Volume 8. No 2. Summer 10

IRELAND’S FOREMOST FLEET & CORPORATE SECTOR GUIDE

Volume 8. No 2. Summer 10

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Newsletter for Approved Driving Instructors. Shooting Break

LAUNCH PAD

Early Drive

FEATURE

Alfa Giulietta: Bellissimo!

FLEETCAR | Summer 2010 27

www.fl eet.ie

28 NEWS• Telematics to reduce battery range anxiety • Energy and transport sectors to be electrifi ed • Kia secures major fl eet deal • New car market gets smaller – literally! PLUS Junction Box – short stories

30 DIRECTION/adiFeature – Early Drive – teaching them young!Interview – With Mark Dodd AdvanceDriveTest – Skoda Octavia 1.6 TDI & RS Combi 2.0 TDI

40 LAUNCH PADFeaturing Alfa Romeo, Citroen, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Mazda & Nissan

42 INTERVIEWWith Shane Teskey, Benchmark Fleet Services Ltd.

43 FLEETING SHOTSBook Review, New NCTS Centre, Toyota Presentation & 2010 Dakar winning VW Race Touareg gets mentioned here

contents SUMMER 2010

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Cover picture: Cathal Doyle. Location: Balocco, Italy.

In an eff ort to emulate Adrian Newey and Mike Gascoyne, Chief Designers at the Red Bull and Lotus Formula 1 outfi ts, two Claremorris teams participated in the Finals of the F1 in Schools Technology

Challenge. Th e International competition organised by the Irish Computer Society (ICS) challenges secondary school students to design, build and race model Formula 1 cars that are powered by compressed air canisters.

Th e all girls team Orange Demons F1 representing Mount Saint Michael’s Secondary School, Claremorris, County Mayo and the Lightning Strike F1 team representing St. Colman’s College, Claremorris, County Mayo

qualifi ed for the Finals, through a series of regional rounds.

At the National Finals for F1 in Schools 2009/10 took place at Griffi th College on Dublin’s South Circular Road on 29 April, Lightning Strike F1 fi nished third in the Junior Section, much to the delight of team captain, Tautyvdas Kersulus. “We were delighted when our name was called out. We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and hope to enter the competition again next year! Th anks for your support and help.”

Fleet Publications was one of the sponsors to both teams.

Team Orange Demons F1 - Pictured (l-r) – Vicky Lynch, Emma Loft us, Rebecca McKitt erick and Ellie Loft us.

Team Lightning Strike F1 – Pictured (l-r) Jim Friars (ICS) Tautyvdas Kersulis (Team Manager, Car Design Engineer and Graphic Designer), Liam Connolly (Marketing Manager), Micheal Mangan (Manufacturing Manager), Dylan Higgins (Resource Manager), Mark Killeen (Design Engineer and Graphic Designer) and Ronan Armstrong (Assistant Manufacturing Engineer).

Lightning Strike F1 hits the podium!

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28 FLEETCAR | Summer 2010

NEWS 1

Irish Energy and transport sectors to be transformed

Telematics Can Reduce Range Anxiety and enhance Electric Vehicle Ownership

“I rish motorists can look forward to the cash, cars and charging points that will make the electric car the smart choice for the

Irish motorist,” stated Eamon Ryan, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources at the announcement of the ‘Def in it ive A g reement ’ bet ween the ESB, the Renault-Nissan Alliance and Government Department. As planned under the agreement, the ESB aims to roll out 3,500 Charge Points Nationwide by December 2011, which will include 30 fast Charge Points. Nissan will market its new all-electric, fi ve-seater LEAF hatchback to Ireland early next year while Renault will launch its Fluence ZE (Zero Emission) passenger car and Kangoo ZE van a bit later. To encourage conventional c o m b u s t i o n e n g i n e d motorists to electric power (and achieve the target to have 10% of Ireland’s vehicles fl eet

to be electric by 2020), the Government is off ering a €5,000 grant off the retail price of an electric car as well as exemption from Vehicle Registration Tax. “Ireland will be one of the fi rst countries in the world to have a nationwide electric charging network

which will off er opportunities for enterprise and job creation, as well as the obvious environmental benefi ts of ultimately having a decarbonised transport f leet,” said ESB Chief Executive Padraig McManus at the event.

Ironically, it will be the ESB, Government Bodies and Local Authorities that will be the biggest customers of electric vehicles initially. Another look at the charge points is required also as most of the units have only single plug-ins. An additional point of note is that the ESB’s Nationwide charging network is branded ‘ecars’ which somewhat alienates commercial vehicles in the whole project.

Range anxiety remains the major challenge to be resolved to facilitate mass adoption of Electric Vehicles (EVs) in the coming years.

Th e introduction of telematics in EVs to provide point(s) of interest (POI) and alerts packages that make the user aware of the charging environment, can resolve this issue. Unlike conventional vehicles for which it is still an expensive option, most hardware elements required for enabling these services will be built into the cost of the EV. An EV driver will only pay an incremental amount for services included in the subscription they pay for batt ery leasing and energy plans.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Strategic Market and Technology Assessment of Telematics Applications for Electric Vehicles, fi nds that telematics will have a penetration of more than 80 per cent of all new EVs sold by 2015. Smart navigation hardware will become a standard feature in all new EVs sold by 2015, however users will face additional service costs that are bundled along with energy subscription plans.

Th e most important telematics service will be to provide charging environment-related POIs like the location of the next charging station and the ability

to book that charging station. Other signifi cant telematics services will include connecting to the batt ery and knowing the state of charge. Th ese services will enter the market fi rst.

