Figures released today show that the new car registrations reached 462,517 in the month of September. This has made last month the best September for new car sales on record, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), with an increase of 8.6% from the same month last year.
This record September performance means that we are seeing the 43rd consecutive month of growth within the market. It is also the first time that the total number of cars registered in the first nine months of the year has surpassed the 2 million mark since 2004. This figure of 2,096,886 shows another increase of 7.1% higher than this period last year.
• Top 10 best-selling cars in the UK
The Ford Fiesta remains at the top of the best-selling cars list for the month, while also being the number 1 best-selling car across the entire British market, having sold over 100,000 this year.
Chief Executive of SMMT, Mike Hawes, said, “The market reached pre-recession levels some time ago, and we anticipate some levelling off in the coming months. It is too early to draw conclusions, but customer demand for diesel remained strong, accounting for one in two cars registered. “
As much as the market is still very buoyant and showing trends that suggest it will continue on the up, it is too early to tell whether the Volkswagen emissions scandal will have a knock on effect on registration figures of diesel cars. This is due to the news coming too late into the month of September, we’ll get a clearer picture next month.
Do you think the VW emissions scandal will do to new car sales figures next month? Will it have any effect? Let us know in the comments section below...