Best quarter for car sales since 2008

New car sales for the first quarter of this year are up by 26 per cent on the same period last year, figures just released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) confirm.

Sales in March are up 23 per cent, reflecting a continuation of the consumer confidence that has been apparent since the start of the year.
The Commercial Vehicle market is also positive, with light commercia l/ van sales up 43 per cent this quarter and up 45 per cent in March alone. Heavy commercial / truck sales are up 40 per cent so far this year and 31 per cent in March alone.

Alan Nolan, SIMI Director General: “Vehicle sales for the first quarter of 2014 remain significantly ahead of last year. Already we have registered over two thirds of total car sales for last year. We are clearly starting from a low base but the most notable point has been the return of retail consumers to the marketplace and that can be seen both in showrooms and in the number of 141 cars visible outside homes, schools and shops. This has been significantly assisted by the improved availability of retail finance from the Finance Houses who are strongly supporting the recovery in the market.”