New car registrations rose 8.16% year-on-year
in September according to latest figures from the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The total number of new car sales, 359,612
units, was 7.8% above the SMMT forecast for the month, which
included the start of the number-62 plate registration.
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Private registrations were up again, 14.24% year-on-year to
177,242 units, and accounted for 49.3% of market, well above the
46.7% share recorded in September 2011 and the 46.0% share across
2012, year-to-date.
Third-quarter sales were up 7.5%,
year-on-year, the highest growth recorded in a quarter outside of
the scrappage scheme since 2001, and mark the
third consecutive quarter to register year-on-year growth.
Year-to-date sales were up by 4.35% on the
same period last year at 1.62million units.
Given the Society’s estimate that September
accounts for approximately 18% of annual sales, the UK appears on
course to sell 1,997,844 units in 2012, above
their revised total of 1.97million units.
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By GlobalDataPaul Everitt, chief executive at the SMMT,
said: “We are starting to see a tentative return of consumer
confidence as motorists explore new products and the latest
fuel-efficient technologies.”
By brand
Of those brands which recently announced
September or fourth-quarter finance packages,
Chevrolet sales were up by 2.31% year-on-year to 1,682 units,
Suzuki was up 28.57% to 5,850 units, while
Subaru dropped 39.09% to 349 units.
Land Rover saw a boost of 40.37% in new
registrations year-on-year to 8,745 units, as prestige automobile
finance provider
Tim Marlow of Bridford had hoped during September.
MG, which recently offered a
£3,000 trade-in promotion for the MG6 or GT Fastback, saw a
bump of 67.44% to 72 units.
Although South Korean marque Ssangyong
massively increased its September sales from 21 units in 2011 to
164 units this year, the 688 units sold January-September looks
likely to fall short of
the company’s prediction of 2,000 total unit sales in 2012.
The regular brands made up the top three
best-sellers for the month: Ford was first with 47,370 units, a
gain of 9.27%; Vauxhall second with 38,889 units, up 3.78%;
Volkswagen (VW) third with 31,424, up 7.43%.
Year-to-date Ford has registered 224,369
units, up 4.54%; Vauxhall 179,698 units, down 4.47%; and VW has
registered 146,720 units, up 2.27%.
The three brands accounted for 32.72% of the
market in September and have accounted for 33.98% of new sales,
January to September.
richard.brown@vrlfinancialnews.com
