor/David Burns – Porsche 911 – 1:16:27.2

Classic

1: Tomas Davies/Eurig Davies – Ford Escort – 1:14:12.4
2: Diarmuid Lynch/Mark Horgan – Ford Escort Mk2 – 1:15:43.1
3: Todd Falvey/Gerard Conway – Porsche 911 – 1:18:28.3

Modified

1: Wesley Patterson/Martin McGarrity – Ford Escort RS Mk2 – 1:12:06.3
2: Mike Quinn/Grainne McEnery – Ford Escort Mk2 – 1:12:39.5
3: Kevin O’Donoghue/Joe O’Leary – Ford Escort Mk2 – 1:13:43.3

The post Winners of the Killarney Historic Stages Rally 2011 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell would like to thank all their fans on Facebook for liking Cartell.ie Car History. As a thank you, we are offering all fans who like Cartell.ie Car History a 20% discount of a 2 or 3 star Cartell check. To avail of this offer, log onto your Facebook account and search ‘Cartell.ie Car History‘ and become a fan if you are not already. You will see the discount code on our profile page along with other interesting blogs and news items. So if you or anyone you know is thinking of buying a second hand vehicle, make sure and tell them to like Cartell.ie Car History on Facebook and save 20%!

The post Discount for Facebook Fans of Cartell.ie Car History appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell was delighted to donate some cash to a good cause as part of this years Rimini Rally which got underway on 4th September. The idea behind the Rally is that 5 countries are visited in 5 days – and plenty of donations are generated too! The rally crew this year stopped off at some cool sites including the Nurburgring and the Ferrari Museum. They also travelled along the ‘World’s best Driving Road’ as featured on Top Gear. See the photos – and full rally log – below! Well done fellas!

For more info check out www.facebook.com/battensbangerrally or the charity website: www.beeforbattens.org

Day 1

Meet in St Omer 5.00 p.m for registration. St Omer is 30 miles and 40 – 45 minutes from both Dunkirk and Calais.

Today is all about meeting the other teams and then doing a bit of socialising in one of the many bars and brasseries in St Omer town centre including some where they brew their own great tasting beer on site. This attractive little town of St Omer is much nicer than Calais and Dunkirk and a great place to start the rally.

Day 2

Drive to Koblenz in Germany which is situated in the picturesque landscape of the Rhine and Mosel rivers and is surrounded by 4 low mountain ranges. Mainly motorway driving.

On route there is the option of going to the Nurburgring. For those of you who don’t know what it is, well it is probably the greatest and most challenging race circuit in the world. It is 20.8km long and members of the public can take their own cars onto the track. You don’t have to take your car on the track; you can just turn up and gaze in awe at some of the fancy cars that will be there.

Not into the Nurburgring then why not come off the motorway at Eupen and head along the 258 through the Ardennes Forest to experience some fantastic scenery all the way to Koblenz. Alternatively you could head to La Roche and visit the museum of the ‘battle of the Ardennes’ where there is a section that studies in detail the British involvement in this battle of the Second World War.

Once we have arrived in Koblenz you have the option of going to a wine festival which is bristling with tradition and held in the pretty wine village of Winningen on the sunny banks of the Lower Moselle river. Don’t compare this with a wine tasting evening in the UK, this is one great evening out and don’t worry beer drinkers, there’s plenty of that as well. Here you can sample some traditional German fare including superb Bratwurst (German sausages). We time it so that we get there on the final night where there is a dazzling firework display which lights up the night sky above the river. A late night is guaranteed (see part of video from one of last years entrants Motoscape video!)

Day 3

Drive to the medieval city of Feldkirch which is the most westerley city in Austria.

Upon leaving Koblenz you will travel down the Rhein gorge towards Bingen to experience the finest scenery along the whole of the Rhine. Along this stretch you will find there are more castles than anywhere else in the world. One castle well worth visiting is Castle Rheinstein which was built in the early 14th century but has been completely renovated by the current owner.

Once you leave the Rhine you will head towards Feldkirch. The easiest route is via the motorway network but this can be tedious so why not head for Baden Baden known as the gateway to the Black Forest.

It is a beautiful resort spa town but also a rich man’s playground (remember the WAGS shopping trip during the world cup). From here you can make your way to the B500 otherwise known as the Black Forest High Street and drive the 40 km to Neustadt to take in some fabulous scenery. You could also visit Triburg where you will see Germany’s largest waterfall and also the world’s largest cuckoo clock.

