UK new car registrations fall in October – as Volkswagen and Seat sales plummet
The number of new cars registered in the UK fell by one per cent to 177,664 in October, figures by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) showed today. The biggest faller? Not surprisingly, brands owned by Volkswagen.
Yep, according to the figures, VW sales were down 9.8 per cent, while sales of Seats fell 32.2 per cent, as consumers shied away from buying vehicles affected by the VW's emissions cheating scandal.
That said, sales of Audis – also owned by VW – were up 2.2 per cent. And Porsche, which has also been caught up in the emissions scandal, was up 20 per cent.
New car registrations have been incredibly strong in the UK in recent years, rising steeply from the beginning of 2012 onwards. Although registrations fell in October, year-to-date registrations were 2.3m – up four per cent since the same time last year.
And although VW sales tailed off, it's still the UK's third-favourite marque after Ford and Vauxhall, with 13,970 vehicles sold in October.
Mike Hawes, SMMT's chief executive, said, “The UK car market has gone through a period of unprecedented growth and, so far, 2015 has been a bumper year with the strongest performance since the recession.
"As expected, demand has now begun to level off but the sector is in a strong position, as low interest rates, consumer confidence and exciting new products combine to attract new car buyers. The current full-year growth forecast remains on track.”