Several OEMs, including Renault, Nissan and GM, are currently developing ingenious telematics

concepts for their upcoming EV models like the Fluence, L E A F a nd C hev rolet Volt. Their real challenge, however, will be to ensure mass market adoption of EVs while providing adequate inf rastr ucture suppor t . Moreover, as EVs will remain niche products for a majority of the conventional OEMs, it remains to be seen whether they will incur development expenses or invest the time to create dedicated telematics concepts for their EVs. Th is will indirectly impact the

involvement of traditional telematics companies in the EV initiative.

“Although EVs lead to a potentially new business model for telematics to be sold as a standard feature rather than a costly option, the future of this market depends on infrastructure development and smart energy planning,” explains Praveen Chandrasekar. “Telematics development will be noticeably slow, if it remains a niche segment.”

D-Max the force!

Isuzu Ireland has developed this Isuzu D-Max 3.0 litre prototype specially for the Police Force and other emergency service providers.

Th e concept features a purpose built ‘Pod’ covering the pick-up area to facilitate the safe storage of traffi c cones, road signs, fi re extinguishers, compressors etc. An in-house designed racking is also installed to store smaller items.

Th is vehicle will also be demonstrated to the Coast Guard and Fire Services.

Renault Clio with swivel seat!

Renault has increased its commitment to mobility by becoming the fi rst European manufacturer to develop a front swivel seat for the Clio model. With one simple movement, a lever enables the seat to turn towards the door and then re-positions the seat to face the direction of travel with ease.

A s a factor y f i t me nt , t he new swivel seat will be available in 6 European markets initially in June with other markets to follow. Savings of up to €1,000 are said to be achieved compa red to aft ermarket conversion.

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Th e latest generation Ford Fiesta was Europe’s best-selling car in March and for the fi rst quarter 2010, according to the latest fi gures from JATO Dynamics. 68,630 Ford Fiestas were sold in March, a 25.8 percent increase from the same month last year, and almost 11,800 units ahead of its nearest rival, the Volkswagen Golf.

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www.fl eetcar.ie | Summer 2010 29

NEWS 11

Hibernia Evros Technology Group has chosen the Kia cee’d and procee’d as the vehicles to help drive on their business. As

an IT managed services specialist Hibernia Evros provides a complete range of outsourcing, support and data centre services that are designed to keep your technology running.

Mr. Gus Corrigan, Dealer Principal at K & C Garages, Churchtown is delighted to have Hibernia Evros as a new fl eet customer and is committ ed to delivering the required top-level fl eet service. Kia Motors industry leading 7 year warranty was one of the overriding factors for Hibernia Evros choosing Kia.

KIA propels Hibernia Evros to new heights!

The new car market is set for a minor revolution as manufacturers overturn a century of linking a car’s size with its

prestige, according to motor industry consultancy Network Automotive.

Managing Director Colin Bruder says that the arrival of cars such as the Audi A1, Aston Martin Cygnet and potential sub-1-Series BMW signals a major shift . “Since the motor industry achieved a recognisable structure in the 1920s, manufacturers and customers have almost always linked a car’s size with its prestige. A luxury car was a large car”, he said.

“However, we are seeing real eff orts to overturn that thinking. Th e MINI has paved the way for this in recent years as a mainstream hatchback but now we are seeing further steps.”

Bruder pointed to the Aston Martin Cygnet – a bespoke version of the Toyota IQ city car – as the most extreme example of this trend but said that the real shift was occurring with the arrival of the Audi A1, the Citroen DS3 and the mooted BMW 0 Series, a front wheel drive hatch which has been the

subject of speculation in motoring magazines and could be based on the MINI platform.

He explained: “Th ese are prestige small hatchbacks that will carry price tags around 40% higher than a comparable mainstream car. Customers will be asked to pay a heft y premium for a prestige brand and, I believe, will do so.”

Bruder said that the divorcing of prestige and size was necessary if the motor industry was to meet its future obligations to reduce environmental impact.

He said: “BMW, for example, has made huge progress in driving the CO2 output of its cars in recent years but if it is going to continue to make improvements, really needs to encourage customers to downsize into smaller, lighter machines.

“It is possible to envisage a situation in 15 years where BMW’s core model is no longer the 3 Series but an 0 or 1 Series hatchback which sells in large numbers to the fl eet sector and has an ultra low CO2 output by today’s standards.”

New car market set for ‘size and prestige’ revolution

RX Hybrid 4 BOD

Brian O’Driscoll was recently presented with a Lexus RX hybrid as the luxury car brand renews its support for the Irish rugby captain and Leinster legend. Brian is a long standing brand ambassador for Lexus Ireland and has driven a number of Lexus models in the past, including the Lexus ISF and IS250.

Th e presentation of the hybrid vehicle was made by Lexus Ireland, Managing Director, Mark Teevan in acknowledgment of his continued outstanding rugby career to date and his long standing relationship with Lexus Ireland.

Mazda3 Saloon zooms-in!

Th e Mazda3, Ireland’s favourite Mazda has now been joined by a saloon version to compliment the 3 & 5 door hatchback range. Its 1.6 litre (109 bhp) diesel @ €22,525 is proving to be the most popular choice. Sitt ing in the lowest road tax Band A (€104), this diesel unit can stretch to 62mpg – 4.5l/100km.

One of the reasons behind the success is its looks as this compact saloon car gives the impressive of a much larger model.

