Number of new car sales rose in January | Industry - Car News Feb 2012

12:09 Friday 10 Feb 2012

The number of new car sales rose in January, if only by 0.03%. 128,853 new vehicles were sold during January, a small increase on the 2011 figure.

Diesel has also strengthened its lead over petrol in the new car stakes. 53.7% of new cars sold were oil-burners, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). 2,119 alternatively-fuelled cars (including electric cars) rolled off the line last month, an increase of 17.7%.

The highest selling new car was the Ford Fiesta, with 7,824 new examples hitting the roads last month. The Ford Focus was Britain’s second best-selling car, with the VW Golf and Vauxhall Corsa in third and fourth, respectively.

Nissan, Skoda and Chevrolet were among the companies benefitting most from the sales rise, each posting sales figures 20% higher than January 2011. Vauxhall, BMW and Citroen fared less well, with a higher than 20% decline on last year’s figures.

The SMMT predicts that new car sales will fall this year from the 1.94 million cars registered in 2011 but predicts that that trend will be reversed in 2013, with the market being buoyed by more fuel-efficient products. Sales should also pick up during March after the new registration plates are released.