PARAGON Car Finance saw car loans increase by 88% to £96.4 million last year, but its contract hire fleet remained steady at 2,500 vehicles.

Parent company Paragon Group saw pre-tax profits up 11% to £16.3 million for the year to March 31, 2000, compared to £14.7 million for the previous year. Operating income, the equivalent to turnover, rose from £34 million to £37.6 million during the same period. Financial results for Paragon Car Finance are not split from the group's figures.