New car licenses for 2009 down 62.8%

THERE WERE 474 new private cars licensed in December 2009, compared with 667 in December 2008, a decrease of 28.9 per cent, according to figures released yesterday by the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

There was more bad news in the commercial vehicles sector where newly licensed vehicles amounted to 251 compared to 426 in December 2008 – a 41 per cent drop.

Figures for the entire year also confirm the Irish motor industry’s dismal estimates for 2009, with the CSO confirming new private car licences slumped by 62.8 per cent to 54,432.

The licensing figures refer only to vehicles taxed for road use.

The figures also show the total number of all new vehicles licensed during 2009 was 73,125 compared with 194,817 during 2008 – a decrease of 62.5 per cent.

An analysis of these vehicles by fuel type indicates that of the 54,432 new private cars licensed, 22,802, or 41.9per cent, were petrol powered. Some 30,645 or 56.3per cent were diesel powered.

The highest number of new private cars licensed in 2009, classified by make, was Toyota with 7,746; followed by Ford with 7,738; Volkswagen with 6,127 and Nissan with 4,761.

However, while 2009 was dismal, according to the motor industry, car dealers have been reporting a brisk start to trading in 2010, despite the poor weather conditions.

There is also further indication that the new emissions system of road taxes is changing buyer behaviour.

Industry sources suggest more than two-thirds of this year’s cars are within Tax Band A and B, with emissions of less than 140g/km, while 62.1 per cent are powered by diesel engines.

Toyota is again the top-selling brand with 17.3 per cent of the sales and Ford’s Focus is the biggest-selling individual model. Mercedes sold 55 E-class models in the first few trading days of 2010, making it the fourth bestselling diesel car so far this year.