Had enough scenery for one day, then what about visiting the Hockenheim Motor Sports Museum which features a collection of Formula 1 and sports racing cars as well as motorcycles, instead.

Day 4

Drive to Ritten/Renon near Bolzano in Italy. Ritten is the Italien name for the town but it is German speaking and known as Renon to the people who live there. Renon is famous for its earth pyramids which have been formed out of clay and whilst dry are as hard as rock but once wet will slide down into the river below.

An opportunity exists to tick off another country, the tax haven of Liechtenstain on route. It is a tiny country measuring around 62 square miles. It is very pretty and well worth a photo shoot.

Today is what everyone describes as the highlight of the trip. From Feldkirch we head south towards Davos for the start of the ‘world’s best driving road’ as featured on Top Gear. The route takes us through the 3.5 km long Munt La Schera, single carriageway tunnel, over the border into Italy. We then head through Livigno and towards the Foscagno pass

which at 2291 metres is pretty high in itself, before heading for the giant Stelvio pass which at 2758 metres is the second highest paved mountain road in the Alps. It has a total of 60 hairpin bends and will be the longest big dipper you have ever been on.

Day 5

Today is the final day of the ‘Roll on Rimini’rally. Rimini is on the Adriatic sea and is one of Italy’s most famous resorts. The Rimini riviera boasts around 40 km of sandy beaches.

Now is the time to get rid of the cars (that’s unless you are driving back) and party. There will be a celebratory meal with presentation of prizes.

On route you have an option of going via Maranello and visiting the Ferrari museum which is well worth a visit.

If you fancy ticking off yet another country why not visit San Marino which is the world’s oldest sovereign state. It is only about 15 miles from Rimini so you can either visit on route or on another day if you are staying longer.

The post Cartell Donates to Rimini Rally 2010 appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

In theory the Honda Insight is a very good car which has tapped into essential technology. Their IMA technology (Integrated Motor Assist), which was first introduced with the Honda Civic Hybrid, is very forward thinking. What this is is an electric motor which which gives added power to the car when needed, thus saving on fuel as extra jolts of power needed come directly from this motor.

Yes it’s fuel efficient. Yes it’s green. Yes it’s spacious. Yes it’ll get you about 4.4l/100km. Yes it’s got a 5 star Ncap rating. And yes it’s good in theory.

One of the things I really liked about the Honda Civic Hybrid was its interior. It was nice. It had a great dash board, and the Insight’s dash is no different. Also, if you’re green minded, part of the odometer changes colour depending on your fuel efficiency. Funnily enough, it goes green if you’re efficient and blue if you’re not!

There is a button to the left of the dash as well called ECON (Effective CONtrol), which helps to keep your driving even more fuel efficient.

The rest of the interior feels cheap and hollow. It would be great if they focused a little

more on making space more comfortable. I mean the problem isn’t that they are lacking space. There’s plenty of it, it’s just used wrong. The car kind of feels like a 90’s Honda – everything is thin, grey and untight looking.

To look at, this car has been quite a good conversation point. I would describe it as retro-future (if there’s such a thing). Its shape looks like what somebody in the 80’s thought a car would look like in the 21^st century. It’s kind of unique in this way, but its looks aren’t for me – even though its shape is probably brilliantly aerodynamic. This however is one of the few cars that I’ve test driven were randomers actually approached me and commented about it. About 70% of those who approached me and of those who I asked thought it was kind of cool looking. Well, whatever flicks your switch!

Now for the stats:

0-100km = 12.5 seconds – don’t be shocked – this is a hybrid!

Engine size: 1.3litres

It burns about 101gco2/km putting it in the A band in road tax.

Price: Starting from €22,378

In this day and age all motor companies are looking at fuel efficiency and green machines. Although the Insight isn’t as green as a Prius or as an electric vehicle, if you’re into saving the environment and want to save a bit of money at the petrol pumps, then this car is worth a look. If what I just said about the environment went in one ear and out the other….then this car isn’t for you.

