Mini goes electric

Mini, owned by the German BMW company, has revealed its first electric Mini model for the Irish market. This new electric MINI Cooper SE will come with three trim levels and a monthly lease from €309 and will have an entry price of €27,765 (including SEAI grant and VRT Rebate). This Mini is fast with a zero to 100km/h acceleration time of just 7.3 seconds.

The car uses a lithium-ion battery that claims to give a range of between 235km and 270km without affecting the car’s relatively tight luggage compartment volume. The charging plug is located above the right-hand rear wheel, where the petrol filler would normally be. Standard equipment in the Mini electric includes a new digital dashboard, connected navigation including real-time traffic information (RTTI), LED headlights and taillights. The car can be charged at a household socket, wall-box or public charging stations, fast direct-current charging possible at up to 50kW.

New Peugeot 208 wins Car of the Year 2020 title

The new Peugeot 208 has been awarded the title of Car of the Year 2020.

The new Peugeot 208 was crowned the 2020 European Car of the Year by a panel of judges made up of 60 European automotive journalists. The jury awarded the prestigious title for the car’s bold design and technology features, together with the power of choice between the petrol, diesel or electric customer offer.

The new Peugeot 208 exterior design features new three-claw LED front headlights.

The Peugeot i-Cockpit with its head-up display, compact steering wheel and touchscreen, and a new 3D digital cluster, has been designed to improve safety.

This prestigious trophy joins the 12 other international awards the new Peugeot 208 has already won. The car of the year award is the most coveted.

Volkswagen adds hybrid option to Touareg SUV

The new-generation Volkswagen Touareg is available with a hybrid drive while still retaining its 3.5t towing capacity.

Volkswagen has added the plug-in hybrid drive option to the new-generation large Touareg R SUV in its range. The German brand believes that the system gives the perfect blend of high performance and electric efficiency.