New car sales in August marginally ahead

New car sales in August marginally ahead

Official figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that whilst the car showrooms suffered a lull in August, the number of new cars sold sidled upwards, in what is usually a quiet month for the motor industry.

August is on the whole one of the market's more unassuming months, which is usually only estimated as accounting for around 3 per cent of the year's sales. However, this August saw sales of 59,433 newly registered cars, which is a rise of 0.1 per cent over 2011. It is usual for August sales to be lower compared to September, as most buyers will be waiting for the change in registration plate. In accordance with this, September usually accounts for 17 per cent of sales within a year.

With the number of new cars registered in August, the total new sales for 2012 has increased by 3.3 per cent over last year, to a total of 1,250,997 vehicles. This is a growth of over 40,000 new car sales.

The growth in August, however small, represents the sixth consecutive month of improvement in the market, and the seventh rise of 2012. Just like during the rest of the year, the Ford Fiesta led the sales charts for new cars.

The chief executive of the SMMT, Paul Everitt, said "New car registrations remained broadly stable in August, up 0.1% on a year ago to 59,433 units. August traditionally represents a small share of the new car market as motorists anticipate the arrival of the new 62-plate in September".

You can read the SMMT's full report here: http://www.smmt.co.uk/2012/09/new-car-market-stable-in-august-ahead-of-important-62-plate-change/

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