Toyota to end year on top - as BMW chase premium title

As 04 sales peter out, the two main rivals for the title of best-selling car brand in Ireland are coming to accept the inevitable: Toyota is going to end the year on top.

That's thanks in part to the popularity of Toyota's Avensis, while Ford has suffered from the late delivery of its new Focus.

According to Dave Shannon, managing director of Toyota Ireland: "whilst it is hugely gratifying to have achieved the coveted position of number one in the Irish car market, it is also important never to rest on our laurels."

New car registrations to the end of October reached 151,719, according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI). That's a rise of 6.35 per cent on the same period last year. For the month in October, registration figures were 4,447, down 452 on the same month last year.

Away from the top-selling brands, however, there's a real race to the finish between Mercedes and BMW for the premium segment crown.

Long held by the three-point star, BMW has rapidly closed the gap of late, partly due to an expanded product range. Sales to the end of October were 4,656 for BMW and 4,692 for Mercedes, a difference of just 36 units.

"We now expect to finish the year on top," says Michael Nugent, director of sales and marketing at BMW Ireland. "In the first year of our operations, we're delighted to have exceeded the original expectations. The 1-Series has played a big part in maintaining our 3 per cent share towards the end of the year, and there's a huge amount of pride involved in securing the leadership position over competitors."

Nugent denies that the dramatic rise in sales is "a flash in the pan" since Irish operations came under the direct control of BMW in Munich, or that the firm was simply buying market share as a result of a significantly increased marketing budget.

"You'll see us continue the same kind of investment in promotions, after-sales service deals and customer services over the next five years. Our budget next year will actually be bigger than it was in 2004, due in part to our increased sales."