Me, well, of course I’d like to save money at the petrol pumps, who wouldn’t? And you know, a greener world is great and that. But eh the Insight – it’s not for me.

www.honda.ie

For more information and reviews, visit Daragh’spage on www.newstalk.ie/motormouth

The post Honda Insight test drive by Daragh O Tuama appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

“Opel has finally stood up and is starting to be counted”

This week I had the pleasure of test driving the 2009 European Car of the Year, the Opel Insignia. Of course being a family man I opted for the Elite 1.6i Turbo Sports Tourer version, a beast in sheep’s clothing.

When I first saw the Opel Insignia I couldn’t believe my eyes. What has Opel done? Have they just stepped out of their comfort zone by creating something that didn’t look like paint drying? I mean, visually this car is stunning in comparison to the yawning days of the Opel Vectra. It’s got curves on it that remind me of a mix of a Passat CC, a Mazda 6, Mercedes S Class, the Audi A6 and a BMW 5 series – I think Opel are moving in a way that’s really starting to impress.

One thing I have to say is that the old Vectra was never really an ugly car, it was just mindlessly boring to look at and completely unnoticeable. Especially inside the car, everything from my recollection was square and grey. There was no excitement; it took a second to figure out what everything did – which to some people could be a good thing. I like to read the manual. I like figuring out what some things do. The Insignia’s so overloaded with buttons that with each push of a button I get a surprise as to what happens next! And, you’d find it difficult to find a single right angle in the car – there’s nothing square about this little beast.

The front of the Tourer is spacious and comfortable with an 8-way adjustable driver’s seat. Cruise control as standard in the Insignia makes for very nice for long journeys.

The back on the other hand is a different deal. Remember I mentioned this car not being square? Well, when it comes to the back seats I found this to be a bit of a disadvantage. Take a grown man or woman over 6 foot tall and watch them hunch uncomfortably for the duration of your journey. It seems that Opel may have opted for aesthetics over comfort when it came to the back. By looking very curvy on the outside it’s causing sore necks on the inside. And although I haven’t been in the saloon version yet I believe it’s the same issue there.

Another issue I have with the Insignia, and it’s something I’m not a fan of in the Astra either. I really don’t like the letterbox view out the back window. I’ve noticed the same thing in the Audi TT and the Chrysler 300c. I like seeing what’s behind me!

Okay, now for the engine. The Insignia is available in Ireland starting at a 1.6 at entry level right up to a hefty 2.8 litre V6. Most models are available in automatic or six gear manual.

This car hugs the road confidently even on its standard suspension. For those who are willing to spend a little more, “FlexRide” is available as an optional extra on most models. FlexRide is the Insignia’s answer to Adaptive Stability Technology. It gives you the option of Sport, for a more responsive drive, or Tour, for a smoother journey. The model I drove, the Elite 1.6i Turbo Sports Tourer, offers 180bhp and a top speed of about 137mph.

The Insignia is available in 5 trim levels – those are; S, SC, SRi, SE, and Elite and comes as a hatchback, saloon or sports tourer.

Overall I would have to say that I like this car, it’s great to see Opel, a reliable enough car but hugely unnoticed, become noticed. Opel has finally stood up and is starting to be counted.

Am I surprised it won Car of the Year 2009? No, not really. Yes, it had stiff competition from the other 6 of the final 7 (Citroen C5, Ford Fiesta, Alfa Romeo Mito, Skoda Superb, Renault Megane and the VW Golf Mk6), but the Insignia was such a huge leap for Opel I think it deserves the recognition it gets.

www.opel.ie

For more information and reviews, visit Daragh’spage on www.newstalk.ie/motormouth

The post Opel Insignia test drive by Daragh O Tuama appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

For years Mazda was a member of our family. It was there when I got home from school, when I grazed my leg and when I used to come home after a few beers. Our homestead saw many generations of Mazda come and go. My dad’s first Mazda was a 1987 626 Coupé, and I thought it was the bee’s knees, and in fairness it was a pretty cool car at the time. His next jammer was a 1990 626 coupé, and this was just as good, if not better. It was such a comfy car, I really liked it. Also, I think it was our first car with electric windows!

Anyway, after all the 626s our family had an MX3 (actually, it was an autozam AZ3!) and two 323s. So, when I was offered the new Mazda 6 to test drive I was excited. I like these cars and I was interested to see if the zoom zoom of the Mazda 6 would impress me.

At first glance I was really taken with the cool sleek look of this car, the model I was given was a brilliant sparkling black mica and it was stunning to look at. I’m not a big spoiler fan, but if ever one suited, it was this one.