Ciaran Molumby, Hibernia Evros; Denise Fitzgerald, Kia Ireland; Gus Corrigan, K & C Garages; Bob Murray, Hibernia Evros

In the fi rst quarter of 2010, JATO records that 140,496 Ford Fiestas were sold - over 5,400 units ahead of its nearest rival.

“Fiesta simply outpaced VW Golf, with its move to pole position particularly due to its strong March sales in the UK (+14.7%) and Italy (+87%) where 57% of all Fiestas sold (11,251) were LPG-powered,” said JATO Dynamics.

- Seller

30 FLEETCAR | Summer 2010 Text & Photo: Gerry Murphy - gerrym@fl eet.ie

FEATURE

M ondello Park, the venue for top class motor racing always has safety as its number one priority both on and off the circuit.

One of its non-competitive activities includes Early-Drive – a specially designed programme dedicated to begin the process of developing the driving skills of young people in a safe, controlled environment. Early-Drive is a joint venture project established in 2004 in association with the Irish School of Motoring (ISM), aimed at

Transition Year Student Groups. John Morris, Managing Director of Mondello Park explains, “Teenagers are very impressionable and we aim to make a lasting impression of safe and responsible driving. It has been proven that if a driver is trained properly from the start they will carry both a bett er att itude and a higher standard of driving skill into the future. We want all our young drivers to be trained professionally, in order for them to become more responsible on the roads, yet on the road training has become

more diffi cult due to high insurance costs and increased traffi c volumes.”

Over the course of the half-day session the programme consists of classroom/tutorial, Brake Reaction Simulator/Brake Test Demonstration and driving lesson in a dual-control car under the guidance of an ISM instructor. To round off , students are given the unique opportunity to visit the Mondello Motor Museum where the focus is again on safety and the evolution of racing car design.

Direction’s Jarlath Sweeney, sat in with the recent visit of Collinstown Community College, Clondalkin to the County Kildare Motorsport Circuit. Under the guidance of teachers Walter Doolin and Cristine Cowpp, the Transition Year Students were directed to the various workshops co-ordinated by Mondello Park’s Conor Flood. Normally 3 groups are formed so that around 15 students can comfortably concentrate on each of the elements proceedings. Tutor Mark Haft er welcomed us to the classroom located in one of Mondello’s hospitality rooms overlooking the track, and explained the activities ahead. Th e session began with a video, which demonstrated some good but mostly bad driving habits. Interviews with members of the Garda Traffi c Division, emergency services and Mark Procter, the team doctor to BP Ford WRC. While behind the wheel he showed some exemplary driving and made an unforgett able comment – the good thing about being a driver is that you are an “Alive Driver”. Th erefore some respect should be made to that statement something that we take so much for granted. Respect to themselves and other road users. In addition to rules of the road and speed limits, issues such as the eff ect of minimal alcohol consumption on drivers was shown using a video recorded at Mondello Circuit by the Automobile Association and the Gardai. Following that Mark asked a number of multiple choice questions in relation to the various presentations which drew good interaction and discussion from the att entive students. Th e classroom session concluded with a moving video from Noleen Murphy who tragically lost two sons in separate road accidents.

Aft er a short break, the practical elements were introduced. Each student then experienced the Brake Test Simulator. With Mark sitt ing alongside the driver in a stationary MG Rover 25, the simulator measures the time taken by each

Early-Drive puts Transition year students on the right road

30 DIRECTION | Summer 2010

FEATURE

driver to move their foot from the accelerator to the brake in an emergency and Mark then calls out how far the car would have travelled during this refl ex action. According to Mark, the average is 0.67 seconds. Th e lowest recorded here was 0.35 seconds with the slowest exceeding 1.1 seconds.

Th e Brake Test Demonstration had Conor Flood behind the wheel of another MG Rover 25. Here the famed Mondello straight is used. Th is test sets out to demonstrate the actual distance required to stop the car travelling at 50 km/h when the brakes are applied suddenly simulating an emergency stop. Th e students are asked to predict the stopping point and place traffi c cones alongside the test run and once safely behind the barrier the test begins. Students are genuinely astonished at the distance required to bring the car to a complete halt and invariably it is at least 20 metres further than they have estimated.

Th e students then discuss the results with the tutor who explains the various factors that infl uence the stopping distance of a car and students are asked to consider the result of this test from three diff erent perspectives:-

As pedestrians crossing roads• As cyclists who share the roads with • motorists andAs motorists when they begin driving.•

Driving on the track proved to be the most popular aspect of the Early-Drive Course. Th is ISM instructed session lasts 20 minutes per student and is seen as an introduction to driving for the majority att ending. Some of them

maybe due to get their fi rst provisional driving licence.

A tour of the Museum o f M o t o r s p o r t culminates the visit and it is here that the students are presented with their Certifi cate and gather for a group photograph.

Congratulations to all involved with Early-Drive. It’s so much more than a glorifi ed driving lesson. The course carefully blends the theoretical with the practical with litt le or no time for the student to get bored. Every Eu ropea n cou nt r y except Ireland has some element of compulsory car driving tuition – it’s time to readdress that imbalance now by starting with taking a leaf or two from the Mondello/ISM Early-Drive programme.

