New car sales down by 34.9%

The number of new cars licensed in November fell by 34.9 per cent when compared with the same month last year.

Figures from the Central Statistics Office show the end of the Government scrappage incentive is continuing to impact on new car sales with a total of 1,398 licensed last month compared to 2,146 in November 2010.

Since the scheme ended year on year new car sales were down by 40.8 per cent in October, 38.9 per cent in September, 31.2 per cent in August and 0.9 per cent in July.

The scheme offered tax relief on vehicle registration tax on the sale of a new car – up to €1,500 last year and €1,250 this year before it ended – when a car 10 years or older was scrapped.

The total number of new vehicles licensed in November was 2,311, down 20 per cent on the figure of 2,888 for the corresponding period in 2010.

Despite the recent fall off, the number of new vehicles licensed this year has increased by about 2,500 to 104,694.

Almost three quarters of the new cars licensed (1,024) had diesel engines with Volkswagen (199), Opel (198) and Renault (151) the best selling brands.

The number of new good vehicles licensed in November showed a year on year increase of more than more than a quarter - from 428 to 624.