Galway Advertiser 2007/2007_09_20/GA_2009_E1_149.pdf 

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September 20 2007

MOTORING
The Galway Advertiser's Motoring Pages with Padraic Deane

149

WHEELS
The new Ford Mondeo is taking over the mantle of the Ford Focus. Last month's statistics released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry show the new Ford Mondeo as the country's best-selling car. Launched in June, when it took 3.4 per cent of the market, the Mondeo's share rose to five per cent in July and to 5.8 per cent last month, with 515 registrations. The Focus remains Ireland's most popular car so far in 2007, with 9,713 units sold. The top selling cars in August were: Units sold 1. Ford Mondeo 2. Ford Focus 3. Toyota Corolla 4. VW Golf 5. VW Passat

New Ford Mondeo at top of August sales charts

515 399 372 336 309

"There has been a real momentum surrounding the new Mondeo since it arrived here," says Eddie Murphy, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland. "It caused a stir in both the press and in dealerships from the off, and these sales figures are the result. It is clearly the major motoring event of the year." Both Focus and Mondeo, as well as the larger S-MAX and Galaxy, have helped Ford outpace the overall car market with sales volumes up nearly seven per cent on this time last year. Available in three differentiated bodystyles, the Mondeo embodies Ford's `kinetic design' style language, without compromising on interior space or driving quality. It boasts a host of innovative yet affordable features, from ESP (as standard) to adaptive cruise control to capless refuelling. The new Mondeo is available from 24,995 exworks.

All action from Land Rover at National Ploughing Championships
From the biggest motor show in the world in Frankfurt to the biggest show in Ireland, the Land Rover Terrapod is coming back. Following last year's successful visit to the National Ploughing Championships, the Land Rover's off-road driving experience returns to this year's event in Tullamore, Co Offaly, which takes place from September 25 to 27. The high-tech, man-made course gives visitors the chance to experience the excitement and gravitydefying, go-anywhere performance of Land Rover. With a highly trained Land Rover instructor at the wheel, passengers will experience side slopes, steep ascents and descents, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles, which the Land Rover vehicles tackle with ease. Land Rover Terrapod demonstrates the off-road ability and performance of a genuine off-road vehicle. The drive includes travelling on 33-degree side slopes, a simulated ice track, and conquering huge pot-holes or "walking-holes" that leave the vehicle balanced on two diagonal wheels. There will be "up and over" ascents and descents with gradients of 35-degrees and 25degrees respectively that are sure to get the pulse racing. "Terrapod is a fun ride that demonstrates Land Rover's outstanding breadth of capability and it will offer excitement beyond the norm. We are delighted to have an opportunity to show off the agility and capability of our vehicles in an environment like the National Ploughing Championships," says John Paul Mooney, marketing manager of Land Rover Ireland. "Many visitors are Land Rover owners and have a real affinity to our vehicles as they use them in their daily lives." The Land Rover Terrapod Experience occupies a demonstration area of 50sqm and will be in operation throughout the event. Six Land Rover vehicles will be used in the demonstration including Range Rover Sport and Discovery 3. Range Rover Sport combines executive saloon car levels of luxury, performance, handling, ride comfort, and refinement with all the ruggedness and 4x4 ability of a Land Rover. It is an exceptional sports tourer that excels on-road and off, delivering awesome power for a thrilling, involving drive. Discovery 3 is a vehicle with a rich heritage, building as it does on almost 60 years of Land Rover expertise. Demonstrating how experience and innovation can lead to unbeatable designs, its latest form - the global award winning Discovery 3 - redefines the sector once again with its outstanding versatility and breadth of capability.