FORD has pipped Toyota in the national sales figures for new cars for February, although Toyota are out ahead in Limerick for new registrations. Passenger car sales went up a god 38 per cent and new vans almost double that at 72 per cent.

According to the Society of Irish Motor Industry’s latest table, Ford has 13.5 per cent of last month’s market, Toyota is a close 13.3 per cent, followed by Volkswagen at 10.9 per cent.

Renault, GM (Opel) and Nissan are the next three best sellers in order of popularity.

In response to the good news, Eddie Murphy, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland, said: “A second successive month of sales increases in both cars and vans points to some recovery in the market, fuelled by the car scrappage scheme and a replenishment need among customers who have deferred purchases from last year”.

“I expect the positive trend to continue into March as a healthy book of enquiries translates into sales”.