NEW CAR registrations in February rose 4.35 per cent compared to the same month last year, according to the latest sales figures from the motor trade. A total of 12,609 new cars were registered last month.
Toyota is the number one selling brand in the country and their sales have increased by more than 36 per cent compared to 2010. They now have 16.15 per cent market share. Volkswagen, who has now overtaken Ford with a 22 per cent increase in sales, follows them in second place. It has been a poor start for Ford by their own standards.
They are the only brand in the top 10 to see a decrease in sales, which fell by more than 10 per cent – although it must be noted that their new Focus model does not arrive until April and is a massive seller for the brand. French manufacturer Renault lies in fourth place with 8.99 per cent market share and Opel lie in fifth with 6.94 per cent.
Toyota’s Avensis is the best-selling model in Ireland, with sales up 35 per cent compared to last year, although this will have been aided by a large contract with the Garda.
The Golf follows closely behind in second place ahead of the Toyota Corolla. Ford’s Fiesta and Renault’s Fluence make up fourth and fifth. Petrol models now account for just 27.25 per cent of new car sales, with diesel making up 70.77 per cent.
Incorporated in the new car figures up to the end of February are 2,106 cars registered for the car rental market. Volkswagen has the most new registrations out on the “hire drive” market, with 417 units and a 19.8 per cent share of the hire registrations. Renault, with 357 units or 16.95 per cent, and Opel, with 327 units or 15.53 per cent, follow this. Audi put 120 units out to the rental market in February alone, and they now have more rental cars on their books than Fiat.
A total of 2,251 new cars have been sold as part of the scrappage scheme so far this year, up to February 23rd, meaning that 6.7 per cent of new cars sold are part of the scheme.
Alan Nolan, director general of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, said: “We think sales will mirror last year by and large. And if they remained constant we would be very happy with them in the current climate. We are very much on target and it is very promising. There is a sense of optimism out there.”
Sales figures for scrappage are about a third of what they were last year but this is something that Nolan expected, with a smaller group of people qualifying for the scheme this year. But he is pleased with the fact that strong sales are saving jobs in the industry.
“People in the industry feel like they are back in control of their businesses to some degree again and employment in the industry has grown little by little and we certainly hope that this will continue.”