European car sales climb 1.7% in 2006

THE European new car market grew 1.7% in the first half of 2006. Sales in Ireland rose by 5.8% over the same period, according to a JATO Dynamics analysis of definitive sales data for the EU and EFTA markets.

JATO Dynamics confirms that the new car market in Ireland in the first half of 2006 was up by 5.8% on the same period last year, at 144,820 units.

The top-selling model in Ireland in June, with sales of 925 units, was the Ford Focus.