Dismal year for new car sales as sector falls 60%

IT has been a dismal year for Irish car sales, illustrated by the 60% nose-dive in the number of new cars licensed last month compared with the same period last year.

The latest tallies show that the Irish motor industry continues to free-fall with 1,174 new private cars licensed in November 2008, compared with 2,857 in November 2007, according to the latest figures from the Central Statistics Office.

The number of new goods vehicles licensed in November 2008 was 983 compared with 2,143 in the corresponding month last year, a decrease of 54.1%.