Why Mark is a little nervous ahead of his first trip to China with BYD!

And Paddy gives us an insight of living close by to the only oil refinery plant on the island on a week that has seen one of the largest protests ever by the Irish people.

In association with DoneDeal cars.

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Just who is behind the "Mind The Gap" voice on trains in Ireland?

Paddy caught up with Zac Hollis from Polestar at their new showroom in Dublin.

How was the steak at the annual SIMI dinner in Dublin and who won what?

And on a week where DoneDeal Cars launched an integrated Chat GPT app, Paddy caught up with some of the people behind it.

Brought to you by DoneDeal Cars

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and VW's ID.Promise initiative is explained.

Financial advisor Paddy Delaney from the incredibly successful podcast 'Informed Decisions'

joins us for an extensive chat about the true cost of financing both new and used cars

and why you might be better off spending that hard earned cash on something else...

Brought to you by DoneDeal Cars

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Matthew Caffrey from the long established Gerry Caffrey Motors in Terenure in Dublin joins us to chat about the key to their family being in business for so long and explains how he is bringing the well known dealership into new territory with The Jimny Motor Co.

Volkswagen Ireland have hosted their annual 'Drive' event in Dublin with key staff members on hand to chat to the Irish media as they unveil all the new models coming to Ireland in 2026. We also sit down with Skoda Ireland boss John Donegan to get an insight into what has made Skoda so successful in Ireland.

Brought to you by DoneDeal Cars - There’s a new way to buy with confidence — free history checks, now included on cars from Trusted Dealers. So you can feel reassured you’re making a good choice. Because buying a car should feel this good.

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Mark has been to the launch of Kia's EV2 in Belgium and tells us what he thought

Paddy tells us about the search history of Ireland's car buyers as we look back on another positive year of EV growth

Kieran Campbell from Tesla Ireland talks us through the most affordable Model Y yet - the 'standard'.

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Paddy wants to ask Mark a few things about Christmas FM, including why a particular song is high up on the playlist!!

The lads chat to Dr. Becky Spelman, an esteemed HCPC-registered psychologist, entrepreneur, and mental health advocate with over two decades of experience about how music, our mood and many other factors that can determine how safely we can operate a car.

What are some of the new models coming to Ireland in 2026 that we should be ready for?

Take us on your next Christmas break walk with us and we guarantee you'll get your 10,000 steps in!

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Paddy has lots of interesting stats when it comes to new EV sales in Ireland, in particular how most of the fastest growing sales are coming from Chinese brands in 2025.

Nobby has finally sourced a classic car for himself and reveals the story behind his latest motoring purchase.

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Skoda Ireland get a little hot and bothered with a limited Fabia model.

Mark has been tyre kicking some Audi Quattros, Clio V6s and Peugeot 205 GTIs in sunny Spain.

And we discuss the problem of blocking EV charging spaces.

That and lots more on the last episode in the current series!

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Paddy has been shoving his mic into faces again, chatting to Aidan Timmons from Toyota Ireland about 4 new models for Ireland and he also sits down with the gaffer at VW Group Ireland, Pierre Boutin who is responsible for all of the VW brands in the country from Audi to Cupra.

Mark has been to Copenhagen to try the Carlsberg (and drive the new Nissan LEAF)!

We chat about the new Leapmotor C10 and T03 Irish launch at Mount Juliet.

And with new speed limits on the cards for rural Ireland, we discuss if they are the solution to driver behaviour on our roads.

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With Budget '26 announced, we look at what is in it for motorists and just how much money do the Irish government take on every litre of fuel that you put into your vehicle.

Mark has said goodbye to his Porsche 911 but a look at what might have been his next car didn't quite live up to his expectations. 

We also announce the Irish prices for the new Nissan Micra with fresh reaction from the lads. 

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Another hot hatch bites the dust this week, the final Ford Focus ST has rolled off the production line in Germany, the lads discuss the legacy of the famous Ford and wonder which version was best!

Paddy has been testing the new Opel Grandland and Mark has been putting the new Tesla Model Y Performance to the test.

And with yet another trip to DOB Sportscars, Mark has been learning all about the Porsche 911 997 issue of bore scoring!

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Paddy has had a good experience with the Ford Puma Gen-E this week doing his usual Dublin-Cork-Dublin road trip. 

Should a dealer ever be bringing your car home at night when it's in for work?

And Mark has another expensive week keeping a near 20 year old Porsche 911 on the road!

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Paddy can't help his commute from Dublin to Cork but he attempts it in a Citroen eC3 - how many times did he have to stop to charge?!

Can you make enough money being a YouTube car reviewer in Ireland and should you get started at it? Paddy picks Mark's brain on this one. 

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We have a number of guests from the event too but most notably VW's Head Of Design, Andreas Mindt who sits down with the lads for an extended chat about his life, career and his early years cutting his teeth in car design with a family background in the field.

Thanks for listening and don't forget to leave us a review!

Brought to you by DoneDeal Motors.

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We reflect on the sobering reality of road safety with RTE’s Anatomy of a Car Crash, examining the devastating aftermath of fatal collisions and what it means for drivers today. 

To round things off, we’re joined by Colin Sheridan, MD of Citroën Ireland for an exclusive chat about the new affordable  eC3 electrification, and what’s next for Irish motorists.

Brought to you by DoneDeal.

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California Dreamin' - we both spent some time living it up in the new Volkswagen camper van, find out how Mark got on in Wicklow and hear how Paddy rolled into Galway - the pros and cons of forking out on a camper van.