Inside, like with the old 626’s I was accustomed to, the 6 was really comfortable and spacious. An atmosphere I could get used to.

Anyway, the 2.2 Turbo Diesel is a brand new to Mazda, being introduced for the first time during 2009. The 2.2 is available in 3 different versions – a powerful one, a really powerful one, and an even more powerful one! I had the really powerful one, or the midrange model if you will, with 163 horse power at 3500 rpm and 360Nm (Newton meters) of torque between 1800 rpm and 3000 rpm. This power means that we’re looking at about 9 seconds to get from 0-100km and a maximum speed of 212 KPH.

This car is very good on the motorway and its six speed gear box is very smooth. The 6 has been on a diet too and its’ lost weight means better steering and road handling than other models.

One of Mazda’s goals for the future is called “Sustainable Zoom Zoom”. The goal of this is to effectively reduce the fuel consumption of their cars by as much as possible. Through dieting and making the Mazda 6 about 35 kgs lighter than the previous generation Mazda 6 and by doing a lot of technical things I don’t fully understand with the diesel engine, each of the 2.2 litre Mazda 6’s use on average between 5.5 and 5.7litres per 100kms. For a saloon car, with an engine of this size, it’s pretty good going.

This Mazda 6 burns on average 147g CO2/km, placing it in the C tax band – meaning €302 per year.

Safety:

Mazda 6 has a 5 star NCAP rating. Listeners and readers alike will be glad to know that ABS, electronic brake distribution (EBD), brake assist, dynamic stability control (DSC) and a traction control system (TCS) come as standard on all models.

The Mazda 6 also has a 10% shell impact improval on its’ predecessor. On the inside there are new active head restraints for the front seats to protect the neck in case of rear impact, six airbags, front seat belts with pretensioners and load-limiters and collapsible brake and clutch pedals to reduce the chance of leg injury in a frontal impact – (info in italics taken from Mazda Ireland).

I know some of you listening are dying for us to get our teeth into a car and really tear it apart. But sadly this isn’t the car to do it to – that day will come, but not yet.

Yes it has its faults – for example I wouldn’t be too thrilled about what comes with it – in this day and age I would expect – even though they don’t – GPS to come as standard in a car, likewise I’d also expect metallic paint not to be a payable extra – I mean come on, people will be paying in a and around €29,000 for this car, is it too much to throw in a gps and metallic paint for that price?

Anyway, if I was to compare the 6 with what I would consider it to be its biggest rivals in this country, The Avensis, The Mondeo, The Passat and The Insignia – it’s definitely up there. For starters, it’s definitely more fun than the rest, and sparks up excellent competition to this league of cars.

www.mazda.ie

For more information and reviews, visit Daragh’spage on www.newstalk.ie/motormouth

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I’ve always been a fan of Top Gear, and as a fan of Top Gear I’ve always wanted to own an Alfa Romeo……I mean I know they haven’t exactly got a name as being the most reliable car in the world, I know they don’t deliver excellence in the handling department, but they are sexy little machines.

This week I got to test drive my first Alfa Romeo – I know, I know, I call myself a motoring enthusiast and I’ve never had a proper test drive of an Alfa, but now that I have I feel I understand. It’s as if some of life’s mysteries are now clear to me.

And even though it was the MiTo I was driving, I feel that I’m now more of a man. Grrrrrr.

That’s right folks, this week I had the new Alfa Romeo MiTo.

This car is in competition with Mini, the Fiat 500, and pretty much any small car that you can imagine, and it’s what I would call great fun. In fairness, it doesn’t exactly handle great, but that’s part of the attraction.

The model I had was a 1.4, MultiAir TB 170 Cloverleaf and this cloverleaf delivers a punch. When you put the foot down in this lightweight car you can feel the g’s bring you back in your seat, and I imagine that if you really floored it controlling this car wouldn’t be easy. I would imagine it would be akin to taming a wild dog, that is, not without a fight. Not surprisingly this car will give you 0-100km/ph in about 7.4 seconds and has a top speed of 219kph.

Now, what does all of that mean, MultiAir TB 170 Cloverleaf? Well…. MutiAir was designed by Fiat Powertrain technology and it serves to increase power, give better fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions.

