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 two new models, a van themed festival and 162 car sales.
Suzuki Baleno, the big small car
The new Suzuki Baleno has arrived on our shores and comes with good levels of equipment, a roomy cabin and a brace of frugal engines.
The Baleno sits on top of the Celerio and Swift in Suzuki’s small car range.
The car follows a ‘liquid flow’ design, which, for the exterior, translates as lots of curving lines and a low and wide silhouette.
Inside, the instrument panel features curving lines and silver accents together with reddish-amber illuminations.
The Baleno is available in six colours with metallic paint available as a €370 option.
The boot holds 320 litres with the rear seats up and a generous 756 litres with the rear seats folded.
The engine line-up features a three-cylinder 1.0-litre Boosterjet petrol unit that develops 110hp and a four-cylinder 1.2-litre Dualjet with SHVS (Smart Hybrid Vehicle by Suzuki) unit that develops 90hp.
The mild hybrid SHVS engine has a 12v lithium-ion battery located under the passenger seat and a 2.3kWh ‘Integrated Starter Generator’ (ISG) which acts as both a generator and starter motor.
The Booterjet engine can be mated to a five-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission and the Dualjet unit is mated to a five-speed manual gearbox.
Two trim levels are offered, SZ-T and SZ5. Standard equipment for all models in the range is quite good.
The SZ-T model (available with the 1.0-litre Boosterjet) costs €17,995 and includes six airbags, 16-inch alloy wheels, HID (high-intensity discharge) headlights, air conditioning, sat-nav, DAB Radio with USB and Bluetooth connectivity, rear privacy glass and front electric windows.
The SZ5 (Boosterjet and SHVS model) costs an additional €1,500 and adds automatic climate control, rear electric windows, 4.2-inch central colour trip display, LED rear lights, Adaptive Cruise Control and Radar Brake Support.
The Baleno is on sale from June.
Volvo research shows Irish people value time with loved ones above everything
The Volvo S90 has arrived in Ireland and to mark the launch, Volvo Car Ireland released details on its ‘Evolution of Luxury’ research highlighting how people’s sense of luxury in Ireland is based on fundamental values such as increased time with loved ones and life-enhancing experiences.
Of those surveyed, 55% indicated that they would value more time with family and friends over monetary items like the latest technology gadgets (24%) or designer luxury accessories (8%).
And the connection between the car and the research? Well, the S90 is billed as a luxury saloon that is ‘luxuriously equipped’.
As standard, even the entry-level Momentum S90 comes with leather upholstery, LED headlights, two-zone climate control with ‘CleanZone’ air-filtration system and automatically dimming interior and exterior mirrors.
Pilot Assist, Volvo’s innovative semi-autonomous drive feature, is also standard on every S90. This feature automatically keeps the car at a set speed or distance from the vehicle in front, automatically brakes and accelerates with the flow of traffic, and gives gentle steering inputs to keep the car within lane markings at motorway speeds up to 130km/h.
The new Volvo S90 is available to order now, with retail prices starting at €48,400.
Vantastival Festival in Drogheda still campertastic
Firestone (yup the tyre company) is hitting up seven music festivals across Europe this summer and Vantastival in Drogheda has just been added to the itinerary. Vantastival, sponsored by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, is a BYOB festival combining music with a celebration of campervan culture.
At Vantastival, a ‘Firestone Music Station’ will hold an acoustic stage featuring unplugged performances from some of the festival’s main line-up, including Saint Sister, Jinx Lennon, Saramai, The Bonnevilles, Swords, Elm and Elephant, while a host of local acts from Drogheda and its surroundings will be given the opportunity to perform.
The Firestone Music Station will be decked out with quirky custom-made tyre furniture and will have the aesthetic of a 1930s Route 66 gas station.
Vantastival 2016 takes place on Friday 3rd and Saturday 4th June.
162 sales are in full swing
Thinking of buying a new 162-reg car? Well, there are plenty of manufacturer sales on to tempt you into their dealers. This week, Toyota is having its ‘Summer ShowTime’ promotion and it is running from 25 May to 28 May at Toyota dealerships across Ireland.
Toyota is offering a Trade In Trade Up allowance of up to €3,500 or three years free servicing, as well as free style, safety and technology packs, and APRs starting from 2.9%.
The full 162 Toyota line-up will be on display during ShowTime and customers can also avail of deals on the Auris, Avensis, Aygo, Corolla, Prius, RAV4 and Yaris.
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