The Punt: Land Rover off endangered list in Ireland
491 new Land Rovers have been registered so far in Ireland this year compared to just 29 in 2010. Photo by: Newscast/UIG via Getty Images
Car sales have obviously been booming of late, with the sector having been boosted by consumers feeling who now feel a bit more secure about their finances.
The Punt has been noticing more car transporters on the road too, as the country's biggest such operator - National Vehicle Distribution (NVD) - ferries cars around Ireland for sale in showrooms.
The Wexford firm is owned by the Boland family and during the boom coined it as car sales soared. Leaner times followed, but in 2011, NVD still managed to turn a €610,000 operating profit. But 2012 saw that figure more than double to €1.4m.
More than 89,000 new cars have been registered in Ireland so far this year - 15,000 more than in the whole of 2013, according to the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI).
It also estimates that 4,200 new direct and indirect jobs have been created by the sector as conditions have improved.
SIMI also says that the Exchequer has gained an extra €171m from new car sales this year.
During the downturn, sales of vehicles with big price tags such as Land Rovers were especially hard hit. But the well-heeled urbanists' off-road vehicle of choice is doing well again, with 491 new Land Rovers registered in Ireland so far this year. In 2010 there was just 29.
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