Analyst David Francis dives into the first half of 2023's new car registrations, and ponders has Ford handed the gold model to Volkswagen in ending the Fiesta, and why is Polestar a hotter prospect than Tesla?
The UK's new van and LCV market grew by 31.0% in June, with 34,630 units registered, the best performance since 2019, as supply chain shortages eased and larger vans dominated sales.
The new car retail registrations increased by 14.8% in June, but fleets are continuing to lead the market, according to the latest data by SMMT.
New car registrations increased by 16.7% in May, but the private market dropped slightly by 0.5% and fleets are driving the market with growth of 36.9%.
The average official full range of a new electric car coming to the market for the first time in 2023 has neared 300 miles, SMMT analysis suggests.
The UK’s used car market rallied with 4.1% growth in Q1 and EVs were the fastest growing sector, up by 56.5%, according to the latest data from the SMMT.
The UK new car market grew by 11.6% in April and the SMMT has now revised its 2023 outlook to a predicted 1.83 million vehicles.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has countered claims that motorists are ready for the first MOT to move from a car's three-year to four-year age point with its own market research.
Van buyers were seemly unphased by the March plate change as February delivered record registrations for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs).
Car retailers are expected to shrug off the key performance indicators (KPIs) of the past as they prepare for a 2023 economy which will see recessionary consumer spending habits layered on top of ongoing vehicle supply issues.
Ford has emerged as the UK’s most popular van manufacturer in 2022, with more than a third of all new LCVs registered last year wearing a blue oval.
Registrations of new cars in the plate-change month of September reached 225,269 units; the 4.6% uplift marking the new car market's second successive month of year-on-year growth, SMMT data shows.
The commercial vehicle sector has suffered its eight month of decline, as August’s registration figures were 24.6% down.
The Government is offering £20 million to nine local authorities in the UK to install install more than 1,000 electric vehicle charging points.
UK used car sales shrank by nearly 20% in Q2, despite a 57.1% increase in used electric vehicle sales over the same period.
The UK automotive industry has reduced its carbon footprint to the lowest level on record, with a reduction of 11.2% in 2021.
Used car retailers face critical business conditions as unprecedented market turbulence and unpredictability continue to take hold, according to Motorpoint CEO Mark Carpenter.
New car sales were down 15.8% in April 2022 versus April 2021, to 119,167 registrations. The SMMT data shows a -33.3% decrease in large fleet registrations.
Sales of new light commercial vehicles in March were down 27.6% year-on-year as supplies of large and medium panel vans continue to be constrained.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has recorded the weakest February for UK car manufacturing since 2009, with output down -41.3% versus February 2021 at 61,657 units.
