Sales of new cars fall by one-fifth on 2011

NEW CAR sales fell by 22 per cent last month compared to April of last year. Sales were 6,770, bringing the total new car registrations in the first four months to 52,609, down 7 per cent on last year, according to figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry.

Alan Nolan, the society’s director general, said the fall reflected a decline in showroom footfall and lack of retail activity. “While the industry is still trying to drive sales, the reality is that the peak selling period of 2012 is now over. Because of the seasonal nature of car sales, sales will continue to decline month on month for the rest of the year,” he said.

On average, 80 per cent of all new cars are sold in the first half of the year. The motor trade lobby group is pressing for a change to the current registration system.

“Every year, we see the same pattern; a spike in car sales in January and then a decline, month on month,” said Mr Nolan. “What this means is that staff taken on for the busy first quarter often have to be let go mid-year because of the lack of activity throughout the rest of the year.”

The industry body wants the Government to introduce a second registration plate mid-year. This would create a second sales peak, stabilise jobs, increase tax revenues for the Government and add value to motorists’s trade-ins.

Toyota remains the best-selling brand with new car registrations of 6,748, slightly ahead of Volkswagen with 6,527 and Ford with 5,466. The Ford Focus is the best-selling car so far this year, and Audi is the best-selling premium brand with sales of 2,315, ahead of BMW with 2,023.

Electric cars have not caught the public’s attention, with just 31 registered in 2012. Diesel makes up 73 per cent of the new cars sold.