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The Society of the Irish Motor Industry’s (SIMI) latest new vehicle registration statistics show that the total new car registrations for October are up 29.3% (2,184) when compared with October 2018 (1,689).
New car registrations this year to date are down 7.0% (116,129) on the same period last year (124,884).
New electric vehicle registrations continue to grow month-on-month, with a total of 3,222 EV cars registered so far this year, compared to 1,211 last year, an increase of 166%.
The best selling cars in Ireland so far this year were the Toyota Corolla, followed by the Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Tiguan and Skoda Octavia. Volkswagen remains the top-selling brand.
Heavy truck numbers increased by 4.65%
While new light van (LCV) registrations are up 8.09% (1,069) on October 2018 (989), the year-to-date numbers are slightly down.
Heavy truck numbers increased by 4.65% (135) in comparison to October 2018 (129) and in this year-to -date are slightly up 1.06% (2,484).
Used car imports for October increased by 25.4% (11,460) on the same month last year (9,139) and this year-to-date, imports are up 8.65% (93,893) ahead of 2018 (86,417).
The Gowan Group, which owns the franchise for Peugeot and Honda cars in Ireland, recently completed the acquisition of Opel Ireland and has appointed James Brooks as managing director of the Opel operations in Ireland.
Brooks has huge experience in the Irish motor industry,
A qualified accountant, he is joining Opel Ireland from Kia Motors Ireland, where he was managing director.
Brooks has huge experience in the Irish motor industry, initially forged as finance director, fleet director and business development manager at Opel Ireland for nine years, along with 14 years at Kia Motors Ireland as managing director.
The Toyota Proace City, is Toyota’s latest offering in their light van range, and it will be arriving in Ireland for the second half of 2020.
Toyota claims that this new Proace City will be competitive and provides a useful addition to Toyota’s product coverage in the LCV market.
It will be available as a short or long wheelbase panel van with a choice of two or three seats in the front cabin.
This van can also accommodate two euro pallets in both lengths
The short wheelbase Proace van version has a capacity of up to 3.7m³ and up to a best-in-class 4.3m³ on long wheelbase models.
This van can also accommodate two euro pallets in both lengths. Tight spaces and city streets are no problem with asymmetric rear doors making loading simple.
It has a towing capacity of 1,500kg, and a payload of up to 1,000kg.
Volkswagen claims that the Golf is the most successful European car for more than four decades and now there’s a new one on the way.
Volkswagen announced the new Golf in recent weeks with a longer body style, new front end styling and a host of new engine options.
Eight versions of the Golf will be available in Ireland when it lands here in March 2020.
Volkswagen is launching a new hybrid offensive with the new Golf with five hybrid versions including a eTSI version and a plug-in hybrid.
The German carmaker claims that its new petrol and diesel engine versions of the Golf will be 17% more fuel efficient.
Volkswagen claims that the new Golf is also safer. It will be the first Volkswagen to use swarm intelligence from traffic via its Car2X system.
This means that it can warn against hazards on an anticipatory basis.
Practically all of the displays and controls are digital in the new eight generation Golf. The new instruments and online infotainment systems work together into a display landscape featuring touch buttons and touch sliders.
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