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Opel Corsa There was a drop in new car sales for the month of June while sales of used imports were up, writes Trish Whelan .   The total new car registrations for June were down 10.4pc (1,255) compared to the same month last year (1,400). Registrations year-to-date (87,151) are 4.5pc down on the same period last year (91,215). There’s been a slight increase in New Light Commercial Vehicle registrations (LCVs) of 2.06pc (694) on June last year (680) and year-to-date are up 5.7pc (16,633). New Heavy Commercial Vehicles (HGVs) are up 110pc for the month of June (185) compared to the same month last year (88) and are down 1.1pc (1,571) year-to-date. Imported Used Cars sales were up 11.5pc for June 2018 (8,142) over June 2017 (7,304) while year-to-date are 12.8pc (51,879) ahead of 2017 (46,002). Alan Nolan Commenting on the figures released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), SIMI Director General, Alan Nolan, said “While June has seen a decline in ne...

The Irish motor industry could become a centre of excellence in automotive software engineering, according to the new President of the Society of the Irish Motor Industry, Gerard O'Farrell, writes Trish Whelan . At the Society's AGM in Kilashee House Hotel, he said the motor industry is on the cusp of exciting technological advances which will reshape customers transport needs and how they use cars in the future. "This will also change the Industry beyond recognition which means huge opportunities as we transition to a future that will be more focused on IT and new technologies than on current mechanical systems," he said. "These changes will provide huge opportunities, from the development of these new technologies to the creation of new business expertise and job opportunities." He added that the people required for the future will need to 'be at the cutting-edge' to deliver 'hugely exciting changes'. "As an Industry, we need t...