Irish Car+Travel Oct. 2013 | Page 7

despite the big B-Pillars. The boot is huge. As the tyres were runflats, there was no spare or sealant repair kit on board. If you do buy a spare, there's no well in which to place it. The 2.2 diesel of the 220 CDi Urban grade review car (expected to be the volume seller) outputs 170bhp and returns a claimed 4.5 L/100kms (my test drive averaged 5.6 L/100kms), while C02 at 117g/km puts the car in Tax Band A4 of €200. It's quite quick too, able to sprint from 0-100km/h in 8.2 seconds. Top speed is 230km/h, but not here! There are three driving modes. Economy, Sport or Manual (there are F1 type paddles off the steering wheel), and a Stop/Start function helps with fuel consumption. The auto transmission switches to automatic drive 'E' programme each time you start up the engine. There's now a definite shift to petrol for those drivers who whose mileage doesn't warrant buying a diesel, city drivers in particular. But dealers are still somewhat reluctant to suggest this as diesel remains the mass seller for most marques with owners believing they will keep best residual values when it comes to a tradein. Changing that mindset will be something of a slow burner. My review car was listed at €40,565. Options like metallic paint, 18-inch alloys, runflat tyres and special black leather interior pushed the price to €42,208. Petrol options start from €29,900 and diesels from €32,250. Trish Whelan. Bradys of Cavan hosted an evening with several sporting icons to celebrate their appointment as a dealer for both SEAT and Skoda. They included former Munster and New Zealand rugby star Dougie Howlett, Tipperary hurler Paudie Maher, former Cavan footballer Dermot McCabe, Meath footballing legend Colm O’Rourke and current Cavan footballer Killian Clarke. Tom Brady, Kristeen O'Sullivan, Tomas Brady and Paudie Maher are pictured with the Skoda Ireland team. drive time Bradys go SEAT, Skoda Ford is Off the Ball Ford Ireland is sponsoring Newstalk's sports programme, Off the Ball, now broadcasting seven days a week. Ford Ireland's Director of Marketing Ciaran McMahon is pictured second from left, with the Off the Ball team Dave McIntyre, Colm Parkinson, Ger Gilroy, Joe Molloy, Adrian Barry, Diarmuid Lyng, Donny Mahoney, and Michael McCarthy. Bolands of Carlow join Peugeot Gowan Distributors Limited has appointed Boland Carlow to the Peugeot Dealer Network. The dealership is headed by Dealer Principal, Gerard Boland. The dealership's 2,500 sq ft Peugeot showroom is now open for business, housing the full range of Peugeot passenger cars and light commercial vehicles. Pictured (front) are Des Cannon, MD Peugeot Ireland; and Gerard Boland, Dealer Principal; and (back) Colin Sheridan, Peugeot Ireland Sales Manager; and Willie Stevenson, Sales Manager at Boland Carlow.