Text & Photos: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie www.fl eetcar.ie | Summer 2010 31

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Denis & Mary Ryan,Bishopstown, Cork. Tel: 021-434 6655

Browne’s Autos,Lifford, Donegal. Tel: 074-9141225

Carroll & Roche Cars Ltd.Clondalkin, Dublin. Tel: 01-4642444

Lusk Motor Group,Lusk, Dublin. Tel: 01 - 8437085

Dermot Healy Motors,Killarney, Kerry.Tel: 064-6632242

T.P. Waters Ltd,Monasterevin Rd., Kildare. Tel: 045-521400

J.J. Burke Car Sales Ltd,Ballinrobe, Mayo. Tel: 094-9541359

Peter Mooney Motors,Ballymote, Sligo. Tel: 071-9189111

Slatterys Garage Ltd,Nenagh, Tipperary. Tel: 067-24 111

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Price from €34,995*

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INTERVIEW

38 DIRECTION | Summer 2010

S ligo based Mark Dodd, Managing Director, AdvanceDrive is in a unique position to discuss issues within the broad portfolio that is Driving Instruction.

Mark is an Approved Driving Instructor (adi), and AdvanceDrive is approved by the RSA to deliver its adi training programme to prospective adis. Mark is an approved trainer for the Driver Certifi cate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) and the Transport Manager’s Certifi cate of Competence (CILT). AdvanceDrive is also an ‘Approved Training Organisation’ for the delivery of the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council’s Emergency Driving syllabus, (the organisation that set training and testing standards for the ambulance sector), and in addition to training ambulance drivers to advanced standard.

In the lead up to the Chief Fire Offi cer’s Conference 2010 Jarlath Sweeney met up with Mark.

JS Has the Driver CPC requirement fi nally sunk-in amongst the HGV and PSV sectors that the course is a positive move in creating and raising standards in the industry?

MD Not yet or for a long time to come I think. It will take time to change the negative att itudes among drivers as training within the transport sector to date has been poor and drivers in general are very reluctant to take part in any training. More oft en than not because they are simply not used to it. We train quite a lot in the emergency services where a very good culture of training and refresher programmes exists and because of this culture we rarely encounter resistance or negative att itudes. Until training becomes the norm in the transport sector and the courses have a more credible image negative att itudes will persist. Th is lack of credibility is also contributed to by the theory-only training material. Driving is a practical occupation and it is my experience that without a practical element, drivers can fi nd it most diffi cult to relate to theory alone. Notwithstanding fairly positive assessment sheets drivers in private will generally admit to

not seeing the training as relevant. Th ere is also the perception among course participants that many of the trainers are simply not up to delivering CPC material and do not have a comprehensive knowledge of the subject they are teaching. I have heard of many cases, from reliable sources I might add, where trainers simply spend the day reading from the book without using the slide presentations or any reference material. I would like to see CPC trainers going through an examination and testing process similar to the very comprehensive and professional ‘Approved Driver Instruction’ testing process conducted by the RSA on driving instructors.

JS When will we see a practical element introduced into the Eco-Driving module?

MD Not soon enough! Th e weakness of the EU allowing each Member State to transpose the Directive as they saw fi t has resulted in Driver CPC being delivered in many diff erent ways in diff erent countries. For example if I was to undertake Driver CPC in Denmark or Holland it is likely that I would spend more than half of the required 35 hours in a truck. I have been training drivers for Scania in economical driving practices since 1998 and it is simply not possible to have eff ective training unless it is done in a loaded vehicle over a specifi c route and utilizing a Flow-Meter to measure fuel usage. Th eory in this instance will only reinforce the practical subject material and can never be eff ective training alone. Th e Irish Driver CPC system of theory only training will be weak and ineff ective until a practical element is introduced.

JS As an improved Driving Instructor, what is the standard at present among the current batch of learner drivers?

MD It does not vary greatly from one year to another in our experience. Th e diff erence though since the introduction of the Driver CPC is that people are no longer taking the test simply ‘to have the truck licence’. Th e people we now see are committ ed to gett ing their truck licence with the objective of pursuing a career where a truck licence is required such as a truck driver or heavy vehicle mechanic.

JS What is required to att ract more young people into the sector – male and female?

MD Professional driving is poorly regarded, and even more so now than when I was driving in the eighties and nineties. Th is is because of an abundant supply of good quality drivers, mainly from abroad who are prepared to work for poor rates. Driver CPC will not improve this situation. Regulation and enforcement will event ua l ly ensu re drivers are not exploited b y u n s c r u p u l o u s employers but only a levelling of standards of living among EU member states will

ensure drivers demand bett er rates. Only then can the job become more att ractive.

JS Part of your business takes in Driver Training and Advanced Driver Training for Emergency Services – what’s involved here?

MD We take personnel who have already passed their driving test, for the vehicle they are driving, Fire Appliance, Ambulance etc and take them through a 10 day Advanced Driver Programme based on the standard system of Police Advanced Driving. Th is involves refreshing the learner on basic driving skills in addition to teaching commentary skills, i.e. the driver, while driving is constantly identifying all actual and potential hazards encountered and talking through the correct position, speed and gear to negotiate the hazard. We also take the learner night driving and get them to perform several emergency stops under strictly controlled conditions. We also spend up to 1.5 hours covering theory each day, an important part of which is teaching how our att itudes aff ect the way we drive and how we learn or why we do not from our mistakes. At the end of ten days learners are tested by an ex-Garda Driving School Tester and if successful are accredited as an advanced driver. We provide refresher training aft er 5 years.

JS Th e Scania Young European Truck Driver of the Year Competition comes around in 2010, you are involved in the organisation of same again?