The Cloverleaf part: This originated in the 1920’s on cars designed by Giusepe Merosi for the Gran Siciliana – one of the most prestigious races of the 1920’s, any how, the story goes that he had an image of a cloverleaf on all of these cars and each corner represented one of the four drivers of the Alfa team. This proved to be lucky to one of the Alfa drivers when he won this race after the leading ascari car broke down 200m before the finish line and Alfa took the victory.

Three years later however the same racer, called Sivocci died in a tragic accident during the race. His car on that day didn’t carry the cloverleaf. The clover leaf since WWII was used in Alfa cars to distinguish sporting versions of Alfa models.

Okay, history lesson is now over:

Back to the MiTo, I kind of like it. I’m not a fan of small cars in general, and if a car is going to be this small, I would usually recommend that it comes without back seats – I mean what’s the point in having two token seats in the back of a mini, fiat 500 or a MiTo? Absolutely no point – and sadly this car still has them. Anyway, as a person who doesn’t generally like small cars, I was very impressed by the look of the MiTo. Its grill delivers an angriness that belongs to a musclier car, and its’ sleek curves are completely in keeping with the sexy image that Alfa offers.

When it comes to the interior, it is quite comfortable, but, and this is a big BUT, a lot of outside noise comes through to this car, so much so that you really have to jam up the volume on the radio to hear it clearly.

Alfa’s and Fiat are now going down the route of the Blue and Me audio kits, for Bluetooth etc. I found this to be quite awkward, and I was very disappointed that it didn’t accept my iPod without malfunctioning every few minutes.

This model of MiTo uses about 8.1l/100km and burns 139 gco2/km, which places it in tax band b.

The MiTo prices start at about €15,000 if you avail of the scrappage scheme and if not you’re  looking at about €16,500. If you’re looking for the cloverleaf version you would need to cough up in and around €24,000.

In comparison to the mini or even the fiat 500, this is definitely my favourite. Sure the mini is good fun and all, but this is more of a challenge. As for the Fiat 500c – I’m driving one now, and it doesn’t come close.

www.alfaromeo.ie

For more information and reviews, visit Daragh’spage on www.newstalk.ie/motormouth

The post Alfa Romeo Mito test drive by Daragh O Tuama appeared first on Cartell Car Check.

Cartell.ie would also like to congratulate Aaron MacHale (from another Dynasty) and Eugene O Donnell in their Ford Focus WRC for their fine second place. I was very impressed with the young lads Craig Breen and Gareth Roberts who finished third in the Fiesta S2000 and I think we should watch this space

The weekend was a massive success and I should acknowledge last year’s runner up Tim McNulty on winning the Bertie Fisher cup for the quickest time in Molls Gap.

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Aaron Machale/Eugene O’ Donnell who finished in 2nd position were also over the moon with his weekends rallying “Fabulous absolutely fabulous, great stages it was a great weekend, I grew up around these stages as my dad won this event three times the “Killarney International Rally” has a special place in the Machale’s hearts”.

Young Craig Breen/Gareth Roberts finished in 3rd place after overhauling Alastair Fisher on the final stage.” After the Circuit of Ireland crash I came to Killarney with the strict instructions to take it nice and easy and bring the car home and get some points and mileage under our belts. Saturday was tough with all the rain and mixed conditions but we got through the stages. Today was a lot better and we are so happy to finish 3rd in this great event”

In 4th place  with mixed emotions, not finishing in the top three but leaving Killarney as the leader of the Citroen Irish Tarmac Championship Alastair Fisher  said “Job done came here to get as many  points for the championship as possible and we did just that, the car never missed a beat and apart from the one or two incorrect tyre choices it was a great weekend for myself and Rory Kennedy”.

Cork’s Barry Meade won the National section of the Cartell.ie Killarney International Rally of the Lakes  from Edward O’Callaghan and Damien McCarthy in the wee Honda Civic who had a joint killing event by finishing 3rd. Barry said at the finish ramp “Swapping stage times with a rally legend such as Phil Collins was awesome and we were looking forward to a ding dong battle over the final two stages, I never thought I would win this rally just brilliant”.

In the Dash for the cash Dubliner Robert Barrable/Damien Connolly came out winners of this heavy weight dual with Marty McCormack/Dai Roberts. Robert and Marty were trading times all weekend like two prize boxers trading punches at  a world title fight but it was Robert who came out as winner by 11 seconds and takes home the lions share of the €20,000 prize fund on offer from Citroen.

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