New car sales up by a third in offaly yearonyear

New car sales recorded between January and September this year in Offaly have jumped by more than 31 per cent compared to the same period last year.

That’s according to new data just released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).

According to SIMI’s third quarter review, 1,193 new car registrations were recorded in Offaly during the first nine months of this year. That’s up considerably on the 910 new car registrations recorded during the same period in 2013.

Offaly’s new car registrations for 2014 represent just over 1.25 per cent of total registrations countrywide.

Unsurprisingly most of the 93,176 new cars registered this year up to the end of September were recorded in Dublin. With 37,564 new cars registered in the capital, it represents more than 40 per cent of the total market.

Dublin recorded the lowest percentage increase in registrations year-on-year at 22 per cent however. The largest increase in new car registrations in the first nine months of this year compared to last was in Cavan, where a jump of almost 55 per cent was recorded.

All counties showed year-on-year increases in registrations however.

Speaking about the results, SIMI centre chairman for Offaly and MD of Colton Motors Keith Colton said the increase in car sales is a massive boost to the Offaly area.

“Not only does it reflect a rise in consumer confidence which was much needed but it will help create more jobs in the motor industry and significantly boost the economy in the region,” he said.

Figures contained in the review suggest sales for 2014 are likely to exceed 95,000, which is some 15 per cent ahead of the industry’s expectations twelve months ago.