MD Yes, I am this year’s co-ordinator again and delighted to be asked. Of course with the economic climate we must cut our cloth accordingly and the competition will be smaller but good drivers will have ample opportunity to take part and represent Ireland in Sweden. We have 3 RSA Driving Testers again as assessors and judging panel again this year and I would like to pass on thanks to Michael Rowland of the RSA for his help. Anyone interested should log on to www.scania.ie and navigate through the Driver Competition section to apply.

JS Of course, the Irish representative can go one step further than Tom Sharkey who fi nished runner-up in the European Finals last time around.

MD Yes, Tom came second in 2007 and did us proud and I’m sure we will have as good a fi nalist again this year. It would be great to see the new Scania R-series truck, (which is fi rst prize) coming to Ireland.Th is interview continues on www.fl eetcar.ie

One-to-Onewith Mark Dodd, AdvanceDrive by Jarlath Sweeney -editor@fl eet.ie

Tom Sharkey & Mark Dodd

TEST

Text & Photos: Cathal Doyle - cathal@fl eet.ie www.fl eetcar.ie | Summer 2010 39

I t can be easy to dismiss the Skoda Octavia as old hat; aft er all it has been part of our motoring landscape now for over a decade, and even though it has undergone a couple

of updates in that time, the familiar silhouett e of the car which fi rst saw light of day in 1999 has been retained.

It is a car that has enjoyed considerable success in Ireland, not least we suspect because of its saloon like looks despite being a hatchback. Indeed, the Octavia is responsible more so than any other model for the transformation in Skoda’s image. Only those stuck in a 1980’s time warp will dismiss a Skoda as an inferior product these days.

Th e Octavia received a facelift last year bringing it more in line visually with the new Superb, and giving it generally a more contemporary appearance. Inside too the cabin benefi ts from some detail changes and now exudes a feeling of quality up there with the best of its Volkswagen brethren.

We recently drove two diff erent models in the Octavia range, both diesel, but appealing to diff erent markets. First up was an Elegance specifi ed saloon with a new common rail 1.6 TDI CR engine and 7-Speed DSG automatic gearbox. Replacing the tried and tested direct injection 1.9 TDI, it off ers signifi cantly improved emissions and fuel consumption. Falling into the tax band B with CO2 emissions of 123 g/km (the manual version gets into the lowest band with 119 g/km CO2) our week with the car returned average fuel consumption of 5.2 litres/100 km (54.3 mpg). Not quite up to Skoda’s quoted 4.7 l/100 km but impressive nonetheless.

Th e engine is a refi ned unit that feels much more rapid than the 0-100 km/h of 12 seconds would indicate. Compared to the old 1.9 it is perhaps not as torquey, but has a wider power band making for a relaxed drive. Th e DSG gearbox provides silky smooth and instant gear-changes. Sadly the fact that it puts the car into a higher tax band compared to the manual version is likely to deter most customers for going for this option. It’s a shame as it would be our choice every time.

As an all-round family car the Octavia takes some beating. Long lauded for the size of its boot (which is indeed generous to a fault), there is still an amazing amount of cabin room for a car that shares its fl oorplan with the VW Golf.

Prices for the 1.6 diesel start from €19,340. We’d be tempted though to stretch to the Elegance specifi cation as tested, which comes with nearly every toy and extra you could wish for.

If the 1.6 TDI Elegance model is about refi nement, practicality and fuel consumption, the RS 2.0 TDI Combi off ers a more sporting take on Skoda’s best seller. While hot hatches may not fi gure too highly on many fl eet managers lists, this is a performance car that presents a very plausible case for a rethink on company car policies. With 170 bhp it is more than respectably quick, yet falls into tax band C while returning fuel consumption fi gures most petrol cars can only dream of (5.7 l/100 km offi cially, we averaged 6.4). And in Combi (estate) form it is even more capacious than its hatchback brother.

Unlike other hot hatches the sporty suspension set-up is just about right for Irish roads – not too soft for enthusiastic cornering without threatening to remove your fi llings. Extremely well equipped as standard, visually too the RS looks the part thanks to LED daytime running lights and exterior body modifi cations giving a purposeful yet subtle appearance.

Conclusion

It is not hard to see why the Skoda Octavia has been a sales success over the past eleven years. Reliable and long lasting, it off ers big car practicality for small car money. Interior fi nish, an occasional criticism of older models has been addressed with the latest face-lift , and build quality is now right up there with VW’s best. With the latest generation diesel engines off ering both performance and economy we would have no hesitation in recommending anyone looking for a family car to put the Skoda on their shortlist.

Skoda Octavia – The Model Range With Something For Everyone

Skoda Octavia Elegance 1.6 TDI CR DSG Skoda Octavia RS Combi 2.0 TDI CR Price (as tested): €25,300Capacity: 1,598 ccPower: 105 bhpTorque: 250 Nm at 1,500 – 2,500 rpmTop speed: 190 km/h0-100kmh: 12 secondsEconomy: 4.7 l/100km (60.1 mpg)CO2 emissions: 123 g/km

Price (as tested): €28,615Capacity: 1,968 ccPower: 170 bhpTorque: 350 Nm at 1,750 – 2,500 rpmTop speed: 225 km/h0-100kmh: 8.4 secondsEconomy: 5.7 l/100km (49.5 mpg)CO2 emissions: 155 g/km

40 FLEETCAR | Summer 2010

LAUNCH PAD

A lfa Romeo’s new mid-sized family hatchback may recall a classic name, but the new Giuliett a which goes on sale in Ireland this Summer is an all-new product, one which Alfa believes will make it a fi rm contender against class

leaders such as the Ford Focus and VW Golf.

