Car sales down another 35% in September
Friday, 2 October 2009 14:20
The Society of the Irish Motor Industry says the number of new cars registered in September was almost 35% lower, at 2,259, than the same month last year.
Sales in the year to September are 63% down on last year with just 55,136 new cars sold in the nine month period compared to 149,059 the same time last year.
SIMI's financial director Brian Cooke said that the September fall might appear to be somewhat of an improvement over the previous months, but that is not the case.
He pointed out that the September figure needs to be viewed in the context of the sudden deterioration that occurred in September 2008 which was 47% down on September 2007.
'The year to date analysis shows new car sales to be still 63% down on 2008, a level which can not sustain the current level of employment in the motor sector,' he stated.
He said the motor industry has cut more than 10,000 jobs since January 2008 and he warned that if unless urgent action is taken by the Government another 8,000 to 10,000 jobs are in danger.
'It is imperative that a scrappage scheme is introduced in January 2010,' he said. He said such a scheme benefits the consumer, the Government, the industry and most particularly thousands of employees in every town across the country,' he added.
Meanwhile, sales of new cars in Germany jumped by 21% in September on the year, boosted by a now expired car scrapping premium, figures from the VDA car federation showed today.
The 'cash-for-clunkers' bonus of €2,500 for drivers that junked old cars and bought a new one has reached its limit of two million cars, and sales are expected to decline in the coming months.
- Morning Ireland: 7.50 Bulletin: Brian Cooke from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry on the deep gloom surrounding the latest car sales figures
