Gerry Faloona’s background includes: the building trade, finance, oil, the public sector, social enterprise, property, hospitality, professional entertainment and at one time he was one of the top motivational speakers on the Irish professional speaking circuit.
In addition to his day job, Gerry worked with a number of local charities in a myriad of roles.
Gerry’s motoring experience began when he was 17 with the purchase of his first car, since then (over 45 years ago) he has been writing about, racing, rallying and restoring cars of all shapes, makes & sizes, but mostly Vauxhalls and Opels. He wrote the motoring column in the Andersonstown News over 30 years ago.
Gerry worked as a Supercar & Rally Car driving instructor and competed in stock, saloon and rally cars. He was a presenter on the motorsport Television show RPM on UTV and RTÉ and for four years presented the Friday Drivetime radio show on Belfast89.
Many may remember him from his years as a club entertainer and as a player for the St Paul’s and the Antrim Senior County Football teams.
THE story of the Mini goes from strength to strength with the announcement of the latest hot version bearing the legendary Cooper brand – but this time around with five doors.
THE Volkswagen passenger car brand is a massive global presence which produced around 4.9 million cars in 2023. Cars sold included bestsellers such as the Polo, T- Roc, T-Cross, Golf, Tiguan and Passat as well as the company’s successful all-electric models of the ID family which includes the Buzz, ID7, ID 5, ID 4, and ID 3 which contributed to last year’s figures to the tune of 394,000 all-electric vehicles worldwide.
THERE are many myths that surround the rules and regulations of driving on our roads. Many are instigated by misinformed social media posts, others from well meaning but poorly informed friends, relatives, and or armchair experts who simply repeat that which they have read or heard without checking its authenticity. One such myth is in relation to speed cameras – and it could land us in trouble with the authorities.
NOT everyone is a fan of electric cars. Me? I’m a bit on the fence, having enjoyed driving them on tests, but, like some, not completely convinced that they are a replacement for petrol or diesel cars just yet. But I must admit they are getting there.
INFRASTRUCTURE Minister, John O’Dowd has announced the introduction of one-year temporary exemption certificates (TECs) for some private cars. TECs will apply to private cars first registered between 1 June 2019 and 31 May 2020 or between 1 June 2017 and 31 May 2018, which have a valid MOT certificate issued by the Driver and Vehicle Agency (DVA).
SKODA has announced a significant specification update for its Fabia and Karoq ranges. As part of the brand’s claimed commitment to delivering exceptional value to customers, both models enjoy a boost in standard equipment along with the availability of updated, more efficient drivetrains.
WITH the cost of car, maintenance and repair and insurance going through the roof, a worrying trend of cloned registration plates is spreading.
CARLOS Sainz claimed an emotional first victory of the season at the Australian F1 Grand Prix, overcoming illness to lead home a magnificent Ferrari 1-2 with teammate Charles Leclerc. Lando Norris was third for McLaren on an afternoon on which Championship leader Max Verstappen failed to finish.
EASTER is nearly here and hopefully the warmer weather is just round the corner. If we’re lucky, we could be setting off on some great road trips, whether that’s sightseeing or travelling to your favourite getaway location.
IN recent weeks and months there has been much talk about how BMW and a number of other car manufacturers have ceased working on the development and production of electric cars . Turns out it was an incredibly effective fake news hoax.
IF you’re in the market for a premium level convertible coupe, you may be happy to hear that the new Mercedes-Benz CLE Cabriolet is here, with prices from £52,995 to £63,31 on the road.
WITH many of today’s new cars being supplied without a spare wheel, new car owners are faced with the dilemma of driving without the security a spare wheel provides, hoping that the tyre sealant supplied with the car will somehow get them out of trouble. Being stranded miles from anywhere in the dark on a lonely road is bad enough for a young person, it is much worse for a pensioner or a lone woman to be stranded all alone.
IF you are a car enthusiast, the chances are you have owned and loved a VW Golf at some time in your motoring history, being as they are one of the biggest selling car models of all time.
HAVE you been dazzled by some of the bright new-style headlights? Have you wondered how they could possibly be legal? Well, the glare from increasingly powerful car headlamps has sparked calls for government action.
SOME of the genuine criticisms aimed at Electric Vehicles (EV) in the past have included batteries quickly deteriorating and requiring expensive replacement, perhaps after only four or five years; losing their ability to hold a charge; taking longer to charge; and perhaps the commonly touted criticism, the environmental damage caused by the mining of lithium required to make current EV batteries.