EVERY WEEK, WE bring you all the latest news you need to know from the motoring world. The big car news this past week involves new models, special editions and some alarming figures.
New Peugeot 2008 coming to Ireland in July
The new Peugeot 2008 SUV is on its way and features new equipment, new colours and a new GT Line version.
Visual changes from the previous model include a new vertical front grille with a central badge surrounded by a chrome grille. The rear gets some new 3D LED lights offering a distinctive design when lit up.
From Allure trim upwards, the new 2008 gets chrome inserts in the grille, new front headlights with black inserts, wheel arch extensions and new scuff plates.
The Peugeot 2008 comes in a choice of nine colours, including two new options; ‘Ultimate Red’ and ‘Emerald Crystal’.
Inside, the new 2008 has Peugeot’s i-Cockpit cabin, combining a compact steering wheel and head-up instrument panel with an upgraded central touchscreen.
Boot capacity can go from 410 litres with the rear seats up to 1400 litres with the rear seats folded.
A new GT Line version has been added to the model line-up, which adds a red and black interior colour theme. Standard GT Line features include 17-inch diamante alloys, black surround grille and fog lights, red Peugeot lettering, red LED instrument panel, stainless steel scuff plates, aluminium pedals and red stitching on almost everything.
The new Peugeot 2008 SUV is powered by a range of Euro 6, 1.2-litre PureTech petrol and 1.6-litre BlueHDi engines. The PureTech three-cylinder petrol engines can be mated to a five or six-speed manual or five or six-speed automatic gearbox while the BlueHDi diesel options can be mated to a five-speed manual or a five or six-speed automatic transmission.
Expect to see it in showrooms this summer in time for 162-reg sales.
Škoda adds 1.0-litre engine to Octavia lineup
Škoda is adding a new smaller turbocharged petrol engine to the Octavia.
The 1.0-litre TSI petrol engine will be the smallest capacity engine to feature in the popular saloon but thanks to its turbocharger will still produce healthy performance figures. Although no official consumption figures have been released yet, it is expected to be similar to that of the existing 1.2-litre TSI petrol unit. Skoda claims that the three-cylinder unit will produce 116hp.
The notion of smaller capacity engines in larger cars such as the Skoda Octavia could prove off-putting for some, something that Cathal Kealey, PR Manager at Škoda Ireland commented on:
There is still a perception out there among motorists that engines need to be of a certain size in relation to the body size. Things have changed significantly in the last number of years. For example, the new 1.0 TSI engine produces the same power output as the range topping 2.0-litre petrol engine that was fitted to the original Octavia back in 1998. The Octavia, therefore, develops the same power from an engine half the size!
Pricing has yet to be confirmed for the new 1.0-litre TSI Octavia but it will be available from July of this year.
One in ten UK imports into Ireland are write-offs
A new report from Cartell.ie says one in ten of all UK cars imported into Ireland are write-offs.
The report shows that 29,089 cars were imported here from the UK over a six-month period in 2015 and 10.75% of them had been previously written off.
The reported also showed that older cars had a greater chance of being a previous write-off – cars between six and seven years old had an 18% change, cars between seven and eight years old had a 20% chance and cars between eight and nine years old had a 21% chance with Cartell.ie reporting that there is
more than a one-in-five chance of importing a written-off seven to 12-year-old vehicle.
Audi R8 selection 24h special edition
Last year, the Audi R8 LMS won the 24 Hours Nürburgring on its debut and marked the start of a great year of motor racing for Audi Sport. To celebrate the R8 LMS, a ‘selection 24h’ special edition R8 has been built in an homage to its tally of 323 race assignment wins since 2009.
The ‘selection 24h’ is based on the Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus and only 24 are being produced. It has a 5.2-litre V10 mid-engine, which develops 610hp and accelerates from 0 to 100km/h (62.1mph) in a rapid 3.2 seconds. It has a top speed of 330km/h (205.1mph) making the Audi R8 Coupé V10 plus both the fastest and most powerful production Audi of all time.
The Audi R8 selection 24 will be on show for the first time at this year’s Nürburgring 24 Hours event in July. Orders for the special model can be placed from May 10, 2016. It costs €229,000 in Germany, so expect it to cost it more here.
To embed this post, copy the code below on your site
have your say