Land Rover Defender begins Irish dealer tour

The new Land Rover Defender Ireland tour kicks off this week at Jaguar Land Rover retailers across the country. It aims to give Irish customers an opportunity to experience the long-awaited new model before its official launch this spring.

The entry model will be expensive, with prices starting from €68,160 for the Defender 110 2.0 SD4 AWD Auto model. Land Rover claims that the all-terrain capability and toughness from its very first 4x4 are retained in the Defender.

The new model will be available in 90 and 110 body designs, with six models available; Defender, S, SE, HSE, Defender X and First Edition.

Land Rover claims that practical commercial models are set to join the line-up later in the year.

Volkswagen offer lower prices in new e-Golf

The recommended retail price of the Volkswagen e-Golf is €37,895, while the SEAI grant of €5,000 and VRT rebate of €5,000 bring the price for a private customer down to €27,895.

Volkswagen has announced a new starting price of €27,895 for the all-electric e-Golf and €31,550 for the high-spec Executive Edition model, making it one of Ireland’s most affordable electric vehicles. Both prices include Government grant incentives.

There is a Government-funded support scheme in place to assist homeowners who wish to install an electric vehicle charge point on their property. It provides a grant up to the value of €600 towards the purchase and installation of a home charger unit. This is in addition to the VRT rebate of €5,000 and SEAI grant of €5,000 for electric vehicles. Drivers of an electric car can also save up to 75% of the costs of tolls on some roads, which can amount to a saving of as much as €500. There are additional benefits for businesses, such as 0% Benefit in Kind (BIK) for electric vehicles.

The e-Golf has all of the quality, ease of use and attractive design of the Golf, with a range of 231km, which Volkswagen Ireland’s head of marketing Mark McGrath claims is 14 times the average private car journey and more than 16 times the average Irish person’s commute to work.

Galway tyre specialist gets BFGoodrich for Ireland

Kevin Burke Tyres has been appointed by BFGoodrich to be its distribution partner in Ireland.

Athenry-based tyre specialist, Kevin Burke Tyres (KBT) has been appointed by BFGoodrich to be its distribution partner in Ireland. Best known as a world leader in off-road tyres, BFGoodrich is set to strengthen its presence in the car tyre sector with the launch of its new Advantage and Advantage SUV ranges. KBT will hold BFGoodrich tyre stocks for both its own customers and all dealers in Ireland.

Established in 1995, KBT evolved from a tyre retailer catering for the local area to one of Ireland’s largest wholesale tyre providers, with many years of experience in suppling tractor tyres.

Last year, the company moved to a purpose-built facility located beside one of Ireland’s largest road networks, allowing KBT to offer a comprehensive daily delivery service to customers throughout the country.

Irish millennials rely most on vehicle technology

21% of Irish millenials admit to being somewhat reliant on safety technology.

For Irish motorists, January is the most popular month to buy a new car. In recent years, advancements in in-car safety technology have become a key consideration for consumers.

A new survey from Liberty Insurance found that 21% of Irish millennials admit to being very or somewhat reliant on safety technology features, including reversing cameras, automated emergency breaking, collision warning system and lane change assists when driving. The most in-demand in-car safety technology includes reverse cameras, automatic emergency breaking, collision warning systems and blind-spot warning technology.