Neil Briscoe

Belfast

Motoring Journalist at Irish Times

Motoring Correspondent at Cork Independent

Freelance car writer @IrishTimes, @CompleteCar etc. Dad, car nut, geek. Views my own. 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈 Profile pics @popbangcolour @pmcgphotos Now on Bluesky

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Articles

Honda S2000 Review & Buyers Guide (1999-2009)

5 days ago | carwow.co.uk | Neil Briscoe

Adored by driving enthusiasts and boy racers alike, the Honda S2000 is one of the most desirable sports cars to ever come out of Japan.
Renault 4‘s electric reboot charms you like few other cars

6 days ago | irishtimes.com | Neil Briscoe

We seem to live in a world where bombastic aggression is encouraged as a route to success. Being nasty is the way to the top, we’re told. Charm, it seems, is in short supply these days. That’s as true of the electric car world as any other facet of our lives. We’ve been sold the idea that with their immense torque and power, electric motors can take humble family cars and give them acceleration sufficient to rearrange your intestines.
Updated BMW M2: adorable, fun and ludicrously powerful

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Neil Briscoe

What’s 20hp between friends? Well, it’s enough of an excuse for us to nab the latest, updated BMW M2 coupe for a spin. BMW has been quietly upgrading the power outputs of its ultra-sporty M models recently. The M4 coupe and M3 saloon – the ones with the massive nostrils – have been given a 20hp boost too, bringing them to 530hp in standard form, and 550hp in harder-hitting, limited-edition CS form.
Has Jeff Bezos-backed Slate just revolutionised the electric car?

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Neil Briscoe

Car companies have, for decade upon decade now, pursued the holy grail of platform sharing – the idea that you can build multiple cars from a single set of components. Volkswagen is, arguably, the past master at this, making everything from a VW Golf to a Skoda Kodiaq, and so many more in between, from a single basic set of bits and pieces.
Cupra Ireland announces 252 offers

1 week ago | completecar.ie | Neil Briscoe

Cupra, the Spanish high-performance and electric brand spun off from SEAT, has announced its special offers for the upcoming 252 registration period in July, and it's focusing on the brand's newly-arrived long-range plug-in hybrid models. Which models are the plug-in hybrids?
Renault expands hybrid lineup

1 week ago | completecar.ie | Neil Briscoe

Renault has announced a new 1.8-litre hybrid petrol engine, which will make its Renault-badged debut in the Symbioz and Captur in the coming months. You say 'Renault-badged debut…'Yes, this 1.8-litre hybrid has, essentially, already been seen in the new (and impressive) Dacia Bigster Hybrid, where it produces a total of 155hp for the combined petrol and electric powertrain. Here in the Symbioz and Captur, the system gets a small upgrade to a nice, round 160hp.
Electric vehicle Q&A: Which EV charging point apps do I need?

1 week ago | irishtimes.com | Neil Briscoe

Q: How do I keep track of public charging points? There are at least three different apps on my phone already; do I need one for every charging network? – D Hurley, Co CorkA: This is a perennially tricky question, and it highlights the inherent problem of trying to mix public and private investment for something as all-encompassing as electric motoring.
New Jeep Compass EV and hybrid unveiled

1 week ago | completecar.ie | Neil Briscoe

Jeep has shown off its new Compass SUV, a hugely important model for the company. The outgoing Compass has sold more than 2.6 million vehicles since it was first launched in 2006. Despite its age, the Compass found more than 124,000 buyers across Europe last year. So this is a big deal? Oh yes. Jeep has never really taken off in a big way in Ireland, but that may just change with this new model, as it grows in size to take on the likes of the big-selling Hyundai Tucson and Kia Sportage.
Aston Martin DB9 Review & Buyers Guide (2004-2016)

1 week ago | carwow.co.uk | Neil Briscoe

The Aston Martin DB9 thrust the British brand into the mid-2000s with a bang. Drop-dead gorgeous with a V12 soundtrack to match, the DB9 might be the perfect example of a classic car in the making.
MGS5 EV arrives in Ireland

1 week ago | completecar.ie | Neil Briscoe

MG Ireland has announced the prices for its new S5 electric SUV, the car that replaces the old MG ZS EV in the lineup. So, how much is the new S5? The new electric crossover will arrive in Irish dealers in June, with a starting price of €29,995. That entry-level 'Excite' model comes with a 49kWh battery giving it a range of up to 340km. It can be recharged at up to 120kW on DC chargers, giving a 10-80 per cent charge in 24 minutes.