New car sales keep on rising
Increase in October new car registrations marks the 20th consecutive month of growth
New car sales continued to increase in 2013, with a total of 157,314 cars being registered in October, representing a four per cent year-on-year rise.
Following the latest rise, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has upped its forecast of annual new car sales from 2.22 million to 2.25 million cars.
Private sales are again strong, while business sales are almost consistent with the same time last year.
The month's best-sellers list makes for familiar reading with the Ford Fiesta, Vauxhall Corsa and Ford Focus placing first, second and third respectively.
The SMMT also revealed that in the past ten years the supermini sector, with models like the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa, has continued to be the most popular market for new cars.
However, it pointed out that the upper medium end of the market – with cars like the BMW 3 Series and Vauxhall Insignia – had fallen from taking an 18 per cent share in the market in 2003 to just nine per cent for the year-to-date in 2013.
Instead sales in MPVs (including the Vauxhall Zafira) and crossover cars, such as the Range Rover Evoque and Kia Sportage, have increased.
