GOING DUTCH FOR 67 YEARS:Some Irish motorists have turned grey with anguish and impatience waiting to sit the driving test.
In the Netherlands, however, things are a little more calm. An 84-year-old motorist who has been driving for 67 years decided he was more than able to drive without undergoing a test.
Not only did he forgo getting a licence, he also opted to ignore insurance and various local car safety checks, the equivalent of our NCT test.
Police finally caught up with him last week during a random insurance check.
Without disparaging all Dutch drivers, the arrest of the 84-year-old driver came in the same month that a Dutch truck driver was sentenced to eight months in jail in Wales.
While driving a 40-tonne articulated lorry in Wales, he was spotted by police eating spaghetti out of a pot while steering with his knees.
Martin Veens pleaded guilty to dangerous driving and was banned from driving for 12 months, and ordered to take an extended test before driving a heavy goods vehicle again.
PORSCHE PROFITS UP:German sports carmaker Porsche said yesterday it expects its profit for this financial year to exceed €2.1 billion.
It attributed the healthy profit to gains from its stake in Europe's biggest carmaker, Volkswagen. Porsche, the Stuttgart-based maker of high-powered iconic sports cars like the 911 and Carrera GT, raised its profit forecast despite reporting almost stagnant car sales and revenues for the first 10 months of the business year.
Porsche has adroitly used financial derivative contracts to protect its foreign exchange exposure and secure the value of its 31 per cent VW stake, leading some to call Porsche a hedge fund with a captive car business.
AA TO MERGE WITH SAGA:UK motoring organisation AA is to merge with travel and insurance group Saga in a deal which values the combined group at £6.15 billion (€9.14 billion). The two companies will continue to operate in their separate sectors.
AA chief executive Tim Parker has indicated that he intends to leave the company once the transaction is completed. Conor Faughnan of AA Ireland confirmed that the merger will have no effect on the Irish operation, which is a standalone legal entity, even though it forms part of the group.
Therefore customers and employees of AA Ireland will not be affected by this transaction.
KILDARE MOTOR GROUP FOR SALE:The Ray O'Brien Motor Group, based in Naas, Co Kildare, is to be sold with a guide price of €14 million.
It follows the retirement of Ray O'Brien after 40 years in the industry. The multi-franchise operation handles Opel, Mazda, Mitsubishi and Mercedes light commercials, along with servicing and car hire facilities.
CORRECTION:Contrary to a report in last week's edition, Isuzu has not pulled out of the European pick-up market and their engines comply with all European emissions regulations.
The company holds a 9.3 per cent share of the European pick-up market with its recently facelifted D-Max 4x4.