Some 3,279 new cars were sold last month, an increase of 115 per cent on the previous year, according to figures released by Society of the Irish Motor Industry (Simi).
To date this year over 86,000 new vehicles have been sold, an increase of 53 per cent on 2009 figures with most of these being put down to the Government scrappage scheme.
The scheme, due to end this year, entails a €1,500 reduction of vehicle registration tax (VRT) on the purchase of a new low-emissions car when an applicable used car is traded in.
The vast majority (91 per cent) of new cars sold last month were in the low-emissions A or B CO2 band with diesel engines more than twice as popular as petrol - 65 per cent to 27 per cent.
Renault was by far the most successful manufacturer, accounting for almost 3 in every 10 cars sold, followed by Toyota, Volkswagen and Ford.
On a county by county breakdown most new cars were sold in Dublin (1,200) followed by Cork (381) Galway (176) and Limerick (111). Only 12 new cars were sold in Leitrim.