Th e replacement for the 147 is the fi rst model featuring Fiat Group’s new Compact fl oor-plan which will form the basis for future Alfa and Fiat C-segment vehicles. With an extensive use of high and ultra-high strength materials, Alfa says it gives a more rigid platform without any increase in weight. Critically also, the fi ve door only Giuliett a comes with multilink rear suspension, considered essential to compete against the best handling cars in the segment, while a new electric power steering system uses two pinions fi tt ed directly to the rack of the steering box to give a natural driving feel.

Two petrol engine – a 1.4TB with 120 hp and a 170 hp 1.4TB Multiair, and two Multijet 1.6 litre diesel engines with 105 hp and 170 hp will be available at launch. Th ere will also be a 235 hp 1750 TBi Quadrifoglio Verde performance model. All are fi tt ed with a six-speed manual box while an ‘Alfa TCT’ automatic transmission will be available later. All cars come with Stop/Start technology as standard. First Drive Report is featured on www.fl eetcar.ie

Prices have yet to be fi nalised for the Irish market, but are expected to start at approximately €23,000. Cathal Doyle

C itroen has ambitious plans to increase its market share in Ireland to 4% within three years, up

from the 1.7% it achieved in 2009. Now under direct Citroen (France) management with assistance from Citroen UK following the ending of the contract with former distributer the Gowan Group, the company plans greater focus on its dealer network and bett er customer service together with a fresh range of models as its strategy for future success.

“We aim to improve customer service through quality,” says Citroen Ireland Managing Director, Th ierry Calewaert. “Th e entire customer experience needs to be improved, for example through subsidized service packs and new aft ersales standards.”

Plans for dealerships include training to improve technical competence and fi rst time fi xes, demo schemes for dealer test-drives, and dealer rewards for high aft er-sales standards.

Product wise a new corporate identity will be rolled out across all models in the next two years with a focus on improving the brand image through creative technology rather than the discounting policies pursued in the past. Citroen’s success in World Championship rallying will also be promoted to a greater extent, with the company the title sponsor of this year’s Citroen Irish Tarmac Rally Championship.

Driving the new brand image will be models like the new sporty DS3 evoking a famous name from the past. It goes on sale in Ireland imminently while other recent arrivals include the new C3 and C3 Picasso. Future developments

include a CZero electric car to be launched before the end of 2010. Cathal Doyle

Alfa’s New Giulietta Targets Golf Market

Citroen Plans For Expansion In Irish Market

Mercedes-Benz has joined Alfa Romeo, Audi and BMW in creating an estate car with seriously sporty styling. Premiered at Auto China 2010 the Shooting Break concept car is a striking evolution of the successful

Mercedes-Benz CLS four-door coupé launched in 2005.

Apart from its dynamic look, the interior’s eye-catching feature is the full-length centre console. It will be powered by Mercedes’ new range of V6 3.5 litre petrol engine that produces 306 bhp and torque levels of 370 Nm and there is also a Stop/Start function.

Break, or the homonym Brake dates back to the period of horses and carriage to when bodies were fi tt ed to the carts for shooting exercises – hence Shooting Break!

Shooting Benz!

LAUNCH PAD

I reland is to become one of a select few European markets to be fi rst in line to receive supplies of the Leaf, Nissan’s new electric vehicle that goes on sale at the end of 2010.

“Ireland is one of the fi rst countries in Europe that is developing a proper electric vehicle infrastructure,” says Tom Smith, Electric Vehicle Chief Marketing Manager for Nissan Europe. “We are moving into a new era of mobility.”

A full sized fi ve door family hatchback, the Nissan Leaf is a zero emissions vehicle fi tt ed with 42 of the latest technology lithium-ion batt eries giving it an average range of 160km between charges. Batt eries are expected to have a life of eight to ten years. “We picked this size vehicle to overcome some of the myths that electric vehicles are only golf-sized buggies,” says Tom Smith. “It can be electric and still be fully functional.”

Onboard technology includes a sophisticated IT system which gives detailed information on remaining driving distance and nearest charging points, and features ‘Connected Mobility’ functions within the car that can be operated via mobile phone, such as adjusting the heating controls or notifying you once the car has reached full charge.

Nissan hasn’t fi nalised pricing for the Leaf in Ireland yet, but says that overall cost of ownership taking into account energy and maintenance costs and Government incentives will be comparable to a C-segment diesel car. Cathal Doyle

I reland’s love aff air with saloon cars continues! Put a good looking saloon car beside a hatchback and it has its advantages – large boot and more substantial road presence. Now that the Megane II saloon has been discontinued

Renault introduces the Fluence – an att ractive car at enticing price!

Apart from its sporty exterior and comfortable cabin Fluence will target customers with its choice of diesel engines – 1.5 litre (86bhp) dCi and 108 bhp version. Th ere is also a 1.6 litre 16V (110bhp) petrol. By the end of 2011, an electric version will be on sale here. Prices start at €18,890 for the entry level Fluence Royal 1.6 16V.

At the launch Eric Basset, Managing Director, Renault Ireland paid tribute to the saloon car loving Irish motorist. “We are delighted to bring the much awaited Fluence to Ireland and when we say that if ever a car was built for the Irish market, that the Fluence is it, we do mean that. Th e Irish driver and the saloon car almost have a tradition and history and we believe the Fluence will exceed all expectations of the saloon car in Ireland. It’s stunning looks, fantastic roominess, a great diesel engine and at an amazing entry price will be a big temptation to Irish drivers. With the Fluence, you are driving upgraded – its look, size, and specifi cations for the price of a smaller car, will blow Irish drivers away.”

