Demand for cars with big engines increased more than fivefold in the last 10 years, according to figures released by the Central Statistics Office yesterday.
Sales of cars with engines of 1-1.3 litres, however, have dropped.
Drivers in Ireland bought 10,519 new private cars with engine capacity in the highest category of 2.4 litres or more in 2006, compared to 1,895 in 1996.
The category includes BMWs, Land Rovers, Mercedes Benz, Volvos and Audis in saloon, convertible and sedan models as well as SUVs.
Sales of cars with engines of 1.5-1.6 litres increased by almost 270 per cent and there was almost a 200 per cent increase in cars with engines of 1.6-2.4 litres. This category also boasted the largest number of car sales overall in 2006. Purchases were up in all engine capacities except in the 1-1.3 litres category, which dropped by over 20 per cent, from 27,266 in 1996 to 21,508 in 2006.
Over the 10-year period there was an increase of almost 160 per cent in private car sales, from 109,333 in 1996 to 173,273 in 2006.
Toyota was the most popular make of new car bought last year, with 24,704 sold across the range. This was followed by Volkswagen (19,940), Ford (19,504), Opel (13,497) and Nissan (13,073).
The second-hand private car market has recovered well, with 54,244 vehicles changing hands last year, after sales dropped from 44,500 in 1996 to 13,352 in 2002, following the rush for "millennium plates".
Countrywide, the largest number of new cars (56,487) were sold in Dublin, more than twice the number sold in Cork. Dublin bought almost four times as many new cars in the largest engine category as Cork.
New tractor sales increased over the last 10 years, from 2,233 in 1996 to 3,687 in 2006, while 43,619 new goods vehicles were purchased last year, over two-and-a-half times as many as was sold 10 years ago. Sales of Public Service Vehicles also went up, from 1,100 in 1996 to 1,732 last year, almost matching a 10-year high of 1,795 in 1999.
