Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Banking on support
‘BASIC’ TAYCAN UNDERCUTS THE POPULAR MODEL S
BANK of Ireland UK has for the first time partnered with Cinemagic to create a short content piece aimed at young people from the age of 12 to highlight the importance of financial wellbeing.
The resulting three-minute film features interviews with six young filmmakers from Northern Ireland, all alumni of Cinemagic who now work on popular projects such as
Game Of Thrones, Normal People and Britain’s Got Talent.
Pictured ahead of the launch is Laura Mccurdy, Project Executive, Cinemagic; Clare Hillis, Management Associate, Consumer Banking NI, Bank of Ireland UK; Lia Campbell, a young filmmaker featured in the film; and Gail Toal, Financial Wellbeing Manager for Bank of Ireland UK.
Nothing spoils a nice dinner for me more than a wine bore on full throttle: “A hint of grapefruit with an oaky, nutty twist and a touch of vanilla and salad onion.” By which time I’m on my second glass and can’t detect any of these subtleties. Tastes like a nice wine to me.
Motoring journalists can easily get carried away too, delving into technicalities or detailing comparisons between two cars, one of which they haven’t even driven for a year or two.
Fortunately for this week’s road test I do have a lot of data lodged between my ears. In
December I was part of a team of drivers who established 13 distance records in a pair of Porsche Taycans at Brands Hatch in Kent. It was a fascinating experience, especially driving quickly and trying to use as little electrical energy as possible.
Our most impressive record was to cover 1,000km in 13hrs and 25 minutes, including charging. I spent a lot of time behind the wheel of the Taycan 4S and Turbo S so I know Porsche’s electric sports saloon pretty well.
Today we are testing the least expensive version of the car. It’s the entry-level model because,
unlike the 4S, Turbo and Turbo S models that are already on sale, the new model (badged simply as ‘Taycan’) is rear-wheel drive only and therefore has only one electric motor. But fear not, this is still a very fast car because even this single motor knocks out 322bhp.
Like the 4S that we have already tested, the Taycan is available with either a 71kwh battery as standard or an optional 87kwh battery. Our test
Citroen has given its C3 Aircross SUV a very colourful facelift for this summer. The car gets a redesigned front end which Citroen reckons gives it more of an SUV look.
It wasn’t a bad looking motor before, especially in the right colour choices for the body and details.
But now it comes with a choice of 70 colour combinations and exterior styles – so building one to your own taste shouldn’t be too difficult.
The C3 Aircross now comes with Citroen’s Advance Comfort seats as standard and a whole new raft of safety systems.
The car is big on practicality and this new one features a redesigned centre console with an even larger storage compartment.
We can expect it in showrooms in June.
RAFA NADAL was struck down by Greek god Stefanos Tsitsipas to end his latest quest to make Grand Slam history.
World No.6 Tsitsipas claimed he entered a state of tennis nirvana after staging a dramatic comeback to win a five-set classic.
And the Australian Open yet again proved to be the Spaniard’s Achilles’ heel as he seeks a male record of 21 Major singles titles.
Nadal, who has only won once in Melbourne back in 2009, pledged to try to get better at the age of 34.
But Tsitsipas (right) showed he is a future Major champion and will now face Russia’s Daniil Medvedev tomorrow for a place in Sunday’s final.
French Open winner Nadal (above) had taken the first two sets comfortably.
But despite winning 27 points out of 28 on his service in a tight third set, he gifted the tie-break to the Greek after missing two overheads and the younger man then went the distance.
The World No.2 suffered more injury woe Down Under by entering the first Grand Slam of the year with a bad back.
But Nadal said: “Just another story in my tennis career. I missed a couple of balls in the tie-break that I shouldn’t. Physically I was not fantastic but not bad.
“I was able to fight until the end. I am not complaining about my luck here in Australia.
“Doesn’t matter the injuries that I had – I am a very lucky person. I didn’t deserve more.
Just well done for him.”
Nadal remains level with Roger Federer on 20 Major singles titles and will go out in front with a 14th French Open title in June.
“I have to go back home and practice to be better,” he said.
Tsitsipas is only the second man after Fabio Fognini at the 2015 US Open to come back from two sets down to beat Nadal at a Grand Slam.
He was sensational in the final two sets and took his third match point with a heavenly backhand winner down the line.
THE 22-year-old said: “I started very nervous but I don’t know what happened after the third set.
“I flew like a little bird. Nothing was going through my head. How would I describe myself ? Nirvana.
“It was just there. Playing, not thinking.”
JOCKEYS based in Britain and Ireland will be housed in separate weighing rooms at Cheltenham next month, according to plans under discussion.
Riders from the two countries have shared the same changing room at racing’s major meetings since the sport returned from the coronavirus-enforced blackout at the start of June.
But, as part of a belt-and-braces COVID-19 protocol at the four-day Festival — which recognises the scale of Irish participation — they are set to be kept apart.
A spokesperson for the Jockey Club said yesterday: “We are currently in discussion regarding a series of protocols to help support Irish participants at The Festival supporting Wellchild next month.”
Under the proposals, visiting Irish riders would occupy the ‘home’ dressing room, and Cheltenham Festival winner Sam Twiston-davies said: “The main thing is that everybody is kept safe, so I’m sure there will be full co-operation from the jocks.” ■ PHILIP HOBBS (left) will monitor ground conditions at Prestbury Park before deciding on the Festival target for Scilly Isles Novices’ Chase victor Sporting John. The six-year-old is 8-1 for the two-and-a-half-mile Marsh Novices’ Chase and a 12-1 chance for the Brown Advisory Novices’ Chase over an extra four furlongs.