Contact Gerry Boud
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Keep clear line of sight
HOW are your peepers? Are they looking good or, just like the car, maybe could do with some servicing?
Optilase, Ireland's leading provider of optical care and eDrive, Ireland's first digital online car mag, have teamed up to urge drivers to get their eyes checked.
"Ninety percent of the information your brain processes when driving comes from your eyes" says Neil Briscoe, editor of eDrive. "So it's critical that you have your eyesight checked and keep your eyes in good nick.
"At least once every 18-24 months, you need to get your eyesight tested, and if you wear glasses or contacts, then you should perhaps be getting it done once a year.
"I recently underwent laser eye surgery at Optilase's clinic in central Dublin, and while you would have to think carefully before undergoing such treatment, I can honestly say that it's transformed my driving, and the rest of my life. For the first time since I was 12, I can see properly without lenses."
Optilase also runs a regular opticians that provides glasses and contact lenses to those for whom laser surgery is not an option.
Peugeot’s Lion to roar
PEUGEOT'S world famous Lion is roaring a heck of a lot louder these days as the French company takes on its own "from strength to strength" slogan in a determined effort to claw up from 10th to seventh place in the world market by 2015.
And it's not just their newly-introduced Peugeot Lion symbol that is baring its teeth. Peugeot Ireland's top man David McConnell is also in fighting form and last week as he told Irish motoring scribes that they, too, will be clawing for a higher market share in Ireland.
"We've had rough times but now we are in good shape.
"Peugeot has a new look and will launch 14 new models in the next three years," he said, adding that Peugeot in Ireland was already five per cent up on cars and LCVs at the end of February and demand for their recently launched cars, like the 3008, 5008 and 308CC, have already led to their having to increase their original sales projection figures.
"We are looking to increase our total market share in Ireland from 3.3 per cent to four per cent by the year's end," he said.
The "reborn" company, this year celebrating 200 years, has launched a new styling direction for future models, a new corporate Lion badge and a new brand signature: Motion and Emotion.
The first production vehicle to display the new Lion badge will be the stunning Peugeot RCZ, to be launched in the Spring in Ireland.
Between 2010 and 2012, Peugeot will launch 14 new models worldwide, along with a range of cutting edge technologies: the 100 per cent electric Peugeot iOn, electric E-Vivacity scooter from 2010, diesel hybrid in the 3008 from 2011, e-HDi (Stop-Start) on all diesel models from 2011 and a plug-in diesel hybrid in 2012.
Careful driving to work
UP to one third of all road collisions involve drivers who are using their vehicle for work.
This means that around 75 people die in work-related road crashes in Ireland each year.
The figure was revealed last week at the start of a road safety campaign, from the Road Safety Authority (RSA) and the Health and Safety Authority (HSA), which is designed to make employers aware of their responsibility to ensure the safety of their staff on the roads.
The campaign urges employers to use the RSA's and HSA's 'Driving for Work Guidelines' to assist in implementing safe driving policies in the workplace. The guidelines, published in CD Rom format are available free of charge and can be downloaded at www.rsa.ie and www.hsa.ie.
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gerry.boud@sundayworld.com
CLASS OF ITS OWN
Magical Mercedes leaves nothing to chance with awesome offering
YOU don't have to be in the 'super rich' league to own the very latest top luxury car from Mercedes.
Being 'comfortably off' would, however, be beneficial.
For the German prestige motor makers have not just lopped thousands off the price of the latest EClass, their all-new mid-size luxury saloon opening it up to a bigger market, but also offer this top luxury car with family car costs.
By virtue of cleaner engines VRT taxes have tumbled bringing a drop in price of up to €20,000. That means, for instance, €43,600 (ex works) for our 4- cylinder,170bhp 220 Cdi review car last week.
Mix in lower running costs because of new engines and technology along with a research firm forecasting that residual values will be highest of any car in the luxury class and it is clear the new EClass is already a winner.
This latest, slightly bigger version of the previous E-Class, the company's biggest and most important moneyspinner, not only features a host of innovations to make life easier for the driver but reveals a toughened-up new car that, in its development, through
some 700 prototypes, was subjected to more than a record 36 million kilometers of testing, 150 real crash tests and 17,500 virtual collisions. It is also cleaner and up to 23 per cent more frugal from a range of more efficient engines with emissions that fall within strict Euro 5 guidelines.
Which brings manual transmission EClass diesels into Band B with an annual road tax of €156 - the same as, wait for it, the likes of the small Hyundai i10 and 1.2 litre Renault Clio! Go for the automatic versions and you could be looking at €302 tax a year.
Powerful
Slotting in between the C-Class and the S-Class, the new E-Class has been sharpened up in more ways than one to take on rivals, the BMW 5-Series, Lexus GS, Jaguar XF and Audi A6.
The styling for a start with its powerful wedge-shaped profile, new twin-lens headlight design, distinctive V-shaped face, front daytime running lights set below the bumper line and muscular tail end is a step forward.
And it is much sleeker, too. With its drag coefficient of just 0.25 - better than many sports cars and on par with the new Toyota Prius - the new E-Class is the world's most aerodynamically efficient luxury saloon.
Inside has been spruced up and looks and feels richer, and there is now more interior space than before.
Long-distance comfort has been further improved by way of intelligent body-shell technology that increases rigidity by up to 30 percent.
Safety is top notch. Standard features include the latest assistance and protection systems. One such item is Attention Assist, a drowsiness-detection system that uses feedback from over 70 sensors to monitor behaviour and alert the driver when the need to take a break becomes evident.
Other items include lights that dim automatically to avoid dazzling oncoming traffic, proximity control, parking guidance and reversing camera, improved pedestrian protection with a bonnet that pops up on impact and a full array of airbags.
Choice
Twelve models make up this latest EClass range - six diesels and six petrol. Currently in Ireland are the E220CDI (our review car) and the E200CDI - the first E-Class to have a 200CDI engine.
Also the E250CDI and the E200 Kompressor. All new E-Class models come in a choice of three design and equipment lines that include higherspec Elegance and Avantgarde versions.
POWER: The E220 Cdi is powered by an all-new 2.2 litre, turbocharged common rail direct injection engine through either a six-speed manual or five-speed auto transmission. It outputs 170bhp at 2,000rpm and delivers 400Nm of torque from 1,400rpm for a top speed of 229km/h.
It is a smooth, quiet and powerful engine that returns an impressive fuel average of 48mpg. The auto transmission on our review car also operated very smoothly and, as to be expected from Mercedes, the E220 Cdi drove and handled with aplomb. This is a very refined and capable business car.
MERCEDES E-CLASS
PRICE (ex works): 220Cdi: €43,600 (manual) €46,400 (auto, review car).
CO2 Rating: 139g/km (manual), 159g/km (auto).