New car numbers race ahead

DESPITE economic doom and gloom, the number of new cars in the country raced ahead by almost 16% last month compared to the same time last year.

Some 17,060 cars were licensed in January in comparison to 14,724 in the first month of 2002, according to figures published by the Central Statistics Office yesterday.

However, the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) said the exact car sales rise is probably lower.