Ireland Among The First To Receive Nissan Electric Vehicle

Renault Fluence takes over from Megane Saloon

Text: Jarlath Sweeney – editor@fl eet.ie www.fl eetcar.ie | Summer 2010 41

ust over two years ago Mazda revolutionised the family car sector with the arrival of the new 6 range. Combined sales of 270,000 units were achieved with this new shape. Now, as seen at the Geneva Motor Show a redesigned Mazda 6 sports a new face with new headlamps and rear light clusters. Inside, the quality feel has been enhanced with chrome-look plating around the new dials and knobs.

Under the bonnet, the 2.0 litre DISI petrol engine is Euro 5 compatible. Handling stability and ride comfort have also been improved.

Meanwhile, Mazda has signed an agreement with Toyota on the supply under licence, the hybrid technology as used in the Toyota Prius.

Mazda refreshes 6

J

42 FLEETCAR | Summer 2010

INTERVIEW

B enchmark Fleet Services Limited (“Benchmark”) is a company with a diff erent outlook as it off ers a unique service to its customers. Benckmark

was established in October 2002 by Shane Teskey and Michael Rochford and since then they have gone on to expand their services into other areas. Shane and Michael also run Motorcheck, reputedly Ireland’s number 1 car history check provider and premier Irish motoring statistics website.

Shane and Michael have come from completely diff erent backgrounds. Having worked at a senior level in the Car Rental and Fleet Management Industry for 6 years Shane had a wealth of experience in the contract hire and leasing arena together with a specialist understanding of ‘Fleet Management’ as a corporate service.

Michael’s expertise lay in the fi eld of web design and at the time they launched Benchmark he was running his own successful web development company.

Fleet Car’s Gerry Murphy recently visited Benchmark and spoke with Shane Teskey about Benchmark and Motorcheck.

GM. What is unique about Benchmark?

ST. Operating as a fl eet consultancy Benchmark specializes in producing ‘Benchmark Reports’ for vehicles that were to be purchased, leased or contract hired by a corporate entity.

Unlike other operators, Benchmark doesn’t view the supply of a vehicle as a profi t centre and consequently is able to provide ‘open-book’ quotations that refl ect the cost price of supply, fi nance and re-marketing a company car.

GM. A fl eet company that doesn’t make a margin on cars – how does that work?

ST. Benchmark developed a system known as the Benchmark Price-Net (BPN). Th is is a be-spoke quoting system that sits behind the company website at www.benchmark.ie. Access to the system is granted by annual license and refl ects the number of vehicles the user runs in their fl eet.

GM. What does your system do for its customers?

ST. When a client requests a quotation on the BPN each portion of the requirement is

identifi ed and quoted separately on an ‘open-book ’ basis. Our Benchmark Reports detail precisely; the Fleet Discount, the Finance Rate and the Residual Value.

Clients then use the report either to order a vehicle directly through Benchmark or leverage more favourable terms for a not her suppl ier. Either option is open as it’s not the supply of the vehicle that interests Benchmark but the annual licence fee to its soft ware.

GM. We’re living in changing times, how have things changed for you since the company was formed?

ST. Since our inception in 2002 the company has grown organically year on year. We now employ 10 staff and have an annual turnover in excess of €9 million.

Benchmark today is more of an IT company than a fl eet provider. 50% of our team work exclusively in IT. Maintaining current systems and developing new services is a signifi cant part of the business.

Having developed the BPN in 2002 we moved on to create a mileage capture system called ‘Tripometer’ (A mobile phone system that records business trips in a Revenue compliant manner for BIK purposes) before developing the Car History Check service at Motorcheck.ie.

GM. What is the core business of the company today?

ST. Whilst fl eet services is still at the heart of the organisation, the majority of our focus today is on providing technological solutions and managed services to both retail and corporate markets.

We’ve worked hard to develop an automotive database that in its structure and content is

classed as one of the best in the world and stands head and shoulders above anything available in Ireland today.

It’s from this core service that we are able to deliver a myriad of services such as vehicle history check information at Motorcheck.ie as well as a number of bespoke solutions for insurance companies, web businesses, mobile phone platforms, government agencies and trade associations.

GM. What does the future hold for the company?

ST. Development, development and more development! It’s a very exciting time to be working in IT and we fi nd it diffi cult to keep up with the opportunities presenting themselves on a daily basis.

I’m continually amazed at the applications our partners fi nd to use our data for and with the steep rise we’re seeing in Smart Phone penetration and the Mobile Web, a signifi cant part of our research and development time is spent on exploring how we can serve our customers bett er with this new technology.

Of course maintaining our position as Ireland’s number one car history check provider is priority number one and we’re delighted to have the support of the Irish consumer while we continue to develop the range of products available at Motorcheck.ie.

One-to-Onewith Shane Teskey BenchmarkFleet Services Ltdby Gerry Murphy -gerrym@fl eet.ie

What was it that the Ford Capri had diff erent to other cars of its generation? Why has the

‘Blue Oval’ brand failed to come up with the same appeal for a two-door coupé ever since? In fairness Ford tried hard with the launch of the Puma and Cougar but never set the European market alight like the Capri. In 1969, Ford on launching the Capri described it as “the car you always promised yourself.” Th e buying public took this sleek, sporty, three-door hatch very much to their hearts. According to Mark Paxton, author of Th e Essential Buyer’s Guide – Ford Capri, “the new car also boasted an unparalleled range of mechanical and trim options to complete an already att ractive package.”

