July is an important month for car sales in Ireland, as it is the time of year when consumers look to upgrade their cars. The Central Statistics Office (CSO) released figures last month that showed an annual increase of 5.5% for car sales in Ireland.
It showed the steady rise in demand from the same time in 2015 for brands such as Audi, increasing sales by 17%, and Mercedes by 36%. Land Rover also saw an increase in sales last month compared to 2015 figures.
But Volkswagen sales are dropping in the wake of one of the biggest auto industry scandals the world has ever seen.
Volkswagen sales dropping
Although we see a rise in luxury brands being brought, since the emission scandal, Volkswagen have seen their sales drop by 9% when compared to July last year. It’s yet another blow the company has faced since the discovery of emissions cheating technology being installed in certain diesel engine vehicles.
In America, Volkswagen sales slumped by 8%, and billions in fines have been issued by US authorities, as well as a recall of hundreds of thousands of vehicles.
Volkswagen’s quarter profits for their second quarter dropped by €100m when compared to 2015, which is on top of South Korea suspending sales of the German car makers vehicles, which has also hit them hard. The German state of Bavaria have announced they will be suing Volkswagen for damages, as millions worldwide fight for the justice they deserve.
It comes as no surprise that there has been a slump in the sales of Volkswagen vehicles when you look at what they have done!
Volkswagen’s competitors – benefiting from the emissions scandal
Meanwhile, other car companies are reaping the benefits, with manufactures like Hyundai being the most popular car maker in Ireland with a 27% increase compared to last year, and Renault sales growing by 34% during the month.
Ford, as Ireland’s second most popular brand after Hyundai, saw a 25% rise with record sales of 3,359 in the July period. Toyota sales also spiked by 15%: from 2,604 to 2,983.
Have you been affected?
If you have been affected by the Volkswagen scandal you could be entitled to compensation. The Car Emissions Lawyers are taking steps against Volkswagen with an action consisting of thousands of victims who are claiming for what has happened.
If you have been affected, start your claim today by contacting us for help and advice. Call free from a landline or mobile on 0800 634 7575
The content of this post/page was considered accurate at the time of the original posting and/or at the time of any posted revision. The content of this page may, therefore, be out of date. The information contained within this page does not constitute legal advice. Any reliance you place on the information contained within this page is done so at your own risk.