New car sales rose last year despite the recession, figures released on Wednesday have shown.

Statistik Austria reported that 319,403 new cars had been sold last year - an increase of 8.8 per cent over 2008 and the highest number since 1992.

But sales of new trucks plummeted by 23.6 per cent year on year to 28,650.

The agency around 30,000 Austrians had taken advantage of a nationwide scrappage scheme trading in an old car to get a 1,500 Euro subsidy.

The agency also reported that sales of motorbikes and scooters had fallen 10 per cent year on year and sales of used cars had risen by 4.8 per cent year on year to 773,809 in 2009.

Source: Transportweekly