In his address to the Continental Irish Car of the Year Awards ceremony at The Convention Centre in Dublin attended by leading figures from the motor industry, Irish Motoring Writers Association Chairman Gerry Murphy (pictured) added that a new year brings its blessings and hopefully 'plenty of orders'.
He said to its credit, the motor industry continues to plough on. Some 46 new cars were eligible for this year's Continental Irish Car of the Year award, that is nearly one new product per week brought into Ireland over the last twelve months - not including upgrades and derivatives. Few other industries, he added, can boast such activity levels in stringent times.
The IMWA Chairman supported the SIMI's call for a change in the car registration system, which he felt was the right call and would go some way towards eliminating the seasonal nature of the business and bring some balance to the year as far as sales and cash flow are concerned. It would also add some stability to the dealer network and protect some vulnerable jobs. He also supported the SIMI's call for allowing registrations between counties to be changed for a small fee.
He finished by saying that winning the Continental Car of the Year adds value to the winning car and is good for the winning brand. (The Kia Rio subsequently won the overall title).