And we speak to Natisha Chattan, leading UK YouTube motoring journalist who is dealing with a seemingly growing trend of new motoring brands seeking to pay for editorial in order to gain a foothold in the massive UK market. 

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She has also attracted some criticism for refusing to accept trade ins or retailing any electric cars despite 2025 being one of the better years for Irish EV sales. 

In this episode, Paddy and Mark visit Nadia in her new showroom in Ashford, Co. Wicklow and ask her all the questions people want to ask!

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Renault’s CEO makes a surprise exit, while BYD slows EV production in China. We put the all-new Dacia Bigster head-to-head with a four-year-old Skoda Kodiaq at a similar price point—what offers better value? Plus, exclusive insights into Mazda Ireland’s roadmap, including three brand-new models set to arrive in 2026.

We also dive into whether buying a used car from a dealer franchise really gives you better warranty protection—and of course, we couldn’t ignore that week Elon Musk and Tesla have had, as RoboTaxi plans hit another bump in the road.

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Plus, we chat with Giovanny Arroba, VP of Nissan Design Europe, about the bold new 2025 Nissan Leaf and how it’s ready to compete with the best in the EV world.

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🚗 Paddy shares his first impressions after getting behind the wheel of the VW ID.3 GTX – does it live up to the GTX badge?

🚙 Mark is driving the 2025 facelifted Suzuki Vitara and has been jet-setting between Prague and London to check out two major launches: the new Skoda Elroq RS, and a very hush-hush look at the next-gen Nissan Leaf (spoilers strictly embargoed until next week!).

🎧 Our special guest is Martin Cardiff, Head of Sales at VW Passenger Cars. Martin brings a wealth of experience from his days in Skoda's factory to shaping VW’s product and planning strategy today. From trim and spec decisions, to price points, to what car colours Irish buyers really want, Martin lifts the curtain on how carmakers tailor their offerings for specific markets. It’s a fascinating listen for anyone curious about what really goes on inside the automotive “chocolate factory.”

Don’t miss this one – it’s packed with insight, first drives, and a look into how the cars we see on the road come to life.

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We dive into the headlines as Trump and Musk stir controversy with their latest online antics, and a ship carrying EVs goes up in flames. Natasha Maher from MG Ireland joins us to share the brand’s journey so far, while we unpack big news on the rollout of new public fast chargers across Ireland.

In the drives of the week, Paddy gets to grips with the hot new Cupra Born VZ, and Mark takes a spin in the all-new €80,000 BMW X3.

Finally, ever wondered what life is really like for a motoring journalist? In part three, Paddy puts Mark under the spotlight—covering everything from glamorous European launches to the grind behind the Instagram stories.

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Mark heads to sunny Spain to get behind the wheel of the all-new Nissan Micra EV and sits down with one of its designers for an exclusive chat. Meanwhile, Paddy is head-over-heels for the reborn Renault 5 — a car we partly record the episode in (yes, really).

We’re also joined by Lisa Brankin, Chair and MD of Ford UK & Ireland, who reflects on her career at the Blue Oval and dives into the Ford Power Promise — a bold initiative to win over EV skeptics as it launches in Ireland.

Plus, we break down the latest industry headlines, including the big news: Gowan Motors becomes the official Irish importer for Leapmotor starting September 2025.

And finally, another listener sends in a classic car-buying dilemma — you know we had to get involved.

Driver's Republic is back. Let’s drive.

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On this episode, Nobby takes the reborn Ford Capri for some driving around Dublin while Paddy clocks serious mileage on two electric road trips in the plucky Dacia Spring.

We pit the Hyundai Inster against the Spring in a cheeky twin test — who comes out on top in the battle of the budget EVs? 

Plus, Nobby jets to Barcelona to get behind the wheel of the new Ford Puma Gen-E. What’s it like to drive? He’s got all the answers.

And in our interview segment, we’re joined by Gaspar Alcaide, Brand Director of Cupra Ireland. From sunny Spain to the Emerald Isle, we talk about his journey, Cupra’s bold vision, and how the brand is striking a chord with both new and seasoned drivers.

Buckle up — it’s a good one.

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In this episode, Paddy takes the sleek, single-motor MG Cyberster for a spin, while Nobby revisits the now 7-seater Volkswagen ID. Buzz to see how it stacks up. Plus, we’re joined by Kia Ireland’s Managing Director, Ronan Flood, who gives us an insider’s look at running one of Ireland’s top car brands. And with Q1 2025 sales figures just in, we break down the biggest trends shaping the Irish car market. Buckle up for another packed episode!

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Plus, we’re joined by Alan Bateson, Brand Director of Passenger Cars at Volkswagen Ireland. Alan opens up about his career journey, life at VW Ireland, the value of his dealer network, and shares some insightful leadership wisdom that drives his success.

Tune in for the latest automotive insights, fascinating interviews, and discussions that matter!

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FIAT CEO Olivier Francois chats to us at the launch of FIAT Grande Panda.

Dubliner Lee Fitzpatrick who is sales manager at Spirit Skoda in Sandyford gives an insight into the world of car sales!

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Ray Leddy, Head of Marketing at Skoda Ireland talks about the extraordinary growth of the Skoda brand in Ireland and Paddy proves that there's actually some true used EV bargains out there.

Hosted by Mark Noble and Paddy Comyn.

Brought to you in association with DoneDeal Motors.

www.youtube.com/NobbyOnCars

Paddy can be found @cartalkirl

Pod music by www.hawkjupiter.com

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