2012 car sales rise to over 2 million

2012 car sales rise to over 2 million

The amount of new car sales in the UK in 2012 grew by 5.3%, which is the biggest rise seen in over ten years, recently released figures show.

The increase in sales was documented by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), and sees last years new car sales rise to 2,044,609 units. This increase of 5.3% is the largest yearly rise in over a decade, since 2001 in fact. Sales of vehicles in December alone saw a rise of 3.7% over the same month of 2011. The actual annual volume of sales was the highest since 2008, and sales were boosted by strong demand from private customers.

It also seems that the more fuel efficient models proved popular, with the average CO2 emissions of new cars falling to 133.1g/km, which is 22.7% lower than ten years ago. The Chief Executive of SMMT, Paul Everitt, commented: "Boosted by strong consumer demand, the market grew at its fastest rate for 11 years with innovative, fuel-efficient cars keeping buyers in showrooms. Looking ahead to 2013, we anticipate the market will hold firm, with manufacturers and dealers working hard to deliver quality and value to motorists."

The most popular car of last year was undeniably the Ford Fiesta, selling over 109,000 units. This comes as no surprise, as it was What Car's used car of the year 2012. Following on were the Vauxhall Corsa, selling around 89,000 units, and the Ford Focus, shifting nearly 84,000 units.

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