Amid the gloom of last year's car sales figures - down 7 per cent on the previous year - the luxury end of the market seemed immune to the rough seas of everyday car sales. And in the market for wealthy motorists, the Germans still dominated.
Top of the list was the €500,000 Maybach, one of which was registered in Dublin last year. Admittedly the shorter wheelbased version of the two on offer, this Maybach 57 nonetheless can be spotted in south Co Dublin on occasion.
The Mercedes-Benz über-motor seems to have seen off the challenge from BMW's Rolls Royce Phantom. An Irish registered version has yet to appear on our roads.
Mercedes also dominated the sports luxury market with an amazing 22 SL500s registered last year - prices here begin at €148,285, but Irish importer Motor Distributors managed to sell two SL55 AMGs at €191,715 each.
BMW was not without its successes, of course. No fewer than 30 M3s, priced between €88,000 and €126,400, were registered last year. It even sold two M5s, despite the introduction of the new model in the autumn. It also registered one long-wheelbase 760iL, at €170,340.
Audi was also in the running. Its flagship A8 performed well in the final stages of the year - 14 of its 335 bhp 4.2-litre were registered in '03. Audi also sold four RS6 450bhp models, at €127,000 and two 4.2-litre S4s, with prices starting at €81,400.
As for its Bentley sister, we await arrival of an influx of €250,000 Continental GTs. However, one Arnage T was registered in Dublin last year, though Irish dealers failed to recoup any share of the spoils as it was privately imported.
It seems Irish car enthusiasts still have some spare cash in their wallets when it comes to fulfilling their fantasies.
