NEWS

CAR Dealer Magazine has rounded up some of the news stories from the past few weeks – including the UK’s best-mpg van! 76mpg Citroen Nemo UK’s most eco van CITROEN now officially sells the UK’s most fuel-efficient small van, following the results of the latest MPG Marathon. The 1.4 HDi diesel-engined Nemo SensoDrive beat the [...]

SCRAPPAGE sales accounted for 21 percent of September new car registrations, says the SMMT. This means 77,316 scrappage cars were sold. It also means the total amount of cars registered under the scheme now stands at 178,278. Of course, this doesn’t include cars already on order, too – they take the figure far higher. ‘The [...]

SEPTEMBER’S big sales increase is ‘largely due to the vehicle scrappage scheme,’ says the RMI. Director Sue Robinson praised the Government for responding to calls from car dealers. ‘The Government’s response to RMI pressure to extend the scheme is stimulating the motor industry as a whole. ‘Car dealers are reporting that the scheme is continuing [...]

UK car registration figures just released by the SMMT show an 11.4% rise for September – again, thanks to scrappage. The figures are the THIRD monthly rise in a row, and are a further boost to new car dealers. 367,929 new cars were sold in the key sales month of September, as car buyers responded [...]

SEPTEMBER 2009 new car sales took the year-to-date total up to 1,517,039, with Ford’s Fiesta topping the chart. The figures are still 15 percent behind last year’s numbers, but the decline is far lower than many feared. At this point last year, 1,794,419 new cars had been sold. In 2009, it is the decline in [...]

SMMT chiefs have taken the unheralded step of issuing an anticipatory car registration INCREASE announcement. The official statement comes ahead of tomorrow’s latest UK car sales reveal. ‘Figures due to be released tomorrow by the SMMT,’ says the statement, ‘are expected to show the third monthly increase in new car registrations in September as consumers [...]

SMMT chief Paul Everitt has exclusively spoken to Car Dealer Magazine, outlining why scrappage is right. Extending it was the only thing to do, he says. ‘The scrappage incentive scheme has been an integral tool in helping to kick-start the UK motor industry. Until July 2009, the new car market endured 15 months of consecutive [...]

SMMT data just released shows that car production in the UK remains down – but by a lesser extent. The figures for August show a 31.5 percent decline over 2008. This sounds bad – but it’s a big improvement on the fall of 44.6 percent year-to-date. And it’s all thanks to the new car scrappage [...]

CAR dealers are meeting with Lord Mandelson TODAY – with a scrappage extension high on their demands. The crunch summit with the SMMT will see car dealers plea for an addition to the cash-neutral scheme. Scrappage funds are expected to run out by the end of the year. Many car dealers would like to see [...]

CAR retailer Dealdrivers says its August sales figures were ‘exactly double’ those of August 2008. There’s more to come, too: the firm is expecting September to be its busiest month EVER. ‘We’re expecting a record-breaking month for vehicles from dealers to drivers,’ said car broker boss Jo Eveleigh. Interestingly, it was Ford that topped the [...]

AUGUST is normally a quiet month for car dealers – but for some, it’s bucked a trend with rocketing interest! Hyundai car dealers, for example, recorded a staggering 322 percent rise in sales, chiefly thanks to the scrappage scheme. This has seen its i10 city car do the unthinkable, and appear on the top 10 [...]

FIAT Group is celebrating, after sales in August turned the clock back to 2001 for the three-brand maker. Sales rose by more than 85 percent year-on-year, to give the firm its biggest market share since May 2001. Fiat, Alfa Romeo and Abarth snared 5.14 percent of total UK sales – and even the 4.5 percent [...]

FORD sales outperformed the market three times over, says the blue oval – with market share increasing. The brand now commands 16.9 percent of the total new car market. That compares with 16.1 percent a year ago. What’s more, the new car market may well be up 6 percent – but Ford’s sales have rocketed [...]

NEW car sales in August were forecast to decline 6 percent… instead, they have RISEN 6 percent! The turnaround, says the SMMT, is entirely down to the new car scrappage scheme. Most significant was an increase in retail sales of over HALF – which, again, is thanks to the Government’s new car scrap scheme. It’s [...]

HYUNDAI’S record sales increase of 323% has helped the firm BEAT big maker Ford to number 1 slot! In the retail sales chart, Hyundai toppled EVERY OTHER BRAND in the UK, to nab a record market share of 5.6 percent. August sales were dominated by the i10 – this city car actually overtook the Vauxhall [...]

NEW car sales continued to rise in August, with official figures revealing a 6% increase, according to the SMMT. The big winner was Hyundai, whose baby i10 has leapt to THIRD PLACE OVERALL in the sales charts – overtaking the Vauxhall Corsa. Even more significantly, the brand is TOP for overall retail sales – beating [...]

CAR DEALER can reveal new car sales are likely to be up 5.5% in August - with retail registrations up 50%! An industry insider has given Car Dealer Magazine an early look at the retail car registration figures, which are set to be officially released on Friday by the SMMT. Our source said total new car sales are likely to be up [...]

SCRAPPAGE continues to help reduce car production losses in the UK – but vans remain under pressure. The total drop for July 2009 dipped under 18 percent compared to 2009; this contrasts with the considerably more severe year-to-date fall of 45.8 percent. However, there is less joy for van production. This remained down by almost [...]

CAR and van body the SMMT will hold its latest online seminar next week – with the van sector as the subject. Discussions will centre on the problems in the industry, and the opportunities which exist within it. This comes after a slump in CV sales – last month’s sales figures were nearly 40 percent [...]

HYUNDAI is the UK’s SECOND best selling car maker – so say the most profitable retail buyers, too. In July, Hyundai was ranked second overall for car manufacturer private sales. It came in behind only Ford – and ahead of other big brands such as Vauxhall, Volkswagen and Toyota. Great news, says the firm: people [...]