The actual number of new passenger cars registered here is 74,111 to the end of July. July sales were actually up 69 percent at 6.333 units.
Band A cars showed the greatest rate of increase at over 300 percent, and they now represent a third of all cars sold.
Sixty-four percent of cars sold are diesels, compared to 55 percent in 2009.
The biggest selling car is Ford's Focus at 3,331 units, very closely followed by the VW Golf at 3,275 units. Ford's Fiesta, Nissan's Qashqai and Renault's Megane make up the top five.
Director General of SIMI Alan Nolan said the improved sales are 'hugely important' for businesses and employment in the sector as the fragility of the recovery has been underlined recently with a number of dealership closures.
