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Positive outlook for motor industry

Official Statistics released on Thursday by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) shows that new car registrations for the month of September were up 23 per cent (4,787) compared to (3,899) September 2014 and are currently up 30 per cent (121,114) for the year 2015.

Light Commercial Vehicles (LCV) were up 16 per cent (1,584) on September 2014 (1,366) and year to date are up 49 per cent (21,645) overall. While Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGV) are up 21 per cent for the month of September (184) compared to the same month last year (152) and are up 10 per cent year to date.

SIMI

Commenting on the figurers SIMI Director General Alan Nolan said: “Like most retail sectors the Industry continues to show increased activity across all sectors and provided there are no Budgetary changes that will affect the Industry negatively we should continue to see growth in sales and employment in the Motor Industry for 2016.”

Meanwhile, Ford was the top-selling brand in Ireland’s car and van market during September.  Ford achieved a 16.7 pert cent share (1,094 units) of the overall market during the month, five pert centage points ahead of its nearest rival, VW with 11.7 pert cent or 766 units.

Total car and light commercial vehicle (CV) sales for the month broke down as follows: 4,787 cars (up 22.5 pert cent on the September 2014 figure of 3,908) and 1,768 light CVs (up 17.2 pert cent on the September 2014 figure of 1,509).  The total vehicle market (cars and CVs) stood at 6,555 units, a 21 pert cent increase on the figure for September last year (5,417).

Ford Ireland Chairman and Managing Director, Ciarán McMahon commented. “It is heartening to see that our vehicles were again the number one choice among Irish drivers.  The overall growth in the market is still very strong with year-to-date growth hitting 30 pert cent for cars and 44.8 pert cent for CVs – that is a great indicator of the continuing strengthening of the Irish economy”.

Ford’s low emission, fuel efficient passenger models continued to find favour with Irish drivers during September, helping Ford to achieve the highest number of models in the top-ten sales chart with Mondeo, Fiesta and Focus at 3rd, 4th and 6th respectively in the top ten models for the month.

“With CV sales of 535 units, Ford vans again topped the monthly CV sales poll.  Indeed, Ford’s nearest rival in the CV sales stakes was Renault with 223 units sold – that is some way below half the sales total for Ford vans in the month.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of the iconic Transit, the undisputed king of the van market in Ireland and from these figures you can see that its popularity is showing no signs of dimming”, concluded Mr. McMahon.

Stats in short:

New car sales year to date 2015  121,114  v  2014  93,151  +30 per cent
New car sales total September 2015 4,787 v  2014   3,899   +23 per cent
Light Commercial Vehicles sales year to date 2015     21,645 v 2014  14,563  +49 per cent
Light Commercial Vehicles sales total September 2015 1,584 v 2014    1,366  +16 per cent
Heavy Goods Vehicle total sales year to date        2015 1909 v 2014     1,714  +11 per cent
Heavy Goods Vehicle sales total September         2015 184  V  152  2014 +21 per cent