Dealers have increased new car discounts by more than 10 per cent since February, in a bid to maintain sales. The move equates to savings of £16.8 million off manufacturer list prices across the market, according to the latest research by Britain’s leading consumer champion and new car buying platform, What Car?
Britons buying new cars this March are a sensible bunch, according to a new Opinium survey, mostly diligently researching cars before picking one; however, it also found plenty of people swayed by emotional factors from how good a car looks to whether it had that new car ‘look and feel’.
New passenger car registrations declined by -1.6 per cent in January with 161,013 units registered. Sales of petrol cars rose by 7.3 per cent, diesel declined -20.3 per cent and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) grew by 26.3 per cent. Private demand increased by 2.9 per cent, while fleet was down -3.4 per cent.
UK electric car registrations continue to set records, as latest figures place the total number of new 100 per cent electric and plug-in hybrid cars registered last year at 59,911, making it the most successful year for electric cars to date.
The UK new car market declined by -6.8 per cent in 2018, with annual registrations falling for a second year to 2,367,147 units, according to figures released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). A -5.5 per cent decline in December capped a turbulent year of model changes, regulatory upheaval and continued anti-diesel policies, adding to the ongoing decline in consumer and business confidence.
The growing strength of the automotive relationship between the UK and South Korea has been highlighted today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) during its trade mission to the country.
A new guide for dealers has been created by the Independent Motor Dealers Association to spread best practice for the advertising of ex-daily rental and ex-fleet vehicles. The six-page document has been written with the help and support of the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA), which created consternation among dealers when the ASA upheld an appeal hearing by a consumer concerning two Alfa Romeo Giuliettas.
Commenting on the SMMT car registration figures, Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which represents franchised car and commercial vehicle dealers in the UK, said: “Despite June’s decline, it was encouraging to see that in the second quarter the new car market was 2.3 per cent higher than last year”.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) is urging the UK government to act to support the sale of traditionally fuelled vehicles following the news that the UK new car market declined moderately in June. Year-on-year demand fell by -3.5 per cent, the SMMT stated, as 234,945 new cars joined British roads, representing relative stabilisation considering recent turbulence over the past year or so. While alternatively fuelled vehicle sales continue to rise, they are not yet at a level that can relieve the decline in traditionally fuelled vehicle sales, and the SMMT argues for government to provide increased support for petrol and especially new technology diesel vehicles.
Mycarcheck.com’s valuation experts reveal significant trends in the UK used vehicle market and choose a car and bike of the month.
A report from credit agency Moody’s, featured in the Financial Mail on Sunday, predicts that car sales in the UK in 2018 will be the worst in Europe with sales of new cars expected to fall by -5.5 per cent.
The UK new car market declined in the first month of the year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 163,615 cars were driven off forecourts in January, a -6.3 per cent fall compared with the same month in 2017.
In 2017, new passenger car registrations experienced an increase of +3.4 per cent on the year before. This marked four consecutive years of growth and the best result since 2007 when 16 million units were registered. Registrations rose in the majority of the largest EU markets: Italy (+7.9 per cent) and Spain (+7.7 per cent) were followed by France (+4.7 per cent) and Germany (+2.7 per cent). In the UK the market declined by -5.7 per cent.
The UK new car market declined for a seventh consecutive month in October, with 158,192 new units registered, according to figures released today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). Demand fell by -12.2 per cent in the month, as falling confidence among buyers continued to impact the market.
The UK new car market remained steady in February, dipping just -0.3 per cent, according to figures released by SMMT. 83,115 vehicles were registered in traditionally one of the quietest months of the year ahead of the number plate change in March. Fleets drove the market, with 45,699 cars registered, up 3.3 per cent, while private demand fell -4.4 per cent to 36,018 units and business registrations declined -5.3 per cent to 1,398.
