This Megane is a handsome thing, what with a muscular stance, wide wheel arches, deep front airdam incorporating funky RS lights, a rear diffuser with central exhaust and 19” alloys, writes Declan Colley.

Cork racer Matt Griffin joins up with the Singapore-based Clearwater Racing team that also includes Mok Weng Sun and Kieta Sawa to contest round three of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at the iconic Nurburgring circuit in Germany on Sunday.

Any of you petrolheads out there with any bit of rose-tinting in your spectacles will undoubtedly have fond memories of one of the greatest hot hatchbacks of all time — the Peugeot 205 GTi and particularly the cracking 1.9 litre version of same, writes Declan Colley

John O’Mahony spends 48 hours at the world’s 24-hour race

Matt Griffin drives for the iconic Italian car company Ferrari at LeMans but would be just as happy driving his Peugeot up Molls Gap.

So, we’ve had all this hybrid stuff for over 20 years now — cars powered jointly by a mix of internal combustion engines and batteries — but has it intrinsically changed the world we live in?

Cork racing ace Matt Griffin opens his competitive season this afternoon in the Hankook 24 Hour of Dubai with the Dragon Racing Team.

Tomorrow night’s Carbery Navigation Trial in Leap in West Cork is the second round of the Munster Navigation Trial Championship. Local crews will be expected to dominate the 115km event although Limerick’s Alan Shinnors and George Shinnors (Subaru), who won last week’s Cork Startrek Navigation Trial, should again be to the forefront.

Dubliner Willie Coyne (Vauxhall Nova) emulated brother Noel by clinching the McLoughlin’s Industrial Flooring Irish Rallycross Championship at Mondello Park yesterday.

With the Hunger Games destroyed forever in Mockingjay: Part 1, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay: Part 2 (12A) opens with Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) plotting the final downfall of the evil President Snow (Donald Sutherland) as the rebellion against the repressive government in the Capitol achieves an irresistible momentum. 

I have long been a fan of Mazda’s way of doing things. Rarely, if ever, does the Japanese manufacturer follow the road most travelled, preferring instead to find its own solutions to those problems which face the industry on a constant basis.

An emotional Sebastian Vettel paid tribute to Jules Bianchi by dedicating his thrilling Hungarian Grand Prix triumph to the fallen Formula One star.

Lewis Hamilton blamed a poor start to the Austrian Grand Prix for costing him a shot at victory.

Ford will compete in the Le Mans GT Endurance class for professional teams (LM GTE pro), rather than the top tier Le Mans Prototype 1 (LMP1) category which has been dominated by Audi recently.

THE ANNUAL 24-hour endurance thrash around Le Mans takes place next month with three teams hoping to secure overall honours with hybrid sports prototype racers.

Great British Bake Off star Paul Hollywood has criticised the BBC over its handling of Jeremy Clarkson following the Top Gear “fracas”.

The organisers of Goodwood’s popular Festival of Speed have announced that the meeting will be held on June 25-28.

McLaren has launched a special edition of the 650S to mark the 20th anniversary of its famous victory at Le Mans - when five McLaren F1 GTRs crossed the line to finish 1st, 3rd, 4th, 5th and 13th.

Writer Jason Harper goes behind the wheel of the car that won this year's LeMans, the R18 E-tron.

Without doubt, the Peugeot RCZ was one of the most exciting cars the French company has produced in many a long year.

RECENT Nissan successes have been built largely on the unbelievable popularity of the Qashqai and, to be honest, I am quite convinced that when the company originally conceived and built that car it was hopeful rather than expectant about its sales potential.

Mark Webber is to quit Formula One at the end of the season to race sports cars for German manufacturer Porsche.

Danish racing driver Allan Simonsen has died as a result of injuries sustained in a crash during today’s Le Mans 24 Hours, race organisers Automobile Club de l’Ouest have confirmed.

A horrifying crash on the last lap of a race at Daytona International Speedway has injured at least 30 fans.

Cork’s Matt Griffin is upbeat ahead of this weekend’s fourth round of the World Endurance Championship (WEC) at Silverstone.

Although not a round of the Dunlop series, tomorrow’s Kilkenny-based Raven’s Rock Rally has still attracted an entry in excess of 100 crews along with 18 competitors in the junior category.

The changing dynamic within the Topaz Donegal International Rally brings a different expectation as Irish Tarmac Championship leader Darren Gass (S10 Subaru WRC) drives away from the Letterkenny start ramp this morning.

Carroll Shelby, the car racer and designer who built the Shelby Cobra sports car and injected testosterone into Ford’s Mustang and Chrysler’s Viper, has died at 89.

Whatever their individual qualities, the combination of stages in the Killarney area and those within the Beara Peninsula are probably unequalled within Europe.

REGULAR readers will know of my general distaste for hybrid cars.

THERE is unlikely to be a stampede of Irish applicants for the second intake at the FIA Institute Young Driver Excellence Academy.

THE DONEGAL Mini Stage Rally in Glenties fell victim to the weather conditions despite the heroic work of the organisers who salted the roads over which the event was to traverse.

BEFORE World War II motor races were held in Cork using a circuit from Victoria Cross to Ballincollig via Model Farm Road and returning via the Carrigrohane Straight.

Andy Murray survived his first scare of this year’s Wimbledon tournament as he found a way past Jo-Wilfried Tsonga on Centre Court this evening to set up a blockbuster semi-final against Rafael Nadal.

FROM a season where little went wrong, culminating with victory in the Intercontinental Rally Challenge for Kris Meeke/Paul Nagle, the current defence of their crown is proving almost the total opposite.

Mark Blundell will end seven years in retirement later this year by making a one-off return for Audi in the Spa 24 Hours in Belgium.

Kimi Raikkonen’s manager claims the Finn was McLaren’s first choice to be paired alongside Lewis Hamilton at McLaren next season – but failure to agree terms on a deal paved the way for reigning champion Jenson Button to get the nod.

Kimi Raikkonen will take a sabbatical from Formula One next year after talks over a return to McLaren broke down, his manager has revealed in a newspaper interview.

Nelson Piquet will attempt to revive his career via a NASCAR truck test next week.

The historic marque of Lotus is to return to Formula One for the first time since 1994.

HOLLYWOOD and Le Mans most notably united with Steve McQueen’s Le Mans in 1971.

Action movie star Jason Statham won the lead role in a new 60-second Audi Super Bowl ad after declaring himself as the car firm's number one celebrity fan.