Drivers in Wales are ahead of the UK. It’s the only part of the country to record car sales rising in September, when they went up 2.15% and contrasted with a maximum decline of 5.21% in England. New car registrations last month were down overall in the UK by 4.44% to 327,732 but in Wales they rose to 12,135 new cars, easily passing the 11,880 in September 2019. Demand for battery … [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 the sector”, said Sue Robinson, Chief … [Read more...]
Drive begins to save apprenticeships
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Charitable Trust Fund has launched the SMMT Apprentice Support Programme, designed to help safeguard the jobs of apprentices currently working within the automotive industry.The scheme comes as the government-funded furlough scheme is poised to end in a month’s time, to be replaced by new measures to support short time working.The … [Read more...]
Tradelines 30 September
The pure electric Mazda MX-30 will begin at £25,545 for the SE-L Lux when it reaches showrooms next spring. Top model in the five-car series will be the GT Sport Tech at £32,845, after the PIVG allowance. Average car insurance premiums fell by £53 since the start of the lockdown, as many drivers were forced off the road and insurers reduced prices, according to the … [Read more...]
Car makers’ warning on prices after Brexit
There will be severe repercussions for the European motor industry if there is no free trade agreement Britain before the end of the year and motorists will have to pay more for models. That's the stark warning this week from the car makers' body, ACEA, which includes the Society of Motor Manufacturers in Britain, who warned a disorderly future could cost over £101 Billion by 2025. In a … [Read more...]
Welsh buyers hold steady as English collapse
Electric car sales are slowly rising but failed to turnaround a decline in total August new car registrations, according to the car-makers’ body. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said today that UK new car registrations declined by -5.8% in August. Just over 87,000 vehicles were registered during what is traditionally the quietest month of the year for new car sales. While … [Read more...]
Newslines 18 August
Aston Martin is celebrating the release of the 25th James Bond film with two exclusive 007 special editions inspired by the cars featured in No Time to Die due November. This new collaboration between Aston Martin and EON Productions, sees new 007 editions of the Aston Martin Vantage and DBS Superleggera alongside no fewer than four iconic Aston Martin sports cars: the iconic DB5; the … [Read more...]
Behind the Wheel: Driving towards a cliff
Tens of thousands of more jobs are likely to disappear from the UK automotive sector before the end of the year, writes Robin Roberts. Some 11,349 jobs so far axed following lockdown will grow and despite this week’s 11% rise in new car registrations the outlook is bleak. That’s because the first upturn in showroom sales came at the end of three months when all showrooms were in … [Read more...]
Wales leads UK car sales recovery with Vauxhall Corsa
New car sales in Wales have recovered better than the rest of the UK.Welsh figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show a 39.22 % rise in July compared to the same month last year and brings the running total for this year to just 34.55% below the first seven months of 2019, also better than other regions. Dealers in Wales recorded 7,728 new car sales in July … [Read more...]
New car sales rise in hoped for lift to market
Pent up demand after lockdown eased is thought to have driven a rise in new car registrations last month. Figures from the Society for Motor Manufacturers and Traders due to be released later this morning are expected to show an 11% rise compared with the same month in 2019. December saw the last increase but it was a blip after a year of decline. The new car sales market has struggled with … [Read more...]
