The Armagh City Car & Bike Show returned for the second time at the Shambles Market site in the heart of the city to host 130 exhibitors and passing visiting public. Organised by WillPromotion, the event was open to all makes and models of cars and bikes and as such the variety ranged from modern day right back to vintage in both categories. It was Lauren Kelly, daughter of YouTube famed rally driver Frank Kelly, who picked up top votes to win Car of the Show with a Toyota GT86 at what was the owner’s debut show. Patsy McArdle normally…
Author: Graham Baalham-Curry
Reigning champion Steve Wood and Protyre Motorsport UK Asphalt Rally Championship leader Neil Roskell were separated by just 0.1 seconds after a dazzling battle on the Carryduff Forklift Down Rally (Saturday 22 July). The top Protyre Asphalt position swapped several times – and neither driver escaped the eight challenging Northern Ireland stages unscathed as they pushed hard in the often damp and slippery conditions. Having been 1.8 seconds quicker on the opening stage, Wood was 5.5 seconds behind Roskell at mid-distance – thanks, in part, to understeering into a tree on a square left-hand corner. The Aberystwyth driver fought back…
Japanese Performance Car Club Northern Ireland, more affectionately known as JPCCNI, the largest Japanese based car club in the province, are no strangers to hosting car shows and running events. Monthly cars and coffee meets and annual charity events such as the Show and Shine at Loughgall Festival of Motorsport, as well as “Skooled” at Killard House School in Donaghadee, it’s safe to say that JPCCNI are well established within the car enthusiast scene in Ireland. So when you suddenly see an influx of performance, classic and modified Japanese cars driving down Queens Road, Belfast, and turning into the Titanic…
NEW FRIDAY LEG FOR REFRESHED ULSTER RALL More than a third of the competitive mileage of next month’s Modern Tyres Ulster Rally (18/19 August) will be all new as the organising Northern Ireland Motor Club Ltd (NIMC) look to intensify the challenge. It promises to have a mix of everything from smooth and fast-flowing country roads to bumpy, tight and technical country tracks that are barely the width of a car in some places. As always, the weather is another curve ball drivers and co-drivers must overcome if they are to be successful. The Friday element is completely changed to…
The annual charity car run takes place on Friday 4 August, organised by, and leaving from, Carrowdore Presbyterian Church. Returning for its sixth year, this car run is going stronger than ever, attracting car folk from Ballymena to Ballynahinch, and from Ballyclare to Ballywalter. A collection of vehicles spanning near to 100 years on show allows for an eclectic mix that offers something for the tastes of absolutely everyone. Vintage, classic and cars of special interest are to congregate in the car park on the church grounds in Carrowdore from 18:00 with the cavalcade departing at 19:00 sharp for a…
Swedish car maker Volvo have offered safety and comfort for generations and their latest model range is no different other than the fact that they are embracing electrification. Known for its commitment to safety and sustainability, the company has been actively transitioning towards electric mobility. One of Volvo’s key offerings in the electric vehicle segment is the Volvo ‘Pure Electric’ lineup. Volvo Pure Electric vehicles are fully electric cars that run entirely on electric power, emitting zero tailpipe emissions. These vehicles are designed to combine sustainable driving with advanced technologies and luxurious features, characteristic of the Volvo brand. After spending…
The last weekend in June brings the greatly anticipated Cairncastle Hill Climb Festival. The two-day event set in the Mid and East Antrim Borough sees the top drivers of the Northern Ireland Hillclimb Championship visit Cairncastle for an adrenaline filled weekend of motorsport. The Larne Motor Club event was once again supported by Laird Grass Machinery, APW Fire, Carey Cleaning Machines and Hawthorne Motors, and attracted sixty-one starters for the Friday and sixty-nine on the Saturday. The two days of action are the same format each year as driver’s race up the 1.65-mile course with two practice and three timed…
The electric car revolution in here and leading the way for Hyundai is their multiple award-winning IONIQ5 model which offers electrifying design and a smart living space. With the IONIQ 5, future mobility will no longer be something to look forward to, but a reality of everyday life. This ground-breaking electric crossover utility vehicle (CUV) will put you in charge – without compromise, helping you to decide about your way of life and your impact on the world. Hyundai’s design heritage has been re imagined for the future. You can enjoy faster charging, increased driving range, better handling, and more…
For over a decade now the Juke from Nissan has been at the forefront of the compact SUV market and now equipped with hybrid is sure to help keep its place at the top of this segment. Now in its second generation, or ‘Next Generation’ as Nissan prefer to call it, the Juke has sharpened it act both inside and out. Retaining enough characteristics from the previous model, this new car is still unmistakably Juke. Having worked-off some of its puppy fat, this baby Nissan is now sharp and stylish. Its interior may be restyled too, but it’s still a…
The S-Cross from Suzuki is one of those mundane crossover vehicles that gets about its job without a fuss and as such probably doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Having driven the all-new mild hybrid S-Cross last year during a camping trip, I was pleasantly surprised by what this model offers. It no longer looks mundane, as the previous generation did. It coped impeccably with lugging the needs of happy campers around, along with providing more than adequate room for a young family. First impressions are good with this Suzuki which offers great value starting from just £2,0499. Its nearest…
Welcome to ‘The BIG Macmillan Motor Show 2023’ held within the grounds of the Turkington’s family business, Turkington Windows & Conservatories HQ on Mahon Road, Portadown. This is the fourth time the family has organised a charity car show were all makes and models, spanning many decades, as well as bikes, tractors and everything in between including model cars, is welcomed. In 2018 the event was held at the former B&Q site in Craigavon, raising much needed funds for Christian charity, Reach Mentoring. A year later and ‘The BIG Macmillan Motor Show’ was created to bring like-minded enthusiasts together in…
Motoring event experts, GTI NI, return in top form bringing their third installment of the Eurotreffen car show held at the Blue Circle Boat Club just down the coast from Larne. This highly anticipated outdoor car show was put together at fairly short notice in 2021, turning out to be yet another GTI NI success story; hence it’s return in 2022 and yet again on the first Saturday in July 2023. The County Antrim event, which has replaced, and considerably surpassed a GTI NI summer show that for years was held Castlewellan Forest Park, did not disappoint. The weather was…