By the end of its lifecycle in 1986 more than 1.8 million were built. For me, the 1978 version (Mk 3) was the most att ractive with its twin headlights and aerodynamic body updates. With regard to handling it wasn’t the best performer out there as its rear wheel drive in the wet made the car a litt le nervous.Th at said, its running gear was sound and running costs were not bank-breaking.

Today the Capri is classed as a milestone in European motoring development. As Mark puts it, ”If having a Capri grace your driveway is a dream that you would like to make a reality, then this volume will take you through a buying process that will weed out the obviously unsuitable, then move on to a step-by-step look at the more promising cars.”

Mark’s book examines the most common frailties with precision both from a bodywork and mechanical point of view. In many ways reading this book alone brings you back to the aura that surrounded the Capri in its hayday.

Applus+, a Spanish multi-national company specialising in testing, inspection, certifi cation and technological services, has been formally announced as the new provider for the National Car Test Service

(NCTS). Applus+ commenced operations on 4 January of this year under a ten year contract. Th e company will create 50 new jobs in its fi rst year of operation in Ireland, bringing the total number of people employed to 550.

Making the announcement at the opening of a new NCTS Centre in Greenhills, Tallaght in Dublin on 12 April, Minister for Transport Mr. Noel Dempsey TD acknowledged the huge success that the NCT had made in improving safety on our roads. He noted however, that in excess of 84,000 vehicles were still on our roads in 2008 without valid NCT certifi cates.

Noel Brett , CEO of the Road Safety Authority said the decision to appoint Applus+ as the new provider for the NCTS was made aft er an extensive strategic review. Applus+ is the world’s second largest operator in the fi eld of vehicle testing, performing more than 17 million inspections in 2009. Th e company is expected to carry out 1 million inspections in Ireland in 2010.

Th e new testing centre at Tallaght is the 46th NCTS centre to open nationwide, and the fourth in the Dublin area. It has the capability to inspect 1,000 cars weekly. Another NCTS centre in Carndonagh, Co. Donegal was opened recently, while a further Test Centre is being planned for the Galway/Athlone/Ballinasloe area. Cathal Doyle

Motorsport fans had the opportunity to see the VW Race Touareg, in its fi rst visit to Ireland, as it cleared the 15 Special Stages of this year’s Circuit of Ireland Rally which started in Dundalk

on Holy Saturday morning before crossing counties Armagh, Monaghan, Louth and Down over Easter weekend.

Derek McGarrity and James McKee emerged victorious from this second round of this year’s Citroen Irish Tarmac Rally Championship. Th e Subaru Impreza WRC pairing had over 40 seconds to spare over Gareth McHale/Brian Murphy (Ford Focus WRC) with Alister Fisher/Marshall Clarke in a Group N Mitsubishi Lancer Evo 9 third.

I n a joint eff ort to further raise environmental awareness, promote the protection and conservation of the environment as well as promoting the personal development of young people, Toyota Ireland has teamed

up with Eco-Unesco.

Apart from providing a Toyota Prius Hybrid to the organisation, Toyota Ireland will sponsor the Club of the Year Award, which is held to recognise the outstanding Green achievements of young people f rom yout h groups and schools across Ireland. Th e Showcase and Awards Ceremony takes place in Th e Mansion House, Dublin on 12 May.

FLEETING SHOTS

Text: Jarlath Sweeney - editor@fl eet.ie FLEETCAR | Summer 2010 43

Applus+ Appointed As New NCTS Testers

2010 Dakar winning VW Race Touareg guests at CircuitToyota Ireland partners with

ECO-UNESCO

The Essential Buyer’s GuideFord Capri by Mark Paxton

www.velocebooks.com

MIKE MURPHY INSURANCE GROUPThe Insurance Centre, 7 Sandyford Business Centre, Sandyford, Dublin 18.

Just call us for a quote! Tel: 01 2932350 Fax: 01 2932360Email: info@mikemurphyinsurance.ie Web: www.mikemurphyinsurance.ie

M.Murphy Insurance Services Ltd. is a member of IBA and regulated by the Financial Regulator.

This international award scheme, established in 2002, is designed to recognise andreward innovative trailer engineering. Entries will be judged by the editors of ten leadingEuropean road transport magazines, working in association with Verband derAutomobilindustrie (VDA) of Germany, and the award-winners will be announced on24 September 2010 at the VDA's big IAA (Internationale Automobil-Ausstellung)commercial vehicles show in Hannover.

Awards in five categories• concept• chassis• body• components• safety

• Auto-en Transportwereld (Netherlands)• Fleet Transport (Ireland)• KFZ-Anzeiger (Germany)• Strassengüterverkehr (Austria)• Trailer Journal (Germany)

• Truck & Business (Belgium, Luxembourg)• Truck & Business (Czech Republic)• Truck Auto.pl (Poland)• Commercial Vehicle Engineer (United Kingdom)• Tranzit (Romania)

Entry forms and more information from www.trailer-innovation.comor from Commercial Vehicle Engineer on +44 (0) 1428 605605,e-mail: info@cvengineer.com, www.cvengineer.com.

Closing date for entries:30 June 2010

www.trailer-innovation.com

Closing date for entries:30 June 2010

Entry forms and more information from www.trailer-innovation.comor from Fleet Transport on +353 (0)94 9372819/9372826e-mail: editor@fl eet.ie, www.fl eet.ie