Car sales rise by 27.4pc on last year

The number of new private cars licensed for the first time increased by 9.5 per cent in May 2014 when compared to May 2013, CSO figures reveal. 

New car sales rose to 7,767 during May.

Used (imported) private cars licensed for the first time were up 7.5pc to 4,945 for the same period.

This year so far, 58,890 new private cars have been licensed - a rise of 27.4pc on last year.

The corresponding figure for 2014 in respect of used (imported) private cars was 23,099 and this was up 18.4pc from 2013.

The number of new goods vehicles licensed in May 2014 was 1,574, up 34.1pc from May 2013.

The total number of all new vehicles licensed during May 2014 was 10,250 compared with 9,070 during the same month in 2013 - an increase of 13pc.

In May 2014, of the 7,767 new private cars licensed, 2,120 (27.3pc) were petrol and 5,549 (71.4pc) were diesel.

The highest number of new private cars licensed in May 2014, classified by make, was Ford (957) followed by Volkswagen (941), Toyota (845) and Hyundai (619). See Table 3 below.

In May 2014, the total number of all vehicles licensed was 16,799 compared with 14,996 in the corresponding month last year - an increase of 12pc.