The UK’s used car market declined -8.9% in the first quarter of 2021 according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. With 1,687,755 transactions, the overall decline saw large falls in January and February of -27.1% and -19.4%, as lockdowns depressed demand and again closed showrooms. March saw the market show signs of recovery with a … [Read more...]
Advertising brakes but car sales accelerate
Sales enquiries for both new and used cars have seen an increase during the last week as retail buyers appear to have gained a little more confidence and seem more willing to start to spend the money they have inadvertently saved during the current third lockdown period. However, new car sales for the month are still looking to be at around 60% of normal … [Read more...]
Warranties surge as sales stagger
Warrantywise is one of Britain's largest car warranty companies and had a record year in sales growth. They are celebrating an outstanding 55% growth in sales year on year. Lawrence Whittaker, CEO of Warrantywise, attributes this to a number of reasons, "We've had a fantastic year for sales, and worked really hard on setting goals to … [Read more...]
UK car making lowest in generation
UK car making slumped last year to the lowest since 1984, hit by Covid-19 interruptions and a collapse in demand for most of the year. The car makers' body, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders chief Mike Hawes said it was a "dreadful year" but added that a comprehensive vaccination programme might restore buying and … [Read more...]
BEVs boosted to over 200,000 on UK roads
It has been a landmark 12 months for electric cars, says the RAC. Despite the wider car industry suffering badly from the effects of the pandemic, 2020 was a landmark when it came to sales of battery electric vehicles with twice as many sold last year compared to the year before, and a total of more than 200,000 registered since 2010, shows analysis of SMMT … [Read more...]
Vans deliver good returns in September
Home deliveries have delivered for the UK van market. Sales of light commercials grew by 26.4% in September following a weak month last year, when the market was affected by emission regulations changes. “It is encouraging to see the van market experience an uplift in registrations of over a quarter indicating that a degree of confidence has returned to … [Read more...]
Newslines 17 August
The Mtsubishi Outlander PHEV is still out-selling every other plug-in hybrid SUV on the market so far in 2020 and second only to a recently-launched premium brand saloon. Despite the massive disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic and a more competitive plug-in hybrid market than ever before, 2,662 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs were registered in 2020 to … [Read more...]
Plug pulled on sales of new Ford Kuga PHEV
By David Miles Ford has pulled the plug on sales of the its new Kuga PHEV. Four car fires have been associated with the battery pack during charging and it’s believed some 27.000 models around the world could be affected. The plug-in hybrid SUV arrived in showrooms only recently and proved popular, accounting for 50% of Kuga’s European sales for the … [Read more...]
Auction action accelerates
Auction houses are experiencing strong vehicle values and a strong demand for stock, according to the National Association of Motor Auctions. While the majority of auction houses are not yet opening their auction halls to buyers, they continue to be very busy with on-line sales. Used vehicles are in keen demand from consumers post-lockdown as many look for … [Read more...]
Car dealers are optimistic of recovery
The UK motor industry has been hit hard by Covid-19, but car dealers are optimistic about the future of the sector. New research from the Britain Under the Bonnet report, from Close Brothers Motor Finance, reveals that short term confidence plummeted during April, but medium to long term optimism has begun to improve. At the beginning of 2020, 98% of car … [Read more...]
