Toyota and Volkswagen vye for top spot

Toyota and Volkswagen and are vying for top spot in the new car sales stakes, and both brands can claim to be number at the end of August, depending on how official statistics are interpretated.

The Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), which gets its statistics from Revenue, puts Toyota in the lead with 9,381 units, just three units ahead of Volkswagen at the end of August.

Meanwhile, Volkswagen Ireland, which gets its statistics from SIMI, is claiming top spot with 9,357 units, some 17 units ahead of Toyota.

In calculating its figures, Volkswagen Ireland excludes new imports, which its says Irish importers have no control over.