Our motoring man Brian McDaid was down at Diver’s Hyundai Showroom this week in Letterkenny doing a bit of window shopping to see what ’s new for 2019 as he got behind the wheel of the latest in the ever popular Hyundai Tucson range.
As the winter evenings close in and the weather gets miserable there was a nice feeling of security from the raised driving position of the new Facelift Hyundai Tucson which was recently introduced to the range with more than just good looked to offer as we headed off for a test drive in the High spec demonstration model which Terence Diver has presently registered and on the road for customers to test drive before the new year.
All-new power plant.
The new Tucson Hyundai 1.6 diesel engine, which replaces the old 1.7 unit, is boasting an increase in performance and economy. On the road, the new Tucson feels lively on the road which is very well matched to it six-speed gearbox.
At times it feels a little too lively but the cars onboard system will soon remind you that you are exceeding the local speed limits with a visual message followed by an audible warning.
It’s only when you get behind the wheel of Hyundai that you realise how many more Hyundai that are on the roads in Letterkenny.
Even the Garda are all running around the town in Hyundai ’s these days and I trust that they were looking with admiration at the latest face-lift model of the Hyundai rather than looking at the way I was driving it.
Luxury interior.
The Hyundai Tucson which we tested this week came with an all leather soft grey interior complete with a hand-stitched leather steering wheel.
Everything on the car interior controls is so well placed and had an ease of operations, even the power button handbrake works a treat once you let yourself believe in it.
On our photo shoot out at the Gartan Outdoor Pursuit Centre, we had the all-new Tucson pictured in a lovely backdrop of the last of Autumn leaves, which seem to perfectly suit the Hyundai SUV pedigree and with the help of the standard reversing camera and the parking and reversing sensors made sure that we didn’t reverse Terence’s new Tucson into one of Gartan’s massive trees.
Our pre-new year drive in the latest offering from Hyundai of the Tucson was very enjoyable. This latest model has evolved in style and development to keep up to speed with the benchmark that Hyundai has reached as one of the best sellers in it sectors over the last few years since it replaced the i35 in 2016.
Add to this all the safety features that Hyundai have like lane departure warning and self-steering. Things are looking very good for 2019 with Hyundai and Terence and his team as there prepare to get ready for the January sales.
Last of the Listeners.
At the Funeral Mass at St. Eunan’s Cathedral for the Late Patsy Hamilton the priest talked briefly about a quality that the Late Patsy Hamilton had – the art of listening.
He was referring to listening in a conversation, but I couldn’t help but think that Patsy was listening all his life. Today its plug-in computers rolling roads and central processing units.
But the genius that was the late Patsy Hamilton, could roll that all into one by simply listening to a Beetle engine running.
The late Patsy Hamilton pictured in his workshop earlier this year beside a 1971 VW Beetle which he was working on. Photo Brian McDaid
Patsy once told me there was a sound that Beetle engine made nearly like breathing that the air-cooled flat four Volkswagen beetle engine would make when it was running sweet.
It was a sound that Patsy would listen for when he would be adjusting the timing or running the carburettor.
This week Letterkenny and the larger circle of Volkswagen Beetle loving public said goodbye to Patsy Hamilton who sadly passed away this week.
Patsy recently celebrated his 80th birthday and by sad coincidence, the man who was famously known as the go-to man for all things Beetle and Volkswagen air-cooled camper vans, it was the very same year the cornerstone was laid for the production of the very first Beetle and Patsy’s untimely death this week coincides with the news that Volkswagen are ending the production of the latest version of the beetle for good.
On Wednesday morning, Patsy Hamilton made his last trip out over the Old Town Bridge. A classic Volkswagon Beetle belonging to Hugo Thompson from Rathmullen lead the funeral possession on his way to his final place of rest. But the memory of the genius of Patsy, who could make them old VW flat four sing, will never be forgotten.
Rest in peace